Steven P. Cole

Shareholder

(405) 552-2230
steven.cole@mcafeetaft.com
Oklahoma City

Overview

Steve Cole is a tax attorney whose practice covers a broad range of federal and state tax law and business law issues for individuals and business entities. He consults frequently on complex tax planning, tax litigation, and wills, trusts, fiduciary and estate litigation.

Steve’s achievements have earned him inclusion Oklahoma Super Lawyers and in The Best Lawyers in America (business organizations; corporate law; tax law; tax litigation and controversy; trusts and estates; trust and estates litigation). In the Oklahoma City market, Best Lawyers selected him as the “Trusts and Estates Lawyer of the Year” for 2026, “Trust and Estates Litigation Lawyer of the Year” for 2019, “Tax Litigation and Controversy Lawyer of the Year” for 2020 and 2027, and “Tax Lawyer of the Year” for 2021 and 2024, honors given to a single lawyer in each legal specialty in each market.

Steve is married to Janna and they have two daughters, Jordan and Elaine, and a son, Carter. He is an avid diver, snow skier and Thunder fan.

Representative Experience

  • Estate planning for high net worth individuals
  • Corporate representation involving businesses engaged in oil and gas, energy, real estate, manufacturing, medical, banking, and farming and ranching
  • Loss of memory planning, dementia planning, Alzheimer’s planning
  • Will contest litigation, probate proceedings, trust litigation, fiduciary litigation, and estate litigation
  • Tax litigation, including representation of individuals and business entities before the Internal Revenue Service and Oklahoma Tax Commission
  • Asset protection planning
  • Insurance planning
  • End-of-life planning

Honors and Awards

  • Selected by peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America (2003–Present)
  • Named “Best Lawyers Trusts and Estates Lawyer of the Year” for 2026
  • Named “Best Lawyers Trust and Estates Litigation Lawyer of the Year” for 2019
  • Named “Best Lawyers Tax Litigation and Controversy Lawyer of the Year” for 2020 and 2027
  • Named “Best Lawyers Tax Lawyer of the Year” for 2021 and 2024 
  • Listed in Oklahoma Super Lawyers (2006–2009, 2016–2018)
  • Rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings

Professional Organizations and Memberships

  • Oklahoma Bar Association
  • State Bar of Texas

Civic Involvement and Leadership

  • Oklahoma City National Memorial Foundation (Board of Trustees)
  • Positive Tomorrows (Past President)
  • Oklahoma City Police Athletic League (Past President)

    Writing Credits

  • A picture of trusts and estate law

    2006 | Best Practices for Structuring Trusts and Estates (Aspatore Books)
  • Prepaid tuition is a ‘good thing’

    February 3, 2000 | The Journal Record
  • Federal income tax developments

    September 1, 1998 | Consumer Finance Law Quarterly Report - Volume 52, No. 249
  • An open letter to the commissioner – of the NFL

    1998 | Tax Notes - Volume 80, No. 128
  • The formation of corporations and partnerships is now more complex

    December 27, 1997 | Oklahoma Bar Journal - Volume 88, No. 48
  • Tax ethics

    1992 | National Business Institute
  • Volunteerism can be taxing

    1989 | National Law Journal - No. 10
  • Partnerships: Can a general partner be a general creditor of a ULPA/RULPA limited partnership?

    1984 | Oklahoma Law Review - Volume 37, No. 167

Speaking Engagements

  • Oklahoma, 1985
  • Texas, 2002
  • U.S. District Court for the Western and Eastern Districts of Oklahoma
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
  • U.S. Tax Court
  • LL.M. Taxation, New York University, 1988
  • J.D., with honors, University of Oklahoma, 1985
  • B.B.A., with distinction, University of Oklahoma, 1982