General Course Descriptions for Terms: tax
730 - Federal Law & Indian Tribes
The study of the relationships between Federal, state, and tribal governments, the source and scope of their respective sovereignties. Provides a comprehensive survey-level knowledge of the broad sweep of American history and Federal laws dealing with Indian tribes, including sovereignty (territory and property, peoples, and legal recognition), jurisdiction (criminal, regulatory, civil cause of action), and varied topics, such as gaming, PL- 280, taxation, water, sovereign immunity, and governance.
734 - Trusts & Estates
"TNE" is a survey course on the legal and real-world aspects of transmission of property, usually at death. It covers such topics as intestate succession (dying without a will), wills, trusts and will substitutes, limitations on the disposition of assets and the impact of the Marital Property Act, powers of attorney and end-of-life decision making, and basic issues in the taxation of gifts and transfers at death. In addition to legal fundamentals, the course has a strong focus on legal practice"i.e., on how the law plays out on the ground.
738 - Estate & Gift Tax
Introduces basic federal estate and gift tax policy, statutes and planning concepts relevant to estate and trust planning and administration. Prior tax law and successful completion of Trusts and Estates is recommended but not required.
742 - Taxation I
Provides an introduction to important topics related to U.S. federal income taxation. The course has three main goals: (i) increase knowledge of significant U.S. federal income tax provisions that affect individuals, (ii) improve statutory interpretation skills, and (iii) build a foundational understanding of key tax concepts relevant in advanced tax courses (such as Taxation II).
771 - Sel. Topics Estate Planning: Financial Planning & Asset Management
This is a class about asset management. We will discuss the history of the stock, bond, real estate, and commodities markets in detail. We will pull back the veil on alternative investments and learn how hedge funds work. We will discuss the costs and benefits of private equity, venture capital, and angel investing. Long before Thanksgiving break, you will be able to dazzle friends and family with your knowledge of Modern Portfolio Theory and the relative merits of active versus passive investing. Second, this is a class about financial planning. Attorneys often become their clients’ single most trusted - and only unbiased - source of answers about their finances. You need to understand debt, insurance, retirement plans, mutual funds, annuities, and taxes so that you can help your clients make decisions that are entirely in their own best interest. What’s the difference between a Roth IRA and a SPIA? How do I figure out what kind of life insurance to buy? How are capital gains taxed in a GST? By Thanksgiving, you will know. Third, this is a class about money. Yes, money… ducats, scratch, lucre, macks, bills, bones, bread, bucks, chips, clams, coin, dough, frogskins, greenbacks, gold, gravy, loot, lucre, milk, moola, pesos, roll, salary, silver, shillings, shrapnel, treasure, wad, wage, wealth, wherewithal… Call it what you will, but we’re going to talk about it. In the financial world: Who makes what? How did they make it? How is it taxed? And did they earn it? If you find this repulsive, we apologize in advance. But wait until you start the optional readings on Wall Street culture from Tom Wolfe and Michael Lewis to be really appalled. To understand the motivations of market players, you need to understand how investment managers and financial advisors are compensated. Period. (Incidentally, this is NOT an area of particular interest to us. It’s just so “in your face” in the financial world that it’s impossible to ignore.)
838 - Real Estate Transactions II
Law of real estate finance, planning, and development including tax and organizational aspects. Learning Outcomes: 1. Acquire an understanding of the various and numerous legal agreements associated with real estate investing, especially purchase and sale agreements and leases. 2. Understand the legal aspects of real estate financing, particularly with regard to real estate loan documentation (loan agreements, mortgages, guarantees, etc.) 3. Develop a basic understanding of zoning process and the documentation of real estate entitlements, including tax increment financing and tax credits.
840 - Taxation II
This course introduces federal income tax issues relating to business organizations. It emphasizes statutory analysis and makes extensive use of the problem method. We will study the corporate income tax system for the half of the semester, and the partnership income tax system for the rest of the semester. In addition to learning the fundamentals of corporate and partnership taxation, this course focuses on reading and interpreting the Internal Revenue Code and statutory analysis.
870 - International Tax
An introduction to international tax issues. Topics covered include tax treaties, foreign tax credit provisions, Subpart F rules, and taxation of inbound investment and business income. Course Objectives This course is organized to provide a challenging introduction to the U.S. income taxation of international transactions. At the completion of this course, you will know the fundamentals of international taxation so that you should be able to (1) spot international tax issues as an international counsel or as a general tax advisor and (2) think in greater depth about the issues so you can pursue specialization in international taxation through additional educational opportunities. Other objectives of the course include increasing your ability to work with others and enhancing your ability to respond to client questions.
940 - Tax Policy Seminar
Taxpayers are more than the sum of their economic transactions. In this seminar, we will apply multiple critical lenses to evaluate the structure, goals, implementation and impacts of the federal tax system. The seminar explicitly invites consideration of tax policy from “outsider” perspectives that center gender, race, socioeconomic class, disability and other identity axes. We will consider the extent to which the tax laws contribute to and play a role in maintaining inequality, and whether tax policy is an appropriate or effective way to achieve greater justice in society. Students are expected to take an active role in leading class discussions.
950 - Business,Tax & Compliance Colloquium
Description: This is a course that will meet several times throughout the semester to hear guest speakers present new research on topics relating to business law, tax law, and compliance. Students will meet with business and tax faculty before each session to talk about the research and about new developments in these areas. No prerequisite; pass/fail only grading; grade based on short response papers (does not meet upper-level writing req.).
957 - Intro to Estate Planning
This course generally reviews principals covered in Property, Trusts and Estates and some Taxation, and asks students to apply those principals to specific estate planning situations. Students will spend the semester drafting documents that make up an estate plan for their "clients," and in turn will gain the practical tools required to prepare an estate plan that meets clients' needs with regard to disposition of assets, potential tax savings and efficiency in estate administration. Student Learning Outcomes. It is our goal and expectation that at the completion of the course students will demonstrate: � The ability to draft basic estate planning documents including revocable trusts, wills, powers of attorney and marital agreements. � The ability to communicate with future clients regarding their estate planning needs.