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MASTER OF LAWS (APPLIED LAW) MAJORING IN ESTATE PLANNING

  • 8 subjects
  • $4,150 per subject
  • FEE-HELP eligible
  • 2 years part-time
  • 4 intakes per year: Feb, May, Aug, Nov

HELP PEOPLE PROTECT AND PASS ON THEIR ESTATES AND ASSETS

Estate planning lawyers are trusted to give their clients an objective opinion on how they should dispose of their estates – guiding them on the procedure that needs to be followed. You will equip your clients with comprehensive strategies in estate planning, focusing on financial structuring, tax optimisation, testamentary trusts and succession planning.

With a Master of Laws (Applied Law) majoring in Estate Planning, you will deepen your expertise substantially – and truly set yourself apart as an industry expert while navigating issues like tax complexities and implement strategies for estates and trusts, understanding various types of superannuation funds, including retail, industry, public sector and small APRA funds, enhancing your skills in managing and optimising fiscal responsibilities and more.

To complete this award, you must choose:

  • 3 EPP subjects
  • 4 elective subjects or a second major (a popular option is Wills and Estates as a second major)
  • Capstone project in Estate Planning

The College of Law is an Accredited Education Partner of STEP, the worldwide professional association for practitioners dealing with family inheritance and succession planning. One subject in either the Wills and Estates major or Estate Planning major, gives you 30 Diploma Level credits towards STEP membership.

 

Plan your studies

Looking to plan your postgraduate program?

  1. Use the tool below to explore subjects by practice area and intake date.
  2. Prefer to review offline? Download the full PDF for a complete overview of all your options.

HOW TO ENROL

Follow these steps to complete your enrolment in a postgraduate program.

  1. Choose your first subject
    We recommend enrolling in one subject per intake. Enrolling in two subjects may require up to 25 hours of study per week.

  2. Gather your documents - You'll need your documents to upload when completing the online enrolment form
    • Academic Records
      You’ll need to submit one of the following:
        • Official academic transcript (LLB, JD, Dip Law)
        • Graduation certificate
        • Admission certificate
        • Current practising certificate
    • Recognition of prior learning (if applicable)
      Submit any relevant postgraduate certificates or qualifications if applying for RPL.

    • Proof of name change (if applicable)
      If your name has changed, provide certified proof.

    • Unique student identifier (USI)
      A USI is required by the Australian Government for all students (except offshore international students). Create or find your USI here.

  3. Payment or financial assistance
    Have your payment details or tax file number (TFN) ready if applying for FEE-HELP through the Commonwealth Government FEE-HELP scheme.

  4. Submit your enrolment
    Once ready, complete and submit your online enrolment.

Need help?
For assistance, contact Customer and Student Engagement at 1300 506 402 or email postgrad@collaw.edu.au

RE-ENROLMENTS

Re-enrolling for your next subject is simple!

Once you've enrolled in your chosen Award program, re-enrolling for the next subject is easy. Simply follow these steps:

  1. Choose your next subject.
  2. Log in to the customer portal.
  3. Complete the re-enrolment form and select your payment option.

FEES & FEE-HELP

Here’s what you need to know:

  • The fee per subject in 2025 is $4,150 (no GST applies)
  • Our fees are reviewed annually and may vary during your enrolment
  • You need to pay your fees in full at the time of enrolment each semester.
  • We accept cheque, EFT and credit card.

StudyAssist FEE-Help

Good news! There’s no need to pay for your entire qualification upfront. Instead, you can pay as you learn – subject by subject. Which means, you can start off small by building your own Graduate Certificate, or Graduate Diploma, and then progress to a Master of Laws later, if you choose.

Please refer to our Policy Index - 1.3.11 Withdrawal policy.

 

Kay Smith Scholarship

The Kay Smith Scholarship honours one of the longest serving and most respected people of The College of Law. It is designed to support the education aspirations of outstanding law graduates and young lawyers. Learn more.

PREREQUISITES

You must hold a recognised law degree (LLB, JD, or equivalent) to enrol in a Postgraduate Program.

IN STEP WITH STEP

STEP logo

 

STEP Accredited Education Partner

The College of Law is an Accredited Education Partner of STEP, the worldwide professional association for practitioners dealing with family inheritance and succession planning. STEP has over 20,000 members across more than 80 countries from a broad range of professional backgrounds.

One subject in either the Wills and Estates major or Estate Planning major, gives you 30 Diploma Level credits towards STEP membership. If you wish to proceed to Full STEP Membership, with use of post-nominal TEP, you must have a minimum of two years’ relevant experience and successfully complete 120 Diploma Level credits, including the successful completion of any two subjects from the following list:

  • WEP1 Foundations of Wills and Estates Practice;
  • WEP2 Law and Practice of Estates;
  • EPP1 Foundations of Estate Planning;
  • EPP2 Superannuation.

ASSESSMENTS

Your assessments may vary from course to course. However, these are the most common assessments that you will need to complete:

  • Oral Assessments
  • Written Assessments
  • Short writing activities
  • Reflection activities

For all student policies refer to our policy index.

ESTATE PLANNING SUBJECTS

EPP00 - Capstone Project (Estate Planning)

Intake 2, 4
The Capstone Project is taken as the final subject, as a culmination of the knowledge and skills attained throughout the major. It will allow students to demonstrate their skills in a specialist practice area using real-life scenarios and case studies. Throughout the intake, students will receive individualised feedback from their lecturer and will also have access to a rich array of skills modules that include guides, samples, and practice exercises for honing their legal skills. The highlight of the Capstone Project is the final task, where students will prepare a Final Portfolio that demonstrates their legal writing, research, and oral skills.

TOPICS

THE SUBJECT HAS FOUR COMPONENTS

  1. Four short answer questions
  2. Two legal writing samples
  3. Oral communication (e.g. client interview) assessment held through online conferencing
  4. Reflective analysis

EPP1 - Foundations of Estate Planning

Intake 1, 3, 4

While lawyers are not financial planners, understanding the financial issues is critical to estate planning. This subject covers a range of financial planning matters which fall within the ambit of a solicitor, from business structures to insurance matters. Students learn how to apply these financial concepts to the drafting of a client advice and an estate plan.

This subject will cover preparing an estate management plan, setting up structures to protect the estate, taxation of estates, protecting the estate from claims, superannuation, insurance, asset transfer to companies, trustees and other entities and challenges to estate planning strategies.

This subject will provide an introduction to estate planning and some of the estate planning tools and strategies that are available. It will take students through the basics of how to prepare an estate plan. It covers the legislation and case law governing the use of discretionary trusts, superannuation and insurance as estate planning and asset protection tools.

TOPICS

  • Introduction to estate planning
  • Capacity and substitute decision making
  • Basics of superannuation
  • Identifying asset structure
  • Triggers for review Insurance 
  • Taxation of deceased estates

EPP2 - Superannuation

Intake Intensive
This subject aims to give students a broad and practical understanding of the important aspects of Australian superannuation law, with a particular focus on legal advice and transactions involving self-managed superannuation funds (SMSFs). Students will be introduced to the various types of superannuation funds, including retail, industry, public sector and small APRA funds.

TOPICS

  • The regulatory framework for Australian superannuation
  • Establishment and maintenance of self-managed superannuation funds
  • Concessional and non-concessional contributions
  • Investments in self-managed superannuation funds and life insurance policies
  • Self-managed superannuation funds - family law, bankruptcy and financial attorneys
  • Lifetime payments to fund members - pension options and lump sums
  • Superannuation death benefits

EPP3 - Business Succession Planning

Intake 1, 3

When establishing a business, proper structuring from the outset is key from a commercial, taxation and estate and succession planning perspective. This subject covers a range of structuring issues which lawyers should have regard to when advising on the implementation of an Australian business structure, lifetime restructure as well as succession planning on retirement, death or disability.

The subject focuses on these issues as they relate to Australian family businesses and Australian small and medium-sized enterprises. This subject will cover the different types of structures commonly used in Australia (including trusts and companies), issues relating to family farming businesses, transition of wealth during one’s lifetime, buy/sell insurance mechanisms in agreements and estate planning and transition of control on death or incapacity. The subject also touches on taxation and asset protection relevant to business structuring and succession planning.

Whilst EPP3 Business Succession Planning is a subject within the Estate Planning major, it is also relevant for lawyers practising in other areas including corporate and commercial law, wills and estates, property and family law. It will equip students with the necessary understanding to advise on and implement an effective succession plan for family business owners in Australia.

TOPICS

  • Private companies
  • Unit trusts Family discretionary trusts and other types of structures
  • Family discretionary trusts and succession planning
  • Soft skills, second generation planning and transitioning succession
  • Small business CGT concessions and the small business rollover
  • Buy/sell agreements on death/incapacity
  • Death and incapacity: the use of wills, binding nominations and powers of attorney

EPP4 - Inter Vivos and Testamentary Trusts

Intake 4
A trust is a fiduciary relationship or arrangement created by an individual or organisation to gift funds or assets to others via a third-party trustee that will maintain the trust assets for the benefit of the beneficiaries. An inter vivos trust, or “living trust”, operates during the grantor’s lifetime and is governed by a trust deed. Testamentary trusts are formed after the death of the grantor and are governed by the provisions of their will.

TOPICS

  • Introduction to estate planning and trusts
  • Specialty trusts – superannuation, disability and minors
  • The trust deed Trustees’ powers and duties
  •  Discretionary trusts
  • Trusts and asset protection
  • Trusts and revenue tax law
  • Structuring trust arrangements

EPP5 - Accounting and Tax for Estates and Trusts

Intake 2, 4
This subject is intended to give students a high-level understanding of some basic tax and associated issues that they may encounter as an estate practitioner. It will focus on income tax (including tax on capital gains). While estate practitioners often outsource tax work to specialist tax practitioners, it is important that students can identify obvious tax traps, so that they avoid falling into them.

TOPICS

  • Roles of LPR and trustee
  • Capital gains tax
  • Deceased's taxation affairs
  • Deceased estate
  • Accounting for trusts
  • Testamentary trusts
  • Non-resident issues
  • Miscellaneous issues

EPP6 - Applied Taxation Strategies

Intake 2, 3
This practice-based LLM subject advances on students’ knowledge towards specialised and integrated understandings about applied taxation strategies.

TOPICS

  • Tax effective estate planning
  • Taxation of deceased estates
  • Structures and taxation strategies Income, assets and taxation
  • Goods and services tax (GST)
  • International taxation and estate planning
  • Anti-avoidance Recent developments for testamentary trusts

START DATES

Feb Intake 1 May Intake 2 Aug Intake 3 Nov Intake 4
START DATE 10 Feb 2025 12 May 2025 10 Aug 2025 09 Nov 2025
CENSUS 26 Feb 2025 28 May 2025 17 Aug 2025 02 Dec 2025
END DATE 02 May 2025 01 Aug 2025 30 Oct 2025 05 Feb 2026
Subject Start Date Census End Date Workshop Date
DRP3 - Advocacy 21 Sep 2025 30 Sep 2025 30 Oct 2025

15 - 17 October 2025

DRP4 - Mediation 05 Oct 2025 14 Oct 2025 13 Nov 2024

TBC

EPP2 - Superannuation 01 Jul 2024 10 Jul 2024 09 Aug 2024
FDR1 - Family Law and Mediation 10 Feb 2025 19 Feb 2025 21 Mar 2025

3 - 5 March 2025 NSW & VIC
6 - 8 March 2025 QLD & WA

FDR1 - Family Law and Mediation 10 Aug 2025 19 Aug 2025 18 Sep 2025

3 - 5 March 2025 NSW & VIC
6 - 8 March 2025 QLD & WA

FDR2 - Children’s Matters, Family Law and Family Dispute Resolution 24 Mar 2025 01 Apr 2025 20 Apr 2025

10 - 12 April 2025 NSW & VIC 
14 - 16 April 2025 QLD & WA

FDR2 - Children’s Matters, Family Law and Family Dispute Resolution 21 Sep 2025 30 Sep 2025 30 Oct 2025

10 - 12 April 2025 NSW & VIC 
14 - 16 April 2025 QLD & WA

FDR3 - Advanced Family Dispute Resolution 05 May 2025 13 May 2025 13 Jun 2025

26 - 28 May 2025 NSW & VIC
29 - 31 May 2025 QLD & WA

FDR3 - Advanced Family Dispute Resolution 03 Nov 2025 11 Nov 2025 12 Dec 2025

26 - 28 May 2025 NSW & VIC
29 - 31 May 2025 QLD & WA

FDR4 - Case Management in Family Dispute Resolution Capstone 16 Jun 2025 24 Jun 2025 25 Jul 2025

20-22 Feb 2025 NSW & VIC 
17-19 Feb 2025 QLD & WA

10 - 12 July 2025 NSW & VIC
7 - 9 July 2025 QLD & WA 

FDR4 - Case Management in Family Dispute Resolution Capstone 26 Jan 2026 04 Feb 2026 06 Mar 2026

20-22 Feb 2025 NSW & VIC 
17-19 Feb 2025 QLD & WA

10 - 12 July 2025 NSW & VIC
7 - 9 July 2025 QLD & WA 

FDR5 - Virtual Simulated Practice 07 Apr 2025 16 Apr 2025 30 May 2025

Day 1 – 24 April 2025
Days 2 to 4:  29 April - 1 May 2025

FDR5 - Virtual Simulated Practice 07 Sep 2025 01 Jan 0001 30 Oct 2025

Day 1 – 24 April 2025
Days 2 to 4:  29 April - 1 May 2025

LB3 - Business Strategy: Planning for Success 05 May 2025 13 May 2025 13 Jun 2025
LB3 - Business Strategy: Planning for Success 02 Nov 2025 10 Dec 2025 11 Dec 2025
Subject Start Date Census End Date Workshop Date
FDR1 - Family Law and Mediation 09 Feb 2025 18 Feb 2025 20 Mar 2025

3 - 5 March 2025 NSW/VIC   
6 - 8 March 2025 QLD/WA

1 - 3 September 2025 NSW/VIC
4 - 6 September 2025 QLD/WA

FDR1 - Family Law and Mediation 10 Aug 2025 19 Aug 2025 18 Sep 2025

3 - 5 March 2025 NSW/VIC   
6 - 8 March 2025 QLD/WA

1 - 3 September 2025 NSW/VIC
4 - 6 September 2025 QLD/WA

FDR2 - Children’s Matters, Family Law and Family Dispute Resolution 24 Mar 2025 31 Mar 2025 02 May 2025

10 - 12 April 2025 NSW & VIC 
14 - 16 April 2025 QLD & WA

16 - 18 October 2025   NSW/VIC
13 - 15 October 2025  QLD/WA

FDR2 - Children’s Matters, Family Law and Family Dispute Resolution 21 Sep 2025 30 Sep 2025 30 Oct 2025

10 - 12 April 2025 NSW & VIC 
14 - 16 April 2025 QLD & WA

16 - 18 October 2025   NSW/VIC
13 - 15 October 2025  QLD/WA

FDR3 - Advanced Family Dispute Resolution 05 May 2025 14 May 2025 13 Jun 2025

26 - 28 May 2025 NSW & VIC
29 - 31 May 2025 QLD & WA

24 - 26 November 2025 NSW/VIC
27-29 November 2025 QLD/WA

FDR3 - Advanced Family Dispute Resolution 02 Nov 2025 11 Nov 2025 11 Dec 2025

26 - 28 May 2025 NSW & VIC
29 - 31 May 2025 QLD & WA

24 - 26 November 2025 NSW/VIC
27-29 November 2025 QLD/WA

FDR4 - Case Management in Family Dispute Resolution Capstone 26 Jan 2025 05 Feb 2026 06 Mar 2026

10 - 12 July 2025 NSW & VIC
7 - 9 July 2025 QLD & WA 

19-21 Feb 2026 NSW & VIC 
16-18 Feb 2026 QLD & WA

FDR4 - Case Management in Family Dispute Resolution Capstone 16 Jun 2025 24 Jul 2025 25 Jul 2025

10 - 12 July 2025 NSW & VIC
7 - 9 July 2025 QLD & WA 

19-21 Feb 2026 NSW & VIC 
16-18 Feb 2026 QLD & WA

FDR5 - Virtual Simulated Practice 07 Apr 2025 16 Apr 2025 30 May 2025

Day 1 - 24 April 2025
Days 2 - 4: 29 April - 1 May 2025

Day 1 – 26 September 2025    
Days 2-4 – 30 September - 2 October 2025

FDR5 - Virtual Simulated Practice 08 Sep 2025 18 Sep 2025 31 Oct 2025

Day 1 - 24 April 2025
Days 2 - 4: 29 April - 1 May 2025

Day 1 – 26 September 2025    
Days 2-4 – 30 September - 2 October 2025

I really enjoyed The College of Law’s practical assessment style; I could apply the skills and knowledge I gained from these assessments to my everyday work. – Sian Ogge, LLM Graduate

I graduated six months ago, and since then I've actively sought to implement what I've learned into my day-to-day practice. – Krystal Bellamy

It expedited my career in succession law by a decade
 Craig Gregson

INVEST IN YOUR WHERE'S NEXT

PURSUE YOUR PASSION - ADVANCE YOUR EXPERTISE

7
Estate Planning subjects to choose from
4
Intakes per year: Feb, May, Aug and Nov
93 %
of alumni recommend our Postgraduate Programs

Discover more

Kay Smith Scholarship

If you’re experiencing financial hardship and unable to afford postgraduate study, see if you are eligible for the The Kay Smith Scholarship. This scholarship honours one of the longest serving and most respected people of The College of Law. It is designed to support the education aspirations of outstanding law graduates and young lawyers.

Got questions or want to enrol?

If you have any questions about subjects, awards, intake dates, or anything else related to our postgraduate programs, don't hesitate to reach out. Book a call with one of our Student and Customer Engagement Advisors who are ready to assist you.

Student success stories

Read how Craig’s postgraduate study accelerated his career by a decade and enabled him to become a specialist and eventually started his own firm.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

This depends on your workload and your personal situation. If you complete 1 subject every intake you could complete your Masters in 2 years. However, you have five years to complete the course from your intake commencement date.

You can do any of the following without financial penalty any time before the published census date for each intake:

  • Withdraw completely
  • Change the subject or course you are enrolled in
  • Defer it to a subsequent intake (must be within the next 12 months)

Learn more by reading our Policy Index.

As you have 5 years to complete your Masters, you don’t need to complete a subject every intake. However, if you do not study for 2 consecutive intakes – then you can apply for a Leave of Absence. You can only request a leave of absence twice over the course of your studies.

We recommend that you set aside 10-12 hours a week on study per subject, 1 unit per semester. Completing two subjects in the same intake may require up to 25 hours of study and readings each week. 

There are four intakes a year: February, May, August and November.

You may be entitled to claim your full 10 units per subject for your CPD requirements.

However, you may still need to complete some mandatory CPD units. Please check with your local law society for the requirements in your state or territory.

WA-based students may claim up to 6 units per subject (6 CPD units for an intensive subject that has a compulsory workshop requirement or 4 CPD units for any other subject). College will lodge the CPD points with the Legal Practice Board on successful completion of the subject(s).

The College’s Credit for Prior Learning Policy encourages practitioners who have completed previous postgraduate and other recognised study to apply for credit towards either the LLM (Applied Law) or the Master of Applied Law (Family Law).

A maximum of three subject credits may be granted towards the Masters awards.

  • If you have undertaken a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice with The College of Law within the last ten years, you may apply to receive up to two elective subjects of unspecified credit.
  • If you have undertaken a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice with another provider within the last ten years, you may apply to receive one elective subject of unspecified credit.
  • If you have undertaken other postgraduate study, such as an LLM or Graduate Diploma of Law, whether you have completed the award or not, you may be eligible to receive credit for that study.
  • Accredited Specialists may qualify for exemption of the foundations subject and Capstone Project for their area of major.
  • Applicants who have completed a Legal Practice Management Course at The College of Law in may receive one subject specified credit.

Yes. Many LLM students choose electives from our Legal Business Management course. Please contact us to learn how.

No. To become a Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner, you will need to:

  1. Complete the Graduate Diploma in Family Dispute Practice (FRDP)
  2. Seek accreditation with the Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department

Many students choose to pursue an LLM with a double major in Family Law and FDRP.

For 2025, each subject in our postgraduate programmes costs $4,150 with no GST applicable.

Please note that our fees are subject to annual review and may change during your enrolment. Full payment is required at the time of enrolment each semester, and we accept various payment methods including cheque, Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), and credit card. Additionally, if you are an Australian citizen, a New Zealand citizen, or hold a permanent humanitarian visa, you may be eligible to defer your payment through the Commonwealth Government's FEE-HELP scheme.

Yes, if you are an Australian citizen or permanent resident you may be eligible to receive FEE-HELP. For more information, download the FEE-HELP Factsheet.

Yes, you can, but StudyAssist FEE-HELP will not apply.

Yes. If you are from a non-English speaking country or your previous studies were in a language other than English, you will need to demonstrate your English skills in accordance with the IELTS standard before starting the program.

The requisite IELTS standard is at level 8 (writing), 7 (listening), 7.5 (speaking), 7 (reading), and 7.5 overall.

The Kay Smith Scholarship is designed to assist law graduates and young lawyers in Australia and New Zealand facing financial or personal hardships by covering the costs of a Master of Laws (Applied Law) or a Practical Legal Training course at The College of Law. It honours Kay Smith’s significant contributions to the college. Eligible applicants must demonstrate financial need, academic commitment, and community impact. Applications are due annually by December 15. For more details, you can click here

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