100+ Free STEP AdvCert Admin Trusts (E&W) Practice Questions

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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: STEP AdvCert Admin Trusts (E&W) Exam

50%

Pass Mark

STEP Assessment Policy

3 hours

Official Exam Time

CLT International

£1,200 + VAT

Course & Exam Fee

STEP / CLTi

Blueprint Domains

STEP Syllabus Specification

Level 6

HE Equivalent Level

STEP Qualifications Framework

100

MCQ Practice Adaptation

OpenExamPrep Practice Bank

The STEP Advanced Certificate in Administration of Trusts (England and Wales) is a core component of the STEP Diploma administered by STEP and CLT International. The official examination is a 3-hour open-book written/online assessment requiring a 50% score to pass (with Merit at 60% and Distinction at 70%). The course fee is £1,200 + VAT for STEP members. To support preparation, our practice bank offers a 100-question English-language MCQ study adaptation covering all five blueprint domains: Trust Creation & Constitution, Trustee Duties & Investment (TA 1925/2000), Variation of Trusts & Termination (VTA 1958/TLATA 1996), Breach of Trust & Tracing, and Trust Accounting & Beneficiary Rights.

Sample STEP AdvCert Admin Trusts (E&W) Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your STEP AdvCert Admin Trusts (E&W) exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Under English trust law, which landmark precedent established the three certainties required for the creation of an express private trust?

A.Knight v Knight

B.Milroy v Lord

C.Saunders v Vautier

D.Paul v Constance

Explanation: Knight v Knight (1840) established that an express trust requires certainty of intention, certainty of subject matter, and certainty of objects. Without all three certainties present, an express private trust fails.

2A testator leaves property to his widow 'in full confidence that she will do what is right by our children'. What is the legal effect of this wording under English trust law?

A.It creates a valid express discretionary trust for the children.

B.It creates an absolute gift to the widow free from any trust.

C.It creates a resulting trust for the testator's residuary estate.

D.It creates a constructive trust for the children.

Explanation: Under Re Adams & Kensington Vestry (1884), precatory words expressing a hope, wish, or moral obligation ('in full confidence') do not demonstrate the mandatory intention required to create a trust. The recipient takes the property as an absolute gift.

3An unmarried partner repeatedly told his companion 'the money in this bank account is as much yours as mine' and deposited shared bingo winnings into it. Which case confirms that such words and conduct can satisfy certainty of intention?

A.Palmer v Simmonds

B.Re London Wine Co

C.Paul v Constance

D.Hunter v Moss

Explanation: Paul v Constance (1977) established that express trust intention can be inferred from repeated informal statements and course of conduct, even without technical legal language or formal written documentation.

4A trust disposition purports to leave 'the bulk of my estate' on trust for a named relative. Why does this disposition fail under English trust law?

A.It fails for lack of certainty of subject matter.

B.It fails for lack of certainty of objects.

C.It fails for lack of certainty of intention.

D.It fails for breach of the rule against perpetuities.

Explanation: In Palmer v Simmonds (1854), the expression 'the bulk of my estate' was held to be too vague and uncertain to identify the specific trust property, causing the trust to fail for lack of certainty of subject matter.

5Why did the court in Hunter v Moss uphold a trust of 50 shares out of a holding of 950 identical shares, despite them not being physically segregated?

A.Because the donor executed a deed of covenant.

B.Because the shares were registered in a foreign jurisdiction.

C.Because shares were tangible chattels kept in a vault.

D.Because intangible assets of identical class do not require physical segregation to achieve certainty of subject matter.

Explanation: Hunter v Moss (1994) drew a clear distinction between tangible chattels and intangible assets. Where intangible assets (like ordinary shares of the same class in a single company) are identical, declaring a trust over a specific quantity out of a larger holding is sufficiently certain without individual identification.

6Which test must be satisfied to establish certainty of objects for a fixed express trust?

A.The 'is or is not' test

B.The 'complete list' test (conceptual and evidential certainty)

C.The 'any given postulant' test

D.The 'administrative workability' test

Explanation: Under IRC v Broadway Cottages Trust (1955), a fixed trust requires the 'complete list' test (or class scan test), meaning it must be possible to compile a complete list of every beneficiary entitled to a fixed share.

7What is the legal test for certainty of objects in a discretionary trust following McPhail v Doulton?

A.Can it be said with certainty that any given individual is or is not a member of the class of beneficiaries?

B.Can the trustees draw up a complete list of every potential beneficiary at the time of creation?

C.Must the class of beneficiaries be limited to immediate blood relatives?

D.Is the class defined by reference to financial need certified by an independent auditor?

Explanation: McPhail v Doulton (1971) established that the test for certainty of objects in discretionary trusts is the 'is or is not' test: the trust is valid if it can be said with certainty whether any given individual is or is not a member of the class.

8In Re Baden's Deed Trusts (No 2), how did the Court of Appeal treat the term 'dependants' in a discretionary trust?

A.It held 'dependants' to be conceptually uncertain, invalidating the trust.

B.It held 'dependants' to be administratively unworkable.

C.It held 'dependants' to be conceptually certain, allowing evidential proof for individual claimants.

D.It substituted a fixed list of immediate family members.

Explanation: In Re Baden No 2 (1973), the Court of Appeal confirmed that 'dependants' has a clear conceptual meaning (someone financially dependent on another). Once conceptual certainty is present, difficulty in proving whether a specific person meets the definition is mere evidential uncertainty which does not void the trust.

9A discretionary trust created for 'all the inhabitants of the County of West Yorkshire' was held void in R v District Auditor ex parte West Yorkshire MCC. On what specific ground did the court invalidate it?

A.Lack of certainty of intention

B.Administrative unworkability

C.Perpetuities violation

D.Lack of written formality under LPA 1925 s.53(1)(c)

Explanation: In R v District Auditor ex p West Yorkshire MCC (1986), a trust for 2.5 million inhabitants was declared void because the class was so wide that it was administratively unworkable for trustees to exercise their fiduciary discretionary duties.

10What formality does Section 53(1)(b) of the Law of Property Act 1925 require for the creation of an express trust of land?

A.The declaration of trust must be manifested and proved by some writing signed by the person able to declare it.

B.The declaration of trust must be executed by deed registered at the Land Registry within 14 days.

C.The declaration of trust must be made orally in the presence of two independent witnesses.

D.The trust property must be physically transferred to the Public Trustee.

Explanation: Under Section 53(1)(b) of the Law of Property Act 1925, a declaration of trust respecting land or any interest therein must be manifested and proved by writing signed by some person who is able to declare such trust (or by their will).

About the STEP AdvCert Admin Trusts (E&W) Exam

The STEP Advanced Certificate in Administration of Trusts (England and Wales) is an advanced professional qualification for trust practitioners, solicitors, paralegals, and financial advisers. It examines trust creation, trustee duties and powers under the Trustee Acts 1925 and 2000, trust variation and termination, breach of trust remedies and tracing, and trust accounting. Please note that the official STEP assessment is a 3-hour open-book written/online examination consisting of complex scenario and drafting questions; our practice bank provides an English-language multiple-choice question (MCQ) adaptation designed for rapid topic review and self-assessment.

Assessment

Question count not published by the exam provider

Time Limit

3 hours (official STEP exam)

Passing Score

50% (Pass: 50–59%, Merit: 60–69%, Distinction: 70%+)

Exam Fee

£1,200 + VAT (STEP member tuition & exam rate) (STEP (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners) / CLT International (CLTi))

STEP AdvCert Admin Trusts (E&W) Exam Content Outline

20%

Trust Creation, Constitution & Three Certainties

Certainty of intention, subject matter, and objects (fixed vs discretionary tests), formal creation requirements (Law of Property Act 1925 s.53(1)(b)/(c)), constitution of trusts, exceptions to Milroy v Lord (Re Rose, Pennington v Waine, Strong v Bird), secret trusts, and valid purpose trusts.

20%

Trustee Duties, Powers & Investment (Trustee Act 2000 & 1925)

Statutory duty of care (TA 2000 s.1), general power of investment (TA 2000 s.3), standard investment criteria and advice (ss.4-5), statutory power of maintenance (TA 1925 s.31 as amended), statutory power of advancement (TA 1925 s.32 as amended), and delegation, nominee, and custodian rules (TA 2000 ss.11-20).

20%

Variation of Trusts & Termination

Termination under the rule in Saunders v Vautier, court-approved variations under the Variation of Trusts Act 1958 s.1, benefit requirement for minors and unborns, trustee powers under TLATA 1996 ss.6/12/14/15, and rescission of trust dispositions for mistake under Pitt v Holt.

20%

Breach of Trust, Remedies & Tracing

Personal liability of trustees, joint and several liability, exclusion of liability (Armitage v Nurse), judicial relief under TA 1925 s.61, common law versus equitable tracing (Foskett v McKeown, Re Hallett, Re Oatway), proprietary remedies, and third-party liability for dishonest assistance and knowing receipt.

20%

Trust Accounting & Beneficiary Rights

Apportionment between capital and income (Howe v Lord Dartmouth, Re Earl of Chesterfield, Allhusen v Whittell), beneficiary rights to trust information and accounts (Schmidt v Rosewood, Re Londonderry), professional trustee remuneration (TA 2000 ss.28-29), and audit of trust accounts.

How to Pass the STEP AdvCert Admin Trusts (E&W) Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: 50% (Pass: 50–59%, Merit: 60–69%, Distinction: 70%+)
Assessment: Question count not published by the exam provider
Time limit: 3 hours (official STEP exam)
Exam fee: £1,200 + VAT (STEP member tuition & exam rate)

Keys to Passing

Work through all 100 available questions
Review every answer and explanation
Track weak areas and revisit them
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

STEP AdvCert Admin Trusts (E&W) Study Tips from Top Performers

1Master key statutory provisions including TA 2000 sections 1–5 (duty of care and investment) and TA 1925 sections 31, 32, and 61.

2Understand leading equity precedents such as Saunders v Vautier, Milroy v Lord, Re Rose, Armitage v Nurse, Foskett v McKeown, Pitt v Holt, and Schmidt v Rosewood.

3Distinguish statutory maintenance (TA 1925 s.31) from advancement (s.32), noting statutory changes made by the Inheritance and Trustees' Powers Act 2014.

4Practise applying equitable tracing rules to mixed bank accounts (Re Hallett's Estate, Re Oatway, and Clayton's Case vs rateable sharing).

5Use our 100-question MCQ practice bank to test precision on legal definitions, statutory thresholds, and trustee liability exceptions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the official format of the STEP Advanced Certificate in Administration of Trusts (E&W) exam?

The official STEP assessment is a 3-hour open-book written/online examination administered by CLT International (CLTi) consisting of practical scenario, drafting, and essay questions. To complement official study, our practice bank provides an English-language multiple-choice question (MCQ) adaptation for structured self-assessment.

What is the passing score and grading structure for the STEP exam?

The pass mark for the STEP Advanced Certificate is 50%. Candidates scoring 60–69% achieve a Merit, and candidates scoring 70% or higher earn a Distinction.

What is the fee for the STEP Advanced Certificate in Administration of Trusts (E&W)?

The tuition and assessment fee is £1,200 + VAT for STEP members (and approximately £1,440 + VAT for non-members), which includes the course manual, distance learning access, and first exam entry.

Which key statutes are examined in the Administration of Trusts (England and Wales) module?

Core statutes include the Trustee Act 1925, Law of Property Act 1925, Variation of Trusts Act 1958, Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996 (TLATA 1996), Trustee Act 2000, and the Inheritance and Trustees' Powers Act 2014.

How does our practice question bank differ from the official STEP examination?

The official STEP assessment requires long-form written responses, scenario analyses, and trust document drafting. Our practice bank provides a 100-question English-language MCQ study adaptation to help candidates test statutory recall, case law knowledge, and legal principles efficiently.

Does passing this exam count toward the STEP Diploma?

Yes. The Advanced Certificate in Administration of Trusts (England and Wales) is one of the four mandatory advanced certificates required to obtain the prestigious STEP Diploma in Trusts and Estates (England and Wales).