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Jennifer Benda focuses her practice in the areas of tax controversy and income tax planning and compliance. She advocates for her clients by developing relationships with IRS personnel, IRS Appeals and state examiners, and these relationships bring her clients successful resolution of their tax matters. When necessary, Jennifer is prepared to take her cases to court so that her clients are treated fairly. Jennifer’s larger cases involve examinations of charitable contributions of conservation easements, estate and gift tax returns involving valuation of family businesses, variable prepaid forward sale transactions and IRS Voluntary Disclosures. Jennifer represented several taxpayers in resolving cases involving a wide range of tax issues, including listed transactions, such as various basis-shifting tax shelters and charitable remainder trusts arrangements. Jennifer has worked with the IRS and the Colorado Department of Revenue to obtain significant refunds for clients.

Jennifer assists clients with income tax planning matters, such as reporting and analysis of estate planning techniques, including planned transfers of real estate and family-owned businesses. She is a member of the American Bar Association Section of Taxation Committees on Administrative Practice, Civil & Criminal Tax Penalties and Court Procedure & Practice.

Jennifer is a member of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce Education Task Force.

Prior to becoming an attorney, Jennifer was a CPA for 10 years, focusing on corporate tax planning, controversy, compliance and reporting. Jennifer’s background as a CPA is an added benefit in cases involving valuation issues, such as charitable contributions of conservation easements and business valuations in estate tax audits. She worked for two of the big four accounting firms where she obtained extensive experience handling IRS exams, state income tax exams, tax shelter disclosure issues, IRS protests, IRS appeals cases and penalty abatement cases. As a CPA, Jennifer was also a tax manager for a FORTUNE 500 healthcare company, handling a broad range of tax issues.

Jennifer is a regular contributor to BakerHostetler’s Issues in Tax Controversy blog and presenter on tax issues. Her presentations include:

• “Penalties—An Update on IRS Imposition of Penalties and Litigation Regarding Substantial Valuation Misstatement Penalties” CBA Tax Section, Denver, Colorado (May 2013)
• Panelist: “So You Want to Be a Tax Controversy Associate?” ABA Tax Section Mid-Year Meeting, Orlando, Florida (January 2013)
• “2013 Tax Increases: Are You One of the (Un)Lucky Ones” presented to the Intermountain Horse Association (January 2013)
• “Post-Election Tax Update” BakerHostetler CPE seminar presented with David L. Starbuck and Theodore Z. Gelt, Denver, Colorado (November 2012)
• “Tax Controversy Trends and Best Practices” CPE Seminar presented to Reese Henry & Co., Aspen, Colorado (August 2012)
• “Local and Federal Tax Enforcement Update” BakerHostetler CPE seminar presented with James N. Mastracchio and Jay R. Nanavati, Denver, Colorado (July 2012)
• “IRS Enforcement Initiatives,” BakerHostetler CPE seminar presented with James N. Mastracchio (July 2011)

Jennifer is a Certified Public Accountant in Texas and was named a 2012 Super Lawyer “Rising Star” by Law & Politics and the publishers of 5280 Magazine.