BARBARA COATS

Experience

Barbara Coats is a principal in the tax practice of Windham Brannon.  Barbara has considerable expertise in all areas of income tax practice, including income tax and estate tax planning, tax return preparation, and agency examinations. She provides tax planning services to closely held businesses and the families that own them. Barbara serves clients in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, wholesale/distribution, professional service organizations, and real estate. Barbara has served in many roles at Windham Brannon, including leading the Tax Practice, co-chairing the High Net Worth Individual tax practice, and service on the Firm’s Executive Committee

She is one of five Windham Brannon principals who have received the prestigious Distinguished Member Award from the Georgia Society of CPAs, an award given to one member each year among the organization’s more than 10,000 members.

Barbara earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree (Phi Beta Kappa) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She began her accounting career with KPMG. Barbara has earned the American Institute of Certified Public Accounts Personal Financial Specialist designation. She is active in the American Institute of CPAs and the Georgia Society and North Carolina Association of CPAs.

Barbara is a frequent speaker on tax matters. She has presented on tax topics to the Georgia Federal Tax Conference, the Fiduciary Law Institute, the Georgia Society of CPAs, The 50 Conference, the Estate Planning Council of North Georgia, the Estate Planning Institute, and graduate tax courses at Georgia State University.

Barbara serves as a trustee of the Georgia Federal Tax Conference.  For the Schenck School, she served as Treasurer, Finance and Investment Committee Chair, and on the Board of Trustees. Barbara served as the Chair of the Board of Directors of Dynamo Swim Club and as its Treasurer. She is a current Trustee and past President of the Atlanta Tax Forum. Barbara is keenly interested in philanthropy, serving as a member of the Planned Giving Advisory Board of the Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta.  She also served as an official for USA Swimming.

In her free time, Barbara enjoys spending time with her family and traveling.