John Collins
Biography
John Collins III advises high-net-worth individuals, multigenerational families, business owners and family offices on estate planning, wealth transfer, tax planning and business succession. He helps clients develop and implement plans suited to varied asset portfolios, ownership interests and stages of wealth, from a first comprehensive estate plan to sophisticated multigenerational structures.
With more than twenty-five years of experience in legal and professional services settings, John works with clients and their accountants, investment advisers and other professionals to coordinate legal, tax, investment and family objectives. Tailoring each plan to the client's assets, business interests and long-term priorities, John designs and implements estate and gift planning structures, including generation-skipping and dynasty trusts, grantor retained annuity trusts, intentionally defective grantor trusts, beneficiary defective trusts, charitable trusts, and partnerships.
John also helps business owners coordinate estate planning with entity formation, ownership transitions, taxable sales, corporate reorganizations and succession planning. In addition, he guides individuals, families and fiduciaries through tax compliance, probate and estate administration, including individual, partnership, trust, corporate, estate and gift tax returns and the administration and distribution of estate assets.
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- All Stars Project of Dallas
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- “2025–2026 Planning Priorities,” co-author, Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, November 19, 2025.
- “The One Big Beautiful Bill Act: Key Year-End Tax Changes for Private Wealth Clients,” co-author, Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, November 19, 2025.
- “Select Federal Caselaw Updates,” co-author, Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, November 19, 2025.
- “Planning Considerations for the Rest of 2025 and Into 2026,” co-author, Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, November 19, 2025.
- “Select Updates Impacting Family Business Owners,” co-author, Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, November 19, 2025.
- “State of the States,” co-author, Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, November 19, 2025.
- “Relevant International Updates,” co-author, Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, November 19, 2025.
- “The Ties That Bind — The Benefits of Using Private Trust Companies for Directed Trusts,” co-speaker, Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP 2025 Private Wealth Seminar, September 10, 2025.
- “Tax Provision Changes: How the OBBBA Impacts Individuals, Businesses and Estate Planning,” co-author, Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, August 28, 2025.
- “Riding Into the (Tax) Sunset: Pre-2026 Estate Planning Considerations,” co-author, Lexis+ Practical Guidance, March 28, 2025.
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Education
- J.D., University of Denver Sturm College of Law, 2000
- B.B.A., Accounting, University of Oklahoma, 1995
Admissions
- Texas
- Colorado
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Who do you advise?
I advise high-net-worth individuals, multigenerational families, business owners and family offices. My work spans clients creating a first comprehensive estate plan and families managing sophisticated structures across multiple generations.
How do you approach estate and wealth transfer planning?
I begin with the client's assets, ownership interests and long-term priorities. I also coordinate with accountants, investment advisers and other professionals so the legal and tax planning aligns with the client's investment and family objectives.
What planning structures do you help clients implement?
I design and implement generation-skipping and dynasty trusts, grantor retained annuity trusts, intentionally defective grantor trusts, beneficiary defective trusts, charitable trusts and family limited partnerships. The appropriate structure depends on the client's assets, objectives and broader plan.
How do you help business owners with succession planning?
I coordinate estate planning with entity formation, ownership transitions, taxable sales, corporate reorganizations and succession planning. This allows the client's business and wealth transfer objectives to be considered together.
Do you assist with tax compliance and estate administration?
Yes. I guide individuals, families and fiduciaries through tax compliance, probate and estate administration, including individual, partnership, trust, corporate, estate and gift tax returns and the administration and distribution of estate assets.