Graduate Tax – Tax LLM Program

As one of the oldest and largest programs of its kind in the nation, Denver Law's Graduate Tax Program is a leader in training tax specialists in the legal professions. Current lawyers and JD students in our LLM program train side by side with accountants from our Master's program to gain cross-disciplinary experience on aspects of tax. Our curriculum is nothing but tax, with courses taught using the Internal Revenue Code, treasury regulations, and other related material. The Graduate Tax Program prepares tax professionals for a career in tax.

Students can complete the Tax LLM program in a way that best fits their life and schedule. All Graduate Tax courses have online options that can be completed asynchronously as live attendance is not required. All students have access to the same courses, materials, and assignments.

Students have the option to pursue their Tax LLM as a full-time or part-time student. Full-time students can earn a degree in just one year and part-time students generally finish the degree in 18-24 months. Most working professionals pursue their Tax LLM as part-time students to successfully balance all of their obligations.

I attended the graduate tax program after four years of practicing regulatory law because I wanted to shift my practice area. In addition to taking classes, I had the opportunity to work on actual tax cases by participating in the Low Income Taxpayer Clinic, which allowed me to think about tax law from both a theoretical and practical perspective. I now feel confident about my ability to understand and analyze tax issues.
Prasanthi S. Paritala, JD, LLM'18, Law Clerk for the Honorable Judge Elizabeth Paris, U.S. Tax Court

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Degree Requirements

All students must successfully complete 24 semester credits and maintain a 2.7 GPA to earn their Tax LLM. Of those 24 credits, 16 of those credits come from six (6) required courses: Fundamentals of Taxation (TAX 4001) (4 credits), Corporate Taxation (TAX 4002) (3 credit), Partnership Taxation (TAX 4003) (3 credits), Tax Accounting (TAX 4035) (2 credits), Tax Research and Writing (TAX 4005) (2 credits), and Basic Tax Procedure (TAX 4004) (2 credits). The remaining credits can be earned by completing any elective courses. Please review all of our course offerings here.
Elective Paths

Students can take any combination of electives but should note some electives require prerequisites. These electives are part of informal paths. You can find prerequisite information here.

Corporate Path: Corporate Taxation (TAX 4003), Taxation of Corporate Reorgs and Divisions (TAX 4065), and S Corps (TAX 4015)

Estate Planning Path: Estate and Gift Taxation (TAX 4025), Estate Planning (TAX 4225), and Fiduciary Income Taxation (TAX 4125)

Tax Procedure Path: Basic Tax Procedure (TAX 4004), and Advanced Tax Procedure (TAX 4024)
Dual Degree Options

Denver Law students may earn a dual degree (JD and LLM in Taxation) and save time and money by enrolling in both programs concurrently. Please contact Ryan Dessler, Director of Academic Initiatives and Advising, for more information.
Low Income Taxpayer Clinic: Hands-on Learning

The Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC) is one of largest and well-established tax clinics in the country. The clinic is highly regarded in the community and is the preferred referral source for the U.S. Tax Court in Denver.

The LITC represents low-income taxpayers before the Internal Revenue Service in audit, appeals, collections and Tax Court litigation. Students participating in the clinic gain valuable experience handling client matters, researching individual income tax issues and working directly with the Internal Revenue Service and Colorado Department of Revenue. Our clinic represents nearly 250 clients annually.

The United States Tax Court comes to Denver approximately four times each year. While the Tax Court is in town, students have an opportunity to attend a calendar call and trials, interact with IRS Office of Chief Counsel attorneys and Tax Court judges, and advise pro se taxpayers about the Tax Court process and their rights.

Additionally, the LITC hosts and participates in a variety of outreach presentations and events with taxpayers and community organizations throughout the year.

All Sturm College of Law students can participate in the LITC for credit or as a volunteer. Please contact Professor Sabrina Strand (Director of the LITC) for additional information.
Non-Degree Options

Applicants interested in a limited amount of courses, and are not interested in pursuing a full degree, should reach out to Ryan Dessler, Director of Academic Initiatives and Advising, for more information to discuss options available for Special Status Students.

The Graduate Tax Program has been a leader in the education of tax professionals for over 40 years. The demand for our graduates continues to increase, and our curriculum combines both the law and accounting aspects of tax practice, giving our graduates the ability to provide thoughtful, practical advice to their clients.

Message from the Program

The educational standards of the Graduate Tax Program are rigorous, but our students and graduates consistently comment on how they are the most prepared and knowledgeable of their colleagues. The environment, however, is one of cooperation rather than competition, and the teaching attitude is both helpful and challenging. The Program is dedicated to the pursuit of superior professional competence, and students with similar aspirations find their studies in the Graduate Tax Program entirely rewarding.
An added bonus for our students is that we create high-quality video recordings of all of our classes. All students have access to the recordings for the classes they are enrolled in. This is particularly helpful if you miss a class or just want to review the lecture again. If you have an employment offer outside of the Denver area, it is easy to switch to online student status to complete your degree.

Course Delivery

•   Rich-media recordings of each live classroom presentation, which can be accessed on-demand.
•   A robust online learning platform where students can access course media and materials, submit work and quizzes, and interact with professors and other students.
•   Ability to participate in online discussions with students in Denver and around the globe.

Program Highlights

•   A highly sophisticated and relevant course of study in taxation grounded in the Internal Revenue Code, treasury regulations, and materials developed especially for our program to enhance your understanding of the complex subject matter.
•   Outstanding faculty, including professionals from top local and national firms and the IRS.
•   Complete the entire program online or on-site.
•   Full-time students can earn a degree in just one year; part-time students can earn a degree in 18-24 months while remaining. Either option is appropriate for working professionals.
•   Excellent nationwide job placement opportunities through job postings, on-campus recruiting programs, alumni connections, and extensive networking.
•   Generous scholarships and other financial aid are available.
•   An enviable location in Denver, Colorado, one of the nation's most dynamic cities and just minutes from the recreational opportunities of the Rocky Mountains.

Career & Employment Support

Postgraduate employment is a vital concern of both students and faculty. Because the Graduate Tax Program is the only program of its kind in the Rocky Mountain Region, and has an excellent national reputation, it is well situated to offer its students a variety of job opportunities in this region, as well as across the U.S.