Online Graduate Certificate: Tax and Elder Law

To enroll in any of these courses, you must complete an application for enrollment and submit the completed application along with a current CV. The Program Director will notify the attorney via email of the admission decision.

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All courses are offered online to give students the most flexibility in furthering their education on tax issues affecting older clients. Each course is two weeks in length. A new lecture is available every weeknight during the course. At the conclusion of each week, sometime during that weekend, the instructor will hold a live two-hour Q&A session via Zoom to go more in-depth on specific topics.

 

Course sequencing: Although students may take any combination of the courses, each course may only be taken during the dates they are specifically scheduled.

Reading materials: There are no books required for these courses. The instructor may assign some articles or cases for reading. Those readings will be provided within the Canvas learning management system.

Lectures: The lectures consist of pre-recorded videos and PowerPoint presentations. Lectures will become available each weeknight for the two-week period of the course. The student will be responsible for watching the lectures and doing any projects that may be assigned. There are no grades and no exams for each course.

Time commitment: Students should plan to spend approximately 20 hours, over the two week period of each course, on viewing recorded lectures, readings, completing projects, and attending the live weekend sessions via Zoom.

Foundations of Tax in an Elder Law Practice
September 16 - September 28, 2024
Instructor: Michael Kirtland
Includes an overview of the interrelationship between Estate, Gift and Income Taxes. More discussion and analysis of income taxes and all issues related to tax issues of elders, including all income and deductions and credits for elders. All IRS forms related to this topic will be reviewed and discussed, including the tax return and schedules which report income and where deductions are taken. Capital gains vs. ordinary income rates are reviewed. Just as important to the subject of income will be deductions and exemptions and options for clients to reduce taxable income if taxes can’t be eliminated. Elder credits and childcare credits for a client who is responsible for a grandchild/dependent will be reviewed together with options where a child may take a credit for a dependent parent. Proposed tax law changes will be presented.

Foundations of Gift and Estate Taxes
September 30 - October 12, 2024
Instructor: John DeSantis
An overview of the history of estate and gift taxes will be presented together with an update as to the possible unification of the tax credit for both and tax rates. Details of inclusion of assets in an estate together with a sample Estate Tax return with all schedules will be reviewed. Expenses and deductions will be discussed. The DSUE will be prepared and utilized in the estate of the second spouse to die. Gifts (complete and incomplete) will be discussed along with the preparation of the Gift Tax return and use of the annual exclusion, unified credit and split gifts vs. sole gifts. Grantor trust rules will be explained.

Additional Issues to be Utilized and Recognized by Practitioners
October 21 - November 2, 2024
Instructor: Hyman Darling
LLC’s, FLPS, and Corporations will be discussed as to their creation and implementation in an estate plan, including gift, estate and income tax issues to the entity and beneficiaries, which could include an estate or trust. Charitable gifts and more sophisticated options such as CRUTS, CRATS, Charitable Gift Annuities, Donor Advised Funds and use of a Community Foundation will be presented. Relationships with the CPA and financial advisor together with disclosure requirements, appraisal requirements and ethical issues of all issues will be discussed. Tax issues relative to Long Term Care Insurance premiums and payments will be included. Kiddie Tax issues and tax minimization strategies will be presented.

Advanced Issues in Taxation for an Elder Law Practice
November 4 - November 16, 2024
Instructor: Benjamin Rubin
The taxation of investments will be discussed along with capital gains, savings bonds, annuities, stocks, bonds, CDs, sales of personal residences (both during life and post death and exceptions), and qualified plans (IRAs, 401K, 403B, deferred compensation plans). Distributions from IRAs post death to beneficiaries will be explained under SECURE and SECURE 2.0. Discussion will include options for the final year of an entity and alternative reasons for maintaining the entity or termination early. Calendar years and fiscal years will be reviewed. Funding and taxation of trusts created for protection of assets from long term care expenses will be included. Gifting to trusts and determination of completed gifts will be discussed. Funding 529 and ABLE accounts to be explained.

Graduate Certificate Assessment
Instructor: Katie Everlove-Stone
If the student is seeking the Graduate Certificate, once they have completed all four courses, they will be required to schedule a one-on-one program assessment via Zoom with Professor Everlove-Stone. The attorney must successfully pass the assessment to earn the Graduate Certificate.

Hyman G. Darling

John P. DeSantis

Katie Everlove-Stone

Michael A. Kirtland

Benjamin A. Rubin

The cost of each individual course is $2,000 ($100 per CLE hour). There is no additional cost for the Assessment needed to obtain the Graduate Certificate. 

Discounts are available for two or more employees from the same company/firm. Email [email protected] for discount details.

Tution must be paid prior to the start date of the course(s) in which a student has enrolled. Tution is non-refundable.

No scholarships or financial aid are available for this program.

Anyone registered for one or more courses in the program will receive one (1) complimentary registration (either virtual or in-person) to the Tax Intensive pre-conference program at the 2024 National Conference on Special Needs Planning and Special Needs Trusts. Visit the SNT page for more info.

Stetson Law has applied to the Florida Bar for CLE credits for each of the courses. While Stetson Law does not apply for or pay for CLE credits in states other than Florida, we will provide attorneys with the materials needed to apply for CLE credits in other states. Attorneys should contact their state's Bar association with specific questions about obtaining CLE credits for these courses.

What is a Graduate Certificate?

A Graduate Certificate is a non-credit/non-degree credential taken to gain specialized knowledge or enhance your skills within a certain field. Graduate Certificates are quicker and more affordable than traditional graduate programs.

Do I need to complete all four courses in a single semester to earn the Graduate Certificate?

No. These courses will be offered every Fall and Spring.

How long do I have to take all four courses, if I choose not to take them all in one semester?

You have up to two years to complete all four courses.

Am I able to apply these Graduate Certificate courses towards a Law degree at Stetson University?

No. The Tax and Elder Law Graduate Certificate courses are not eligible for academic credit, and therfore cannot be applyed towards any Stetson degree programs.

What is your cancellation/refund policy?

Stetson Cancellation: Should Stetson University College of Law find it necessary to cancel a course for any reason, we will attempt to notify the participants at least 24 hours in advance via phone and/or e-mail. In the event that a course is canceled by Stetson, a 100% refund will be processed for each registrant.

Attendee Cancellation: Stetson Law will issue a refund less a $75 cancellation fee for course cancellation requests received before 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the fourteenth (14) business day prior to the beginning of a course. Business days are Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. No refunds will be issued if you cancel within thirteen (13) business days of the course start date or at any time after a course begins. Once you access the online course, you are no longer eligible for a refund. To cancel your enrollment, please send an email to [email protected]