ABA Trust Schools: Justification Kit

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Justify Attending ABA Trust Schools

Since you've found this page, you probably recognize the value of attending one of the ABA Trust Schools. so we'd like to offer some assistance to help you convince your supervisor and organization to approve the costs.

Using this Justification Kit, you will find everything you need to present your business case. There's even a letter template which you can simply fill out and drop off with your supervisor.

Justification Kit: General Tips

Many travel budgets and training budgets have been reduced, which means that regardless of the merits of attending one of the ABA Trust Schools, you'll probably need to justify the expense and your time away from the office.  Here are some tips and talking points on the school that you will want to consider:

• Focus on what you will specifically bring back to the organization as return for the investment.
• Emphasize that the ABA National and Graduate Trust Schools offer a comprehensive, time-intensive learning environment. Your attendance will be much more cost-effective and time-efficient compared to registering for multiple seminars or webinars.
• ABA guarantees that the ABA National and Graduate Trust Schools offer trust professionals a world-class education that is unparalleled in the industry. The schools provide an in-depth curriculum developed and delivered by the banking industry's top thought leaders and practitioners.
• A recent Talent Management Survey conducted jointly by ABA and The Corporate Executive Board found that banks are heavily dependent upon internal talent, but bank CEOs believe they are not doing enough to help their employees grow, adversely impacting banks' development plans. Professional development training becomes critical to prepare employees to take on greater responsibility.
• The content is appropriate for institutions of all sizes.
• Offer to prepare and deliver a short presentation and Q&A to your colleagues to share what you've learned. That way others in your unit will get the benefits of your attendance, too.   And, you will receive a student notebook that can also be shared with your colleagues.  It can act as a valuable resource tool as you look to identify solutions for your clients.
• Be ready with a plan that shows who will cover for you while you are attending the ABA Trust School.
• Be sure to check out the registration page where the registration fees are listed to see if you qualify for the ABA Member Rates.  Remember: ABA Members save $1,000 on registration fees. And, also multiple students registering from the same institution are eligible for a group discount which creates greater savings.

Sample Justification Letter

< Date > 

Dear < supervisor's name >,

I would like to attend the ABA National Trust School (ABA Graduate Trust School Level 1/Level2), October 7-12, 2012. 

Attendance at the ABA Trust School will provide me with lessons that go far beyond the basic skills and theories, but also provide applicable lessons in the classroom that can be implemented successfully within our organization. Each course is taught by trust professionals and leading authorities in their respective field. The course content is tailored to provide < list benefits to your responsibilities >. I am seeking sponsorship for the registration fee, travel expenses to the conference, and living expenses during the conference. A detailed cost breakdown is included below.

After reviewing the conference brochure, I have identified a number of courses which will allow me to gain knowledge and understanding about how we can improve our processes. I chose each of these sessions because it is directly related to an issue we are dealing with currently.
< You will need to insert the session descriptions which most apply to your responsibilities. > 

The bankers planning the event come from all sizes of institutions, guaranteeing that the content is relevant to our institution. In addition to the outstanding faculty, I will be immersed in learning with a diverse group of peers whose insights and perspectives will enhance my learning experience.

In summary, I will acquire a thorough knowledge of Account Administration, Fiduciary Law, Tax and Estate Planning, Personal Financial Planning, and Investment Management.

< The numbers in brackets below will need to be adjusted to reflect the current pricing. All registration fees are listed on the conference website. The travel costs vary as well and should be changed to reflect your costs. > 

Here is the breakdown of costs:

Roundtrip Airfare: <$xxxx>
Transportation: <$xxxx>
Hotel: <$xxxx>
Meals: <$xxxx>
School Fee: <$xxxx>
The total costs associated with attending this school are: <$xxxx>.

The opportunity for me to develop better contacts and gain knowledge in specific areas of trust administration makes my attendance at the ABA Trust School a wise investment, which will yield rich dividends for < name of your organization >.

Sincerely,

< your name here >

Questions? Contact ABA's Trust Coach

You may contact our in-house Trust Coach, Maryann Johnson, who can provide informal advice on trust education offerings available from ABA. Maryann will be happy to answer any questions, and help you evalaute the most appropriate trust education offerings for your specific situation. 

In addition, we can put you in touch with an ABA Trust School Advisory Board member who can provide additional testimony to the value of ABA Trust education.