Best Master's in Taxation for Parents in 2027

• Highest Score74.9 out of 100

  University of Florida

  Taxation

  Florida · LL.M.

  University of Florida's LL.M. Review
• Lowest Price$556.75 per credit

  Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

  Master of Science in Accountancy with a Specialization in Taxation

  Illinois · M.S.A.

  Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's M.S.A. Review
• Highest Graduate Earnings$170,796 median earnings

  Villanova University

  Master of Laws in Taxation

  Pennsylvania · LL.M.

  Villanova University's LL.M. Review
• Strongest CredentialsAACSB stated by the school; prepares for CPA

  Portland State University

  Master of Taxation

  Oregon · M.Tax.

  Portland State University's M.Tax. Review

Programs with a stated part-time pace, terms of eight weeks or shorter, or asynchronous coursework with no set class times.

• A part-time pace, or short terms of 8 weeks or fewer
• Or asynchronous coursework with no set class times
• Format shown for each program

Scores are the weighted sum of eight factors (Tax Specialization 15%, Tax Subject Coverage 15%, Hands-On Tax Practice 10%, Cost 20%, Graduate Earnings 10%, Credential Alignment 10%, Track Record 10%, Program Reputation 10%), version 2.0. The methodology page shows the rubric for each factor.

Choose Class Times That Fit a Parent's Day

Class times decide how a program fits around childcare and school runs, so sort programs into three groups. Asynchronous programs set no live sessions. Live programs meet at a set time each week. Mixed programs combine both.

Most of New York University's M.S.L. in Taxation courses are asynchronous and consist of class assignments and prerecorded class videos. Final exams can be completed at home or in the office with online proctoring. At the University of San Francisco, courses are offered fully online in an asynchronous format.

Georgetown University's M.S.L. in Taxation mixes live and asynchronous classes, so you'd plan for some set meeting times and study the rest on your own schedule.

If your evenings are predictable, a live class can work too. Fordham University lets part-time students take classes one day per week, and all of its tax courses are online. Ask each school how many hours of live time you'd commit to each week, and whether recordings exist for a missed night.

Choose a Calendar With Several Starts a Year

Several starts a year give you more places to pause or change pace. Count the entry points for each program on your shortlist, because they vary.

The University of San Francisco's Master of Legal Studies in Taxation lets you begin in spring, summer or fall and take as many or as few classes as you wish each semester, and most students there complete two courses per semester and graduate in two years.

The University of Akron enrolls students in fall, spring and summer, and the University of Cincinnati lists three starts a year. The University of Hartford and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville each list six, with seven-week courses at both.

Ask what happens if you need to skip a term, such as whether you can rejoin at the next start. A start every couple of months is easier to rejoin than a single start a year. Choose the rhythm you can keep going when a week goes sideways.

Build a Master's in Taxation for Parents From Smaller Pieces

Stackable pieces let you finish something real before you commit to the whole degree. The University of Minnesota says a 12-credit taxation graduate certificate can be applied to its Master of Business Taxation. The University of Denver lists four non-degree tax micro-credential badges that can be applied toward its LL.M. in Taxation.

Villanova University offers specialty certificates alongside or apart from its degree, and the University of Hartford offers graduate certificates in accounting and taxation. Georgetown University's free 12-hour online Foundations of Federal Income Taxation course satisfies the federal income tax prerequisite for its M.S.L.

The University of Cincinnati lists specializations and certificates in corporate taxation and individual taxation, among others. These pieces also let you test the subject before you commit.

Ask whether the credits from a certificate transfer into the degree, and in what order. A plan you can complete in small steps is easier to protect than one that needs a long, clear stretch.

Check the Lifetime Learning Credit for Your Own Tuition

Paying for your own tuition may earn you a tax break. The IRS says the Lifetime Learning Credit is available for all years of postsecondary education and for any courses taken to acquire or improve job skills. The student can be you, your spouse if you file jointly, or a dependent you claim on your return.

The credit is worth up to $2,000 per return, which is 20% of the first $10,000 of qualified expenses. It's nonrefundable, and your modified adjusted gross income must be less than $90,000 ($180,000 if you file jointly).

Tuition and enrollment fees count as qualified expenses. Books, supplies and equipment count only if you must pay them directly to the school as a condition of enrollment. Because the credit is nonrefundable, it can lower the tax you owe, but it can't pay you more than that.

The law requires the student to have received a Form 1098-T from the school, though the IRS says you may still qualify if you should have received one and didn't. These are the figures the IRS page shows now and they can change, so read that page and check with a tax professional before you file.