Estate and Wealth Law, Theory, and Practice

2 units

This course will review various practical wealth management skills and strategies used by estate planning lawyers performing estate and closely-held business planning, succession planning for business owners, or traditional income tax planning. This course explores wealth accumulation planning techniques and tools used by lawyers involved with wealth planning. In addition to an overview of the estate and taxation structure, this course is intended to cover basic financial concepts, including financial investing, property and income taxation, home and real property ownership issues, life and disability insurance, retirement planning, elder law and debtor-creditor transactions as they deal with individual and family wealth. This course is suggested to be taken prior to the Practical Strategies and Drafting in Estate Planning course that is offered in the Spring semester. Students must have either taken (or concurrently be taking) Federal Income Taxation or Trusts and Estates. Having taken Estate and Gift Taxation will also be beneficial. This course will have an attendance policy. Students are allowed no more than two unexcused absences. Failure to comply with this policy will result in failure of the course. [Any Non-Tax LL.M. Student interested in taking this course must receive special permission, and will receive a letter grade which will not calculate into their JD GPA.]