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Practice Areas

Estate Planning

 

Harvey Ballard & Bornstein, LLC assists our clients with a full range of estate planning services. Our clients include small business owners, executives, professionals, and retirees.

Every client is different and we take a holistic approach to tailor each clients' estate plan to both their tax savings and family objectives. To meet our clients’ individual goals, we walk through a variety of drafting options, including:

 

  • Wills

  • Trusts

  • Power of Attorneys

  • Medical Directives

 

We also discuss more advanced lifetime and testamentary planning if desired and needed. Throughout the estate planning process, we remain in contact with our clients and are available should any questions or concerns arise. Once estate planning documents are executed, we assist in coordinating our clients’ asset ownership and beneficiary designation.

 

Upon completion of the estate planning process, we schedule periodic reviews of plans that are in place to ensure they continue to meet our clients’ needs and wishes. 

 

 

Estate Administration

 

Harvey Ballard & Bornstein, LLC understands the difficulties that arise when friends and family die. To ease these challenges, we offer our clients comprehensive estate administration services. These services include:

 

  • Attending appointments at the courthouse to open the estate

  • Obtaining valuations of businesses, real estate, stocks, and bonds for inheritance and estate tax purposes

  • Guiding executors through the probate process

  • Completing inheritance and estate tax returns

  • Preparing court accountings

 

We also assist the executor or executrix in administering the estate, making distributions, and closing the estate when all creditors have been paid and the beneficiaries have received their bequests.

 

Commercial and Business Planning

 

Harvey Ballard & Bornstein, LLC aids our clients in all aspects of their business. We represent all size businesses throughout the life of the business.

 

Specifically, we:

 

  • Assist in the formation of the business entity, including discussing the advantages and disadvantages of each entity type

  • Draft and review contracts

  • Aid in maintaining corporate records

  • Plan for business succession as well as acquisitions and dispositions of the business

 

Income Tax Planning

 

Harvey Ballard & Bornstein, LLC regularly advises executives and business owners on the importance of income tax planning. From qualified retirement plans to incentive and nonqualified stock options, our clients need to be aware of income taxes in order to maximize family wealth. We provide our clients with a clear roadmap on how to best structure their financial assets in order to reduce their taxes and preserve their wealth.

 

Tax Return Preparation
 

Harvey Ballard & Bornstein, LLC’s tax return preparation services provide clients with income tax returns, gift tax returns, trust income tax returns, and estate income tax returns. Harvey Ballard & Bornstein, LLC routinely handles complex preparation issues like alternate minimum tax and multi-state returns.

 

Estate Litigation

 

Harvey Ballard & Bornstein, LLC recognizes the conflicts and emotional difficulties that can arise when administering powers of attorney, estate, and trusts. We assist our clients in navigating the Pennsylvania Orphans' Court and the New Jersey Surrogate's Court, as well as negotiating settlements of litigating matters in these Courts when necessary.

 

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