Timothy J. Schafer is a founding shareholder of Schafer Thomas Maez PC. He earned Bachelor of Science degrees in Finance and Accounting from the University of Colorado, and his law degree from the University of San Diego, California, where he studied advanced taxation. He has counseled clients on tax, business, estate planning, real estate, and administration matters for more than three decades.
Prior to founding the firm, Mr. Schafer was a business and tax specialist for the international accountancy firm of KPMG Peat Marwick in downtown Los Angeles, California. He was responsible for income, gift, property, and estate tax planning, compliance and controversy projects for individuals, closely held businesses, and charitable organizations located throughout the United States and internationally. Mr. Schafer’s responsibilities included strategic planning and coordination of income and estate tax deferral and minimization opportunities for clients of KPMG, partnering with attorneys from national and international law firms, financial planners and investment and insurance advisors. He also worked closely with private wealth groups at domestic and international financial institutions.
Following his tenure with KPMG, Mr. Schafer associated with several prominent law firms in both Colorado and California. He cultivated his expertise in estate planning and administration, with a particular emphasis on income, estate and gift tax planning, and deferral and tax reduction strategies for business owners and individuals. Mr. Schafer is widely known for his work with closely held companies and individuals to structure tax efficient wealth preservation and business succession strategies, including “buy sell” plans, equity and leveraged stock redemptions, mergers and acquisitions of privately held companies, life insurance and related trusts, as well as general business planning, real estate, charitable planning, and creative qualified and non-qualified executive compensation techniques.
Mr. Schafer is admitted to practice before Colorado and California state bars, many federal bars, and the tax court in Washington, D.C. He is a certified expert in estate tax and trust matters before the Colorado District Courts, and is a member of several county bar associations, including sections on taxation, business law, real estate, and estate planning. Mr. Schafer has written and published articles on incapacity, tax, and estate planning for numerous estate planning programs, and local and national publications. He has presented to many professional groups, including the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the American Association of Certified Valuation Analysts on business, estate planning, tax, and asset protection strategies. Mr. Schafer speaks at public and private seminars and workshops.
Tim served on the Planned Giving committees for the Colorado Chapter of the National MS Society, the Broomfield Community Foundation, and TRU Community Care (formerly Hospice of Boulder and Broomfield Counties). Tim has been a member of the Planned Giving Roundtable of Orange County, CA, the Colorado Planned Giving Roundtable, several estate planning councils, and tax, business, and estate planning sections of the Colorado and California Bar Associations. He served on the Board of Directors for the Broomfield Chamber of Commerce and the Broomfield Economic Development Corporation. Tim himself is a shareholder, member, and director of several closely held and family businesses and served as advisory board director for Guaranty Bank & Trust (now Independent Financial Bank, a division of publicly held Centennial Bank Holdings).
Tim was a Trustee Board member of the Alliance for Choice in Education (A.C.E.), a non-profit organization promoting educational options for at-risk youth. He served as past Board Chair for TRU Community Care, a Colorado Non-Profit corporation, during strategic acquisitions and much of the development and implementation of the True Community Care PACE facility and program. He is currently Board President for the Broomfield Community Foundation, and President of the Herbert and Judy Paige Foundation, awarding scholarships to deserving students in need, and resources for programs serving both the elderly and neglected animals.
Tim resides with his wife and teenage son in Broomfield, Colorado. They enjoy all things outdoors, including mountain and road cycling, and snow skiing and boarding. Tim enjoys attending and participating in musical performances, and plays brass and string instruments. He is pleased to support local ballet and dance companies, and his son’s lacrosse and biking events.