Practice areas
Estate & Tax Planning
Education
University of Florida Levin College of Law
(LL.M.in Taxation 2014), Richard B. Stephens Award for Outstanding StudentUniversity of Alabama School of Law
(J.D. 2013), graduated magna cum laudeUniversity of Kentucky
(B.S. 2010), Business Economics, graduated summa cum laudeChartered Financial Analyst
(2025)
Bar admissions
Tennessee
Kentucky
North Carolina
Honors and Recognitions
The Best Lawyers in America (Trusts and Estates)
Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Tax Lawyers
Biography
John Bunge focuses his practice on sophisticated tax and estate planning for wealthy individuals and families, including executives, business owners, entertainers, investors, multi-generational families, and their advisors. He helps clients develop comprehensive wealth transfer strategies, minimize income and estate taxes, and structure their affairs around liquidity events, business sales, and generational transitions.
John works extensively with families on the formation, structuring, and governance of family offices, private trust companies, and family investment entities. He has been a primary drafter of numerous amendments to Tennessee’s trust laws through the Tennessee BankersAssociation Trust Law Committee, has authored or contributed to numerous articles and books, and speaks extensively on tax and estate planning topics.
His practice also encompasses income tax planning for closely-held businesses, qualified small business stock (1202) planning, charitable giving strategies, structures to minimize Tennessee franchise and excise taxes, and asset protection planning. He assists clients with IRS audits, appeals, and U.S. TaxCourt matters.
John also became a CFA charter holder while practicing law full time. Prior to joining Riggs Davie, he was most recently a partner in the private wealth practice of an AmLaw 50 firm ranked by Chambers at both the state and national level.
Representative Transactions
Estate and Tax Planning
Advised clients regard the design of intentionally-defective grantor trusts to optimize the amount and flexibility of large wealth transfers.
Analyzed and executed on sale transitions taking advantage of valuation discounts and low-cost leverage to minimize future estate and GST taxes, including use of self-cancelling installment notes.
Designed and implemented GRAT structures for clients holding publicly traded stock, private business interests, and cryptocurrency.
Structured charitable remainder trusts, including NIMCRUT plans, for tax deferral and optimization of after-tax retirement income for business owners following liquidity events.
Designed zeroed-out charitable lead trusts to transfer wealth to future generations without gift or estate taxes while satisfying charitable objectives.
Advised families on the formation and operation of private trust companies, including ownership structuring, governance, and regulatory compliance.
Structured family office entities and implemented family investment fund profits-interest arrangements to enable the deduction of otherwise non-deductible investment expenses.
Counseled clients on qualification for Section 1202 qualified small business stock exclusions, including entity and trust structuring to maximize and multiply QSBS benefits.
Designed life insurance structures for liquidity and tax-efficient investment returns as part of broader estate plans.
Created structures to claim exemption from Tennessee franchise and excise taxes for businesses and real estate holdings.
Implemented asset protection structures using self-settled trusts and multi-entity planning.
Assisted taxpayers through IRS audits, appeals, and U.S. Tax Court litigation resulting in pre-trial settlements on income and estate tax issues.
Business and Transactional Planning
Advised on tax structuring for mergers, acquisitions, and dispositions of businesses, including S corporations, C corporations, partnerships, and multi-entity structures.
Structured tax deferral arrangements using like-kind exchanges, partnership transactions, and installment sales in connection with business sales and real estate dispositions.
Coordinated formation of foreign entities to hold foreign assets for U.S. families.
Advised on the formation and operation of private foundations and other tax-exempt organizations.