The Law Office of Kenneth R. Pyle, PC, provides a variety of professional legal services to the Greater Oxford area. Our areas of practice include Estate Planning and Administration, Elder Law, Real Estate Law, Tax Law and Business Law. We offer free initial consultations either in our office or in your home or place of business. Nursing home and hospital visits can also be arranged.
Areas of Practice:
Estate Planning & Administration
Estate planning is the arranging "for the orderly transfer of one's property, either during lifetime or at death," according to An Estate Planner's Guide to Family Business Entities, published by the American Bar Association. There are a number of techniques which can be utilized to accomplish this orderly transfer. Each technique comes with certain benefits, but also certain disadvantages. It is the proper selection of these techniques, therefore, that presents the greatest challenge to an individual seeking to ensure that his or her wishes are carried out before or after death, while reducing (or eliminating) transfer taxes and with a minimum of administrative costs.
The Law Office of Kenneth R. Pyle, P.C works with clients to create an effective estate plan that will ensure the client's wishes are carried out. Having a legally valid Will is essential, of course, but further components may be necessary to achieve one’s estate planning objectives in today’s complex world. Powers of attorney, advance medical directives and the use of various trusts and other legal entities are merely some of the techniques that can be utilized to bring about the peace of mind that only a personally tailored estate plan can achieve.
Estate administration involves the gathering and actual transferring of one’s assets after death and settling the affairs of the estate. Any debts of the estate must be paid. Various tax returns must be filed. The estate may be subject to probate, depending on what kind of estate plan was in place, if any. Decisions may have to be made about the sale of assets, such as the personal residence of the deceased, to settle the estate.
Although there may be an Executor appointed under the Will, the complexity of the estate may require the assistance of a qualified attorney. Addressing these administrative issues when making a will can minimize much of the difficulty associated with estate administration. It is really a kindness to one’s heirs to plan for as many of those issues as possible in advance, hence, the need for an effective estate plan.
Elder Law
Elder law has been defined by The National Elder Law Foundation as follows:
“Elder law” is the practice of counseling and representing older persons and their representatives about the legal aspects of health and long-term care planning, public benefits, surrogate decision making, older persons’ legal capacity, the conservation, disposition and administration of older persons’ estates and the implementation of their decisions concerning such matters, giving due consideration to the applicable tax consequences of the action, or the need for more sophisticated tax expertise.
At first glance this may seem to be very similar to estate planning, but there are some important differences. For example, in elder law there is greater emphasis on: health-care and long-term care planning, qualification for various government benefits, and incapacity issues. Counseling older clients about their health-care options, helping them to obtain needed services and financial assistance, and navigate through the maze of programs available from government and community resources is the job of an elder-law attorney. Powers of attorney, advance medical directives (“living wills”) and guardianship are included among issues that will have to be considered as well.
The Law Office of Kenneth R. Pyle, P.C. can assist elderly clients and their families to better understand what their legal and health-care options are and what steps will be necessary to protect the elderly client’s interests. Helping the growing number of elderly citizens to live out their lives with dignity is our objective.
Real Estate Law
Real estate law involves the purchase, sale and transfer of real property, that is, land and objects permanently attached to land such as residential and commercial buildings.
Having spent several years as a real estate agent, working with the general public and investors, Mr. Pyle has hands-on experience as to the pitfalls involved in buying and selling a home. Our office will review contracts for sale, whether for a buyer or a seller, to ensure their conformity with Pennsylvania law. We can also provide guidance as to the financing of real estate, particularly creative finance strategies for investors and first-time home buyers.
Tax Law
Tax law can involve federal tax laws and associated regulations governing personal and business income, estate and give tax laws, as well as state income, corporate, inheritance, and estate tax laws. The federal tax laws are contained in the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) as administered by the Internal Revenue Service. Pennsylvania state tax laws are administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue.
As of May 2000, the IRC contained 1.4 million words, and the accompanying regulations took up another 8.6 million words, spanning nearly 20,000 pages. Courts have added tens of thousands of tax cases. Needless to say, tax law becomes a major consideration when preparing an estate plan, buying or selling real estate, or running a business. This is why tax planning to legally reduce or even eliminate taxes should be a part of every important financial or business decision or plan made.
The Law Office of Kenneth R. Pyle, P.C. can help clients to consider the tax implications of decisions they make, resulting in greater wealth accumulation and more of their wealth being passed on to future generations. We welcome the opportunity to discuss the tax implications of any estate planning, personal, real estate or business decision you are considering.
Business Law
Business law covers a broad area of the law and involves, among other things, selecting the best organizational structure for your business; making sure that the business complies with local, state, and federal laws and regulations; planning for possible succession of the business; contract formation and review; real estate and equipment leasing; compliance in the Uniform Commercial Code in sales and lease transactions; the purchase and sale of businesses; buy/sell agreements; disposing on business interests at death; and employment issues.
The Office of Kenneth R. Pyle, P.C. can help those interested in starting a small business to evaluate the feasibility of the business; select the best organizational structure for that business, whether sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, or limited liability company (LLC); and understand the tax implications of each. He can also advise existing businesses and help them plan strategies to increase profitability. As a current and former business owner, Mr. Pyle has more than 20 years’ experience in the set up, operation and maintenance of small businesses, both retail and service-oriented. Call the Law Office of Kenneth R. Pyle, P.C. today to discuss your business ideas and legal concerns.
Contact The Law Office of Kenneth R. Pyle, PC today at 484-702-7267 to schedule a free consultation, or browse our website for more information about us or our FAQ.
