Law Firm Overview
Donsbach Law Firm, LLC is an Augusta , Georgia firm which specializes in business formation, business planning, estate planning, estate probate and administration, individual tax planning, and taxation in the states of Alabama , Georgia and South Carolina .
The firm represents a diverse group of business and individual clients located in Alabama , Georgia , and South Carolina across numerous industries which include apparel, automotive, construction, contracting, engineering, healthcare, financial services, food services, furniture, manufacturing, medical, real estate, restaurant, retail, technology, and timber. The firm cares about each of its business and individual clients. It strives to treat each client as they want to be treated, individually. By listening and advising businesses and individuals regarding the proper choice of business entity as it relates to a particular client's desires along with current tax law considerations, the firm is able to achieve an optimal business structure for each client. This often requires the consideration of tax and practical business issues as they relate to formation, stock redemptions, debt and equity structure, employee compensation, sale or purchase of assets, distributions to owners, mergers and acquisitions and private equity placement. In addition to tax consequences, the firm works with business owners to consider issues which will affect the efficient operation and management of the ongoing business. Generally, such issues involve the drafting, implementing and review of operating agreements, partnership agreements, buy-sell agreements, stock purchase agreements, leases, contracts, employment contracts, non-compete agreements, promissory notes, and other related business documents. Each client's business needs and success are important to the firm. Therefore, the firm strives to help its clients plan and evaluate their business needs so that they can have a business structure which combines their individual preferences with proper tax planning.
In addition to business planning, the firm works with its business and individual clients to insure proper estate planning so that wealth may be transferred in the most efficient manner with the fewest tax and probate consequences. For this reason, the firm carefully listens and helps businesses, individuals and families negotiate the complex web of federal tax and state probate laws to create the most advantageous estate plan for a particular situation. To help implement these plans the firm drafts and provides a variety of documents, which include:
Wills addressing estate taxes and client's intent
Children's trusts which apply principal and income to children for their benefit and education
Credit Shelter Trusts which maximize the estate tax exemption upon the death of the first spouse
Marital Trusts which benefit the surviving spouse and provide for asset management during a surviving spouse's lifetime
Revocable Trusts which hold a client's assets during their lifetime and distribute the assets outside of probate
Generation-Skipping Trusts and planning which take advantage of the maximum generation-skipping tax exemption and maintain assets for the benefit of a second-generation such as grandchildren
Annuity Trusts which benefit the grantor for a term of years and then distribute the assets to specific beneficiaries
Charitable Remainder Trusts which benefit the grantor for life with the remainder to a charity
Special Needs trusts to help disabled children or adults qualify under federal and state laws for benefits.
Family Limited Partnerships which allow for the centralization of family assets or businesses and a discount on the Fair Market Value of the assets included in an individual's estate
Limited Liability Companies which help remove real property held in other jurisdictions from the probate process thereby removing the need for ancillary probate saving the estate administration costs and time.
Powers of Attorney designed to protect individuals should they become incapacitated or disabled
Durable Healthcare Powers of Attorney which nominate agents to carry out a persons health care desires
While the above list is not all inclusive, it is broad and shows the many different options and planning devices available to help protect an individual and his or her family. It is the firm's commitment to listen to each client and insure that his or her estate is planned with the utmost care, while taking into account the tax laws and personal desires of the client.
The firm also assists clients with the probate and administration of estates. The firm has a highly qualified staff that works closely with accountants and estate fiduciaries to insure proper post-mortem tax planning and that all necessary state and federal returns and forms are filed. If necessary, the firm will also assist clients with will contests and probate litigation which may be necessary in a particular estate.
Finally, the firm assists its business and individual clients with a full range of federal income and estate tax issues. While the firm does not prepare income, estate or gift tax returns for clients, it strives to work closely with the client and his or her accountant to insure the proper tax treatment of any transaction or individual tax issue that needs to be solved. In addition, the firm has experience representing business and individual clients before the Internal Revenue Service, United States Tax Court, and State Departments of Revenue if it is necessary to litigate or resolve a tax issue. Areas of Practice
- Business and Corporate 40%
- Estate Planning and Probate 40%
- Taxation 20%
10% of Practice Devoted to Litigation
West Practice Categories
Mergers & Acquisitions, Business & Commercial Law, Contracts, Franchising, Joint Ventures, Transactions, Business Organizations, Business Successions, Closely Held Businesses, Corporate Governance, Directors' & Officers' Liability, Dissolution, Formation & Business Planning, Limited Liability Companies, Non-profit & Tax-exempt Organizations, Partnerships, Reorganizations, Shareholders' Rights, Estate Planning, Elder Law, Guardianships & Conservatorships, Living Wills, Powers of Attorney and Appointment, Trusts, Wills, Litigation & Appeals, Tax Litigation, Probate & Estate Administration, Estate Administration, Securities Law, Private Placements, Taxation Law, Corporate Taxation, Estate & Gift Taxation, Income Taxation, Payroll Taxes, Property (Ad Valorem) Taxes, Sales & Use Taxes
