BU Law’s Graduate Tax Program Launches Estate Planning Certificate
Specialized certificate offers expert training in convenient online or on-campus format.
Boston University School of Law is proud to announce the launch of its Estate Planning Certificate program, available to students applying for the spring 2017 semester.
The Estate Planning Certificate is a 12-credit program designed to give lawyers and non-lawyers access to a wide range of courses on estate planning and wealth management, all taught by members of the Graduate Tax Program’s highly-acclaimed faculty.
“An expertise in tax law is crucial to serving clients in the individualized practice area of estate planning,” says Sara Marshall, director of BU Law’s Graduate Tax Program. “The demand for competent professionals has grown as tax law has become increasingly more complex. This is particularly so in the estate planning field.”
To complete the certificate’s requirements, students take three required courses—Estate & Gift Taxation, Estate Planning, and Taxation of Trusts and Fiduciaries—and three electives chosen from such offerings as Estate Planning and Drafting, Advanced Estate Planning, International Estate Planning, and Tax Aspects of Charitable Giving, among others.
Classes take place on weekday evenings to accommodate the busy schedules of attorneys and wealth management professionals working in the Boston area. Students can take all their required and elective courses online, attend class in person, or pursue a combination of these options. They may complete the certificate’s requirements in two years or less.
“Successful estate planning professionals must possess not only substantive knowledge and technical expertise, but also the practical client service skills that are key to this specialized area of practice,” says Marshall. “Our faculty are leading experts in both the tax and estate planning fields and BU Law’s tax program continues to rank in the top 5 among surveys of tax employers.”
The Estate Planning Certificate builds upon the concentration in estate planning that is available to residential and online students enrolled in the School’s LLM in Taxation. Established in 1959 as one of the nation’s first graduate tax programs, BU Law’s LLM in Taxation launched its online option in 2012. It now enrolls more than 100 online students each academic year. Students who complete the Estate Planning Certificate are eligible to apply their 12 credits towards the 24 credits required for the LLM in Taxation degree.
“The idea behind the Estate Planning Certificate is to offer focused, expert training to lawyers who might not be ready for—or even need—a full-blown LLM degree,” says John Riccardi, BU Law’s assistant dean for graduate and international programs. “That said, the ability to enroll in the LLM program with advanced standing after completing the certificate gives students an attractive pathway towards that prestigious credential.”
More information on the Estate Planning Certificate, including a full list of courses and faculty profiles, is available on BU Law’s website. Prospective students should email any questions about the program to bullm@bu.edu, or call BU Law’s Graduate and International Programs Office at 617-353-5323.