Trust Tax Fundamentals 6:
Distributable Net Income

  • Instructor: Clint Bentz
  • Level: Basic
  • CPE Credits: 2.4 
  • Field of Study: Taxes
Who should attend? Public and private accountants and tax preparers serving clients in the US.
Watch the course overview video to learn more!
Trust Tax Fundamentals 6: Distributable Net Income equips you to confidently navigate one of the most critical and complex areas of fiduciary taxation: Distributable Net Income (DNI). As the sixth course in the Trust Tax Fundamentals program, this session focuses specifically on the mechanics of calculating DNI, its pivotal role in allocating taxable income between trusts and beneficiaries, and its impact on trust compliance and beneficiary taxation.

Led by Clint Bentz, CPA, who brings more than 35 years of specialized experience in estate and trust taxation, this course provides practical insights into the detailed process of determining DNI. You’ll learn the essential modifications required under IRC §643(a) to compute DNI accurately, and how DNI differs fundamentally from Trust Accounting Income (TAI).

This course takes you step-by-step through the treatment of various deductions, covering direct and indirect expenses, the handling of charitable deductions, and the critical allocation of expenses to tax-exempt income. You’ll also master the sophisticated nuances of the Tier System, gaining the ability to distinguish between required and discretionary distributions and allocate DNI correctly among multiple beneficiaries.

Furthermore, you’ll explore the application of the Separate Share Rule under IRC §663(c), understanding when it applies, and how to fairly allocate DNI among beneficiaries with distinct economic interests. Through detailed real-world examples, you’ll see how to practically implement these rules and resolve complex DNI allocation scenarios.

By completing Trust Tax Fundamentals 6, you’ll have the practical knowledge and analytical skills necessary to ensure accurate fiduciary tax reporting, optimize beneficiary tax outcomes, and uphold your fiduciary responsibilities effectively.

See the Course Overview & Introduction below for more details and the detailed Learning Objectives. 

Clint Bentz Consulting LLC is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org
Lesson series
This is an on-demand, QAS Self Study course.

This is the 6th course in the Trust Tax Fundamentals Program.
Trust Tax Fundamentals 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5 are pre-requisites for this course.

Students must complete all learning activities and achieve a minimum score of 70% on the final assessment to earn CPE credit for this course.

A CPE certificate will be issued at the completion of the course.

Access to this course will expire 12 months after date of purchase per NASBA requirements.

This course is current for tax law in effect following the passage of the OBBB.

Publication Date: November 2025
Revision: 2025 Tax Year
Review Date: November 2025
  • Video time:  1.5 hours
  • 1 Comprehensive Assessment (must pass with 70% or higher to earn CPE credits)

Course contents

Meet the instructor

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Clint Bentz

Managing Member, Clint Bentz Consulting LLC
Clint Bentz is a managing member and lead instructor at Clint Bentz Consulting.
For over 35 years, Clint has been helping families with their estate and succession planning, as well as providing continuing professional education to tax professionals, attorneys, bankers, trust officers, and lay audiences on a broad range of income and estate tax issues, as well as training advisors on how to keep family-owned businesses with succession.
Clint is the primary author of the Ties to the Land curriculum published by Oregon State Extension Service and the OSU Austin Family Business Program.