Testimonials From Our Taxation Clients

John Goralka Law Firm is a fabulous choice if you need creative estate trust and/or tax law advice. John is trained to work with the highest level of Estate Trust complexity and strives to be a loyal advisor. John is very current and up to date with the ever-changing rule and laws governing Estate Trust and Taxation Law. John is surrounded by a great staff starting with his very knowledgeable Assistant Maegan who is always quick to serve and can get John's ear during a busy day. You will be in the hands of a highly professional Law Firm if you choose the Goralka Law Firm.

I met John M. Goralka when he made a presentation at a Living Trust Seminar. He was so knowledgeable, easy to understand, that I made an appointment that day! John made such a big impression on me that I had him update my Living Trust which had not been done for 22 years. He also helped me complete my complex 2014 Taxes in regards to the sale of my home, taxes, etc. I was so pleased with my updated Family Trust that I have recommended John to my family and friends needing Estate and Family Trust Planning. John and his Staff has truly been a very pleasant experience.

I started my relationship with the Goralka Law Firm by attending their living trust seminar. I highly recommend this! I have been a financial planner for almost 20 years and have attended numerous seminars, but none as educational and motivational as John Goralka's! After the seminar, I arranged to have him come speak at my branch office where he was equally impressive. He and his staff have been nothing but professional, timely and pleasant to work with. I also just completed the process to create our family trust.and was most satisfied. Every concern I had and decisions I needed to make were carefully addressed. In close, I highly recommend the Goralka Law Firm to anyone in need of a new trust, trust update, or estate tax planning. You will not be disappointed!

I have been in the CPA profession for over 25 years and have always recommended The Goralka Law Firm to clients needing estate and trust work or for complex tax representation and advice. I have also entrusted John and his staff to set up my own family trust. My clients and I are extremely pleased with the firm's extensive experience and professionalism. Both John and his staff have always been extremely courteous and thoughtful. I have no hesitation to continue to recommend The Goralka Law Firm to clients and friends.

This review is long overdue. A while back we had a severe mold infestation caused by a leaky kitchen sink in an apartment we were renting. The owner refused to invest to properly (and safely) have the mold removed and sink fixed. As a result, the mold began impacting my health and the landlord refused to allow us to break our lease. A family friend recommended we contact the Goralka Law Firm because they had a very positive experience working with them. Even though tenant/landlord disputes are not the main focus of the Goralka Law Firm, they agreed to take on our case and were both friendly and pleasant to work with. The Goralka Law Firm explained our rights as tenants and helped us draft a legal note to our landlord requiring him to make appropriate fixes or allow us to break our lease. They were both prompt in their drafting of the letter and available to answer all of our questions. Ultimately, our landlord let us out of our lease, refunded our full deposit, and we had no need to pursue further legal action. We are so grateful to the Goralka Law Firm for their help and expedited delivery of all legal documents - we highly recommend this law firm!

I have known John for over 30 years. His honesty and character are beyond reproach. His professional resume ranks among the top in the industry. I have retained John's services on several occasions and have been thoroughly satisfied with his superior legal work. Furthermore, as a legal professional myself, I am often asked by friends and family for attorney referrals. I have made a dozen or so referrals for people seeking help with estate planning to John. Without fail, each person I directed his way praised his excellent work and thanked me for recommending him to them. Lastly, John has surrounded himself with a team of professionals and support staff that mirrors the high standards he sets for himself. John's firm is truly one of the premier estate planning firms in the area; one can retain The Goralka Law firm knowing they have made the right choice in choosing their attorney.

John Goralka is an experienced, knowledgeable and skilled attorney. He is an expert in business and estate planning matters, with a specialty in taxation law. I have personally worked with John on numerous complex litigation matters concerning business, real estate, trust, breach of contract, corporate, insurance and partnership law. In one case, John's corporate client was sued by the Insurance Commissioner of the State of Pennsylvania for a large sum of money. John was able to get the case resolved with his client paying nothing. I would not hesitate to recommend John Goralka.

While representing me during a very long and difficult tax case with the State of California and audit with the IRS, John was always very professional, thorough and competent in the areas of State and Federal tax law and procedures. He put all his expertise and energy into my case to affect a positive outcome. In addition, Mr. Goralka always represented himself with the utmost integrity and honesty whether with other counsel, judges, or with outside experts and witnesses. While a tax audit and tax court case can also be emotionally challenging, John did a very fine job of assisting with the practical aspects of managing my disposition and emotions through some otherwise difficult times. In the end, he was able to reach a favorable settlement for me, often knowing what was best for me, even if I was not always aware what was best for myself. I would recommend Mr. Goralka and am available to speak to any prospective client that would like more information.

John is the best tax attorney in Sacramento. He is very professional and attentive. I highly recommend this company.

If you are looking for an experienced trust attorney, who knows tax and trust laws, we highly recommend Goralka Law Firm. They are very personal and professional.

Attorney Goralka has a professional yet personal demeanor and assures clients that their best interests are protected. He has handled my legal affairs for the past few years. He was a source of comfort and serenity at a time when emotions were running high. He is trustworthy, thorough, and dependable. He is very personable and takes a personal interest in the health and well-being of his clients. Thank you so much we are incredibly appreciative.

If you want to set up a revocable living trust as part of your estate planning, it would be hard to find an attorney better qualified than John Goralka. My spouse and I retained him in 2016 to help us establish a revocable living trust that continues to protect our interests despite multiple changes in tax and inheritance law since the trust was created. We have not had to make any changes or pay any additional fees since our trust was created. In addition to his expertise in both estate and tax law, he is personable with very good communication skills, has a great sense of humor, and truly cares for his clients. Before the pandemic, John regularly presented free estate planning seminars in his offices for current and prospective clients and hosted periodic "wine downs" at the end of the workday featuring his favorite wines and food that he prepared himself. During the pandemic he has been especially attentive to his older clients, many of whom had lost their life partners and became quite isolated due to the lock-down. His "Wine Down Wednesdays" moved online to Zoom and featured a companionable mix of conversation, trivia games, and a fun raffle for participants. For a long time, our estate planning consisted of holographic wills of our own design, adding the right of survivorship to the title on our home, transfer on death designations on financial accounts, and beneficiary designations on our retirement accounts. After one of our mutual fund companies said they would refer our accounts to a probate court rather than follow our instructions about how to determine inheritance in the event we both died within thirty days of each other, we seriously considered a do-it-yourself trust using a Nolo.com template. If no one ever scrutinizes or challenges your DIY trust: no problem. If you make a mistake, however, your estate can end up in probate after all and have to pay a huge probate fee that is many times the cost of a professionally prepared trust. We decided to pay the upfront costs of a professional trust and searched for the right attorney. We met with three other well-qualified estate planning attorneys before selecting John. His pricing was in line with what other law firms charge for a comprehensive trust that covers the many contingencies that can come up. As John likes to say "bad things can happen to good people" so you want to be prepared and have a good attorney who can protect you. Squabbles over inheritance have torn many families apart. John stands behind his trust work and will defend you and your trust from challengers and make sure your wishes are respected. Other than death and taxes, the only sure thing in life is you don't get what you don't pay for... The State of California has already written an expensive legally binding estate plan for you. If you would like more say in what happens to your assets at less cost, consider a revocable living trust. We have referred a number of our friends and neighbors to John. Those that have used his services have all been pleased. John offers a free one hour consultation to discuss your needs and how he might help you. Have a look at his website and call his office if you have questions.