(Partner Article) In 20 years, Nathaniel Muller, founder of the law firm that bears his name in New York, has gained considerable experience particularly in real estate transactions.
Focusing on the preventive aspect, Mr. Muller's objective is to avoid, from the beginning of a transaction, when it is still manageable, the pitfalls that may have consequences contrary to the interests of his clients in the short or long term. long term.
In his firm, he assists individuals and companies in the acquisition and investment of real estate (residential and commercial), as well as visa applications on both personal (family ties) and professional (investment) basis.
"The interests of the individuals and companies that the firm attends involve a good knowledge of business and corporate law, both at contractual and litigation level, but also a good knowledge of the civil and even family legal needs of clientssays the French lawyer. All these various seemingly disparate aspects are in fact most often related. The solution to any problem must therefore take into account all the aspects that are important to the person assisted.".
At the level of real estate acquisitions, tax optimization is necessary, especially with regard to inheritance tax. Inheritance tax, even when the acquisition is corporate, is very important for non-US citizens. There are ways to avoid them legally.
"When it comes to pitfalls, complications can arise when you sell and buy simultaneously"Says Muller. There are solutions allowing a seller to stay temporarily for example after the "closing", and sometimes even a buyer to occupy the premises before the closing. As regards the capital gains tax, some investors will see an interest in postponing the payment of capital gains taxes in the context of a "1031 exchange".
There are a variety of scenarios depending on both the purpose and nature of the purchase (primary or secondary residence or investment property, condo, cooperative or home) and the status of the buyer (US buyer or foreign).
"We are familiar with all these situations and will guide you on how to structure the purchase or sale of your property to maximize the legal shield and the potential tax consequences, whether during ownership or upon resale. "says Nathaniel Muller.
Different questions are important to ask before choosing your lawyer:
(1) Who will be my interlocutor? Will the lawyer I meet be my contact, or rather his paralegal or secretary? "In our office, you will have a single point of contact: your lawyer"He continues.
(2) Do you practice anything other than real estate transactions? The counter-intuitive answer to this question is that an extra-specialized lawyer may miss specific aspects of your transaction because he does not have a general view of the range of possible issues. For example, a good contract solicitor also practices litigation because he will use his litigation experience to better draft transactional agreements, and thus better protect his client.
Similarly, the identification of traps and problems of a client in a real estate transaction may require knowledge of the will and estate law, corporate and business law, family law and / or law of the land. 'immigration. This is true in all areas of law, but more specifically in residential and commercial real estate transactions.
(3) Do you charge a fixed fee or on time? The Nathaniel Muller practice uses fixed packages as much as possible. "There are no hidden fees for the customer, and we prefer to simplify transactions and be efficient. Fixed-price compensation helps to achieve this goal".
As for visas, it is difficult to obtain them through family ties, except between spouses. The delays are long for most other cases. For professional visas, the required amount of the investment in particular is proportional to the activity chosen. But, the E visa exists as long as the investment lasts.
L visas also make it possible to develop subsidiaries located in the United States, of non-American companies. Transfers of staff from the parent company to the subsidiary are possible thanks to this visa.
Companies that thrive for a few years can then sponsor some key characters for permanent resident status.
O visas allow those with known and recognized professional skills to practice their specialty and expand their fame in the United States.
Finally, some investors will prefer EB5 visas to obtain permanent resident status for an entire family (excluding children over 21 or married). This requires a significant capital investment in a project approved by the US federal government.
Finally, with regard to the right of individuals and the family, questions of succession and in particular testamentary dispositions require a unique answer, specific to the situation of each one.
For all these operations, it is necessary to surround yourself with a lawyer who masters the various aspects of the project. "Communication with clients is essential for the success of the project. We are committed to making the transaction as smooth as possible and to handling every detail. Peace of mind for the customer is the ultimate goal".
To know more:
1270 Broadway, Suite 806
New York, NY 10001
Tel: 1.646.256.6003
Fax: 1.212.244.4232
(Email protected)
The Nathaniel Muller firm's website
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Note: "Partner Articles" are not articles in French Morning's editorial staff. They are provided by or written to the order of an advertiser who determines the content.
