W. Thomas "Tom" Baxter

Tom Baxter is the head of the Estate Planning, Trusts and Estates Practice Group, serves on the firm’s Management Committee and is a Fellow in the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. Tom focuses his practice on tax planning for individuals and businesses, estate planning, the administration of trusts and estates, and probate matters. He also represents clients in state and local tax matters, tax controversies, and issues of general business and corporate taxation, including matters with the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration and the Internal Revenue Service.

In addition to his general practice areas, Tom also assists clients with a variety of related matters, including premarital agreements, succession planning, charitable planning, real estate matters, life insurance planning, asset protection and multi-generational trusts.

Key Matters:

• Drafting wills, revocable trusts, gifting trusts, irrevocable life insurance trusts and charitable trusts.
• Implementation of gift, estate, and generation-skipping transfer tax planning techniques to promote multi-generational wealth transfer with minimal tax consequences.
• Coordinating the transfer of closely-held business interests.
• Administration of trusts and estates.
• Preparation of estate and gift tax returns.
• Counsel for individuals and businesses on state and local tax matters with the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration.

Noteworthy:

• Adjunct Professor, Estate Planning, University of Arkansas School at Little Rock Bowen School of Law
• Adjunct Professor, Estate and GiftTaxation, University of Arkansas School at Little Rock Bowen School of Law
• Fellow, American College of Trust and Estate Counsel
• Listed in The Best Lawyers in America, Trusts and Estates since 1993
• Selected by attorney peers for inclusion in Mid-South Super Lawyers since 2006

Associations & Memberships:

• American Bar Association, Estate and Gift Tax Committee, Tax Lawyer Liaison, past
• Arkansas Bar Association, Tax Section, President, past; Special Subcommittee on the Uniform Probate Code of the Arkansas Bar Association
• Arkansas Bar Foundation
• Arkansas Board of Legal Specialization, Tax Specialty Committee, Past Member
• Arkansas Children's Hospital, Inc., Board of Directors, Chairman, 2012-present
• Arkansas Children's Hospital Foundation, Board of Directors, 1998-2012
• Arkansas Children's Physician Hospital Organization, 1995-2007; President, 2000-2002
• Arkansas Tax Advisory Council, Chair, past
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Pulaski County, President, 1991
• Blue Key
• Phi Delta Phi
• Pulaski County Bar Association
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon
• St. James United Methodist Church, Chair of the Administrative Board; Chair, 1996-1997