Richard Vaughan: Shutts & Bowen LLP

Richard C. Vaughan is a Senior Associate in the West Palm Beach office of Shutts & Bowen LLP, where he is a member of the Private Client Services Practice Group.

Richard focuses on estate and business planning, including highly sophisticated estate plans involving the structuring and formation of private foundations and family offices, and the utilization of irrevocable trusts. He also handles estate and trust administrations, including the preparation of federal estate and gift tax returns, and creates and maintains corporate structures, including family limited partnerships and buy-sell agreements.

Richard advises clients, private foundations, and public charities on structuring and reporting complex gifting transactions, complying with federal tax law, forming and maintaining charitable trusts, and navigating transactions that include not-for-profit organizations.

Credentials

Education

University of Miami, LL.M., Estate Planning (2024)
The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, J.D. (2019)
The University of Memphis Fogelman College of Business and Economics, MBA (2019)
University of South Carolina, Bachelor of Science (2016)

Bar Admissions

Florida
Texas
Tennessee
Arkansas

Professional and Civic

The Florida Bar

Tax Section Fellow (2025-2028)
Co-Director, Education Committee (2026-Present)
Member, New Tax Lawyers Committee (2025-Present)
Member, Washington D.C. Committee (2024-Present)
Member, Transfer Tax Subcomittee of the Washington D.C. Committee (2024-Present)
Real Property Probate & Trust Law Section (2024-Present)
Young Lawyers Division (2024-Present)

Palm Beach County Bar Association

Young Lawyers Section (2024-Present)

Palm Beach County Estate Planning Council

Board of Directors (2026-Present)
Supplement Committee (2025-Present)

Planned Giving Council of Palm Beach County

Board of Directors (2026-Present)

Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties

Philanthropic Advisory Council (2025-Present)

News & Insights

Presentations

“Update on Charitable Organization” Ullman Year in Review CLE, The Florida Bar Tax Section 2026 Organizational Meeting (July 4, 2026)
“Charitable Organizations: Update on Florida’s Solicitation of Funds Process and the Honest Services Registry” Florida Bar Tax Section Zoom CLE Series (April 29, 2026)
“Tax Law Changes in 2026 Including the Foreign Donor Ban” Planned Giving Council of Palm Beach County (February 10, 2026)
“Updates on Substantiating Charitable Contribution Deductions, Donor Advised Funds, and Private Foundation Excise Taxes” Ullman Year in Review CLE, The Florida Bar Tax Section 2025 Organizational Meeting (July 4, 2025)
“Case Study: Converting Private Foundations” Philanthropic Advisory Council Kickoff Meeting, Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties (June 4, 2025)

Publications

Co-Author, “Homestead Traps and How to Navigate Them” Palm Beach Daily News (January 2026)
Co-Author, “Donation Limitations: Do Your Nonprofit Clients Know Where Their Donations are Sourced?,” Best Lawyers South Florida Magazine (November 2025)
Co-Author, “Unlocking the Step-Up: Florida’s Community Property Trust Act and the Double Basis Opportunity,” The Florida Bar Tax Section Bulletin (Summer 2025 Edition)
Co-Author, “The Fine Print of Cashing Out: Life Insurance Planning Considerations for Business Owners” Best Lawyers Magazine, 2025 Best Law Firms Edition (November 2024)

Richard C. Vaughan