Tax Planning and Structuring

Our tax planning attorneys focus on federal, state and international taxation of corporations, partnerships, and high-income individuals.

We provide a wide range of tax planning services, including:

• Forming, structuring, and restructuring corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies, and all other types of business organizations
• Executive compensation and stock option plans
• Taxable and tax-free mergers, acquisitions, and spin-offs
• Real estate development, investments, sales, and like-kind exchanges
• Financings and workouts
• Tax credit transactions such as the rehabilitation tax credit and low-income housing tax credit
• Inbound and outbound international transactions, international operations, and international employees
• International transfer pricing
• State franchise, income, sales, and use taxes

Estate Planning

Our attorneys’ expertise covers the spectrum from basic wills, trusts, powers of attorney and beneficiary designations, and estate and trust administration, to estate and gift tax planning and succession planning for high net worth individuals and family groups.

We have the experience necessary to plan and implement sophisticated estate planning strategies, such as installment sales, grantor trusts, qualified personal residence trusts, GRATs, family limited partnerships, charitable remainder trusts, and charitable lead trusts. We also advise clients on life insurance planning, including the use of life insurance trusts, private placement insurance, and premium payment arrangements such as split-dollar and premium financing.

Tax-Exempt Organizations

We handle a range of matters involving tax-exempt organizations. We assist individual clients in the formation of private foundations and can assist in obtaining tax-exempt status. Our attorneys enjoy working with many public charities on formation, qualification, and obtaining tax-exempt status. On an on-going basis, we are available to advise non-profits on the complex organizational and operational restrictions imposed on exempt organizations by the tax system, and the corporate law system.

Charitable Giving

We counsel those who wish to make charitable donations on how to structure planned gifts, including the appropriate use of donor-advised funds, gift annuities, gift agreements, endowments, and various forms of charitable trusts.

Tax Controversy and Litigation

Our tax controversy attorneys focus on representing clients in income, estate and gift tax disputes before federal and state taxing authorities. We provide state and local tax controversy representation, including corporate income, franchise margins, sales/use, and property tax matters. Our attorneys’ have experience in a wide range of tax controversy services, including assisting during an audit, preparing the protest and negotiating with the IRS AppealsOffice, the Texas Comptroller, or other administrative appeals office. We handle property tax disputes from the appraisal review board process to filing and pursuing the tax matter in U.S. Tax Court, State district court, or other applicable court. Additionally, we represent taxpayers in appellate court.