Stuart B. Ratner 

STUART B. RATNER concentrates in the practice of sophisticated federal and state tax matters, business entity matters, and estate planning matters.  Attorney Ratner also handles a wide range of tax matters including criminal tax matters, U.S. and Connecticut tax court litigation, penalty abatements, employment tax matters, tax lien and levy relief, property discharges, tax controversies, offers-in-compromise, installment agreements, technical advice requests, pension matters, tax protests and appeal hearings, refund claims, state sales tax matters and offshore bank account issues.  Other areas of expertise include probate matters, probate litigation, eggshell audits, tax issues arising in divorce matters, charitable entities, gift and estate tax issues, corporate transactions such as the purchase, sale or financing of businesses, limited liability company planning, business formation and business governance issues.  Attorney Ratner also advises clients with respect to corporate, partnership and individual transactions to minimize tax and business risk exposure.   

Attorney Ratner has been qualified as an expert in tax matters in the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut as well as in the Connecticut Superior Court.  In conjunction with the continuing professional education division of the Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants, Mr. Ratner developed and presented a one day CPA professional continuing education seminar entitled "The Accountant’s Role in Bankruptcy; Selected Bankruptcy Tax Issues." Mr. Ratner has also discussed bankruptcy tax issues as well as the tax aspects of foreclosures and mortgage modifications before the annual meeting of the Connecticut Society of Enrolled Agents.  Also, Mr. Ratner has discussed tax and business matters on WABC talk radio, New York, New York. He has also lectured on a variety of federal and state tax issues such as like-kind exchanges, the classification of workers as independent contractors or employees, and the impact of federal and Connecticut tax law changes on real estate and business transactions. A graduate of the University of Connecticut, Syracuse University College of Law, and New York University (LL.M.-Tax), Attorney Ratner is a member of the American Bar Association and the Connecticut Bar Association.  Mr. Ratner also holds a CPA certificate and is a member of both the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants.