Estate Planning Certificate Boston University School of Law

The Estate Planning Certificate (EPC) is a six-course, 12-credit certificate offered by the Graduate Tax Program at the School of Law. It is designed to provide professionals (lawyers and non-lawyers) with enhanced, specialized tax knowledge in the legal sub-specialty of Estate Planning. The courses in the EPC are available in both a blended residential/asynchronous online format and an asynchronous online-only format (but open to both online and residential enrollees).

Students will demonstrate:

• Detailed knowledge of the substantive case law, statutory rules, and regulatory guidance with respect to the tax aspects of Estate Planning.
• A fundamental understanding of the relevant considerations involved in drafting an estate plan.

Program Requirements

The EPC’s academic requirements may be completed on a full- or part-time basis and must be completed within a maximum of nine semesters (including summer terms). The program is open for enrollment in the fall, spring, and summer semesters. The EPC consists of three required courses and three elective courses (2 credits each). All courses for the EPC must be completed with an overall GPA of 3.0 (“B”).

Required Courses

• LAW TX 904 Estate & Gift Taxation
• LAW TX 935 Estate Planning
• LAW TX 937 Taxation of Trusts and Fiduciaries

Elective Courses

• LAW TX 918 Life Cycle of a Business Venture
• LAW TX 920 Tax Aspects of Buying and Selling a Business
• LAW TX 930 Partnership Tax I
• LAW TX 933 Introduction to Corporate Tax
• LAW TX 934 Estate Planning—Advanced
• LAW TX 950 Tax Aspects of Charitable Giving
• LAW TX 958 International Estate Planning
• LAW TX 969 Business Succession Planning
• LAW TX 975 Estate Planning and Drafting
• LAW TX 977 Elder Law

How to apply

Our admissions process is designed to be as personal as our programs, and we are one of the only programs to interview candidates. From the moment you apply, we will be in constant contact with you about your application, including providing an online application status checker, so that you know exactly where you are in the admissions process. Feel free to reach out to us with any questions or if you require assistance with the application process.

Application Checklist

We aim to provide a simple, straightforward process for applying to our graduate programs. Just follow the steps outlined below to prepare your application. Make sure to note important dates and deadlines in order to stay on track throughout the process.

• Step #1: Register with the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) and complete the LLM and Other Law Programs application for BU Law so you can take advantage of LSAC’s Credential Assembly Service (CAS). Note that BU Law uses one application for all graduate and certificate programs; you will indicate the program to which you are applying on question #1. If you wish to apply to more than one program, please contact us. All applications to our graduate programs must be submitted through LSAC. If you experience technical difficulties in using LSAC’s online application service, please contact LSAC’s customer support team.
• Step #2: Submit your transcripts through LSAC’s CAS.
• Step #3: Send at least two letters of recommendation through the CAS.
• Step #4: Prepare your additional documents, including a personal statement and current résumé or curriculum vitae.
• Step #5: Deliver proof of English language proficiency. (Proof of English language proficiency is not required if: (i) your native language is English; or (ii) you received your undergraduate or first law degree in a country where the language of instruction and only official language are English.)
• Step #6: If you are applying to pursue the Master in the Study of Tax Law, you may need to submit a standardized test score. Applicants who have not previously completed a master’s degree program, who have not passed the CPA exam, and who have less than 3 years of related work experience are required to submit scores from one of the following tests: the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), or the Law School Admission Test (LSAT).
• Step #7: Pay an $85 nonrefundable application fee.

Once you submit a completed application and the admissions committee has confirmed that you meet the eligibility requirements, you will be invited to interview with a program representative. Interviews are conducted by phone, via video conference, or if practical, in person. We view the interview as an important part of the evaluation process and remain one of the only law schools to offer interviews for applicants to our graduate programs.