As announced in the Daily Journal, Goralka Law Firm was selected as one of the top 20 boutique law firms in California. The article recounted some memorable stories from our 20-year history.
Reminiscing his first day as a sole practitioner 20 years ago, John Goralka explains how he, as a single father had no choice but to bring his chicken-pox-afflicted children to work and how it oddly set the tone for a family-focused business. "We help successful families, business owners, and real estate owners achieve their enlightened dreams by minimizing income and estate tax, resolving transitions, and even cleaning up messes from time to time. We plan for our client's estates to go to the right people, at the right time and to keep the wrong people out," he said.
In one example, Goralka represented a woman who inadvertently withdrew $600,000 from her inherited individual retirement account (IRA) and accidentally transferred it into an unqualified account-which would have cost her $300,000 in taxes. After his relentless work with the IRS and the Franchise Tax Board, Goralka was able to defer collection and placed the money back in her IRA as if nothing had ever happened.
With a caring team of three lawyers and five support staff, the firm is able to ensure that family values are passed on to their children and beyond. In addition to providing legal services, Goralka Law Firm amplifies the family-like atmosphere by hosting a bimonthly "Wine Wednesday" event for past, present, and future clients. Goralka adds, "We have an extended client family that we are honored to assist in family estate planning and related work."