Profiles

Partners

Neil A. Sonenberg, CPA
nsonenberg@rssmcpa.com

Neil Sonenberg, CPA, Partner, who has over 25 years of experience, joined the firm in November 1981.  He is a member of the Executive Committee and the Partner-in-Charge of the Real Estate Service Group for the firm.  A Profitability Consultant, he specializes in providing services to the real estate industry including commercial building owners, operators and developers, apartment building operators, building maintenance services, co-op and condominium boards, and Common Interest Realty Associations (CIRA).  He has particular expertise in the analysis of lease escalation and labor/electrical escalations and in real estate reduction analysis (certiorari). His efforts have resulted in his clients receiving significant savings.  Mr. Sonenberg assists client’s value buildings and helps them decide whether it makes sense to pursue acquiring it at a specific price.  Also, on many occasions he helps tax structure such buying or selling of real estate to maximize tax benefits to his clients and has experience analyzing transfer taxes.  Mr. Sonenberg has also performed extensive forensic work in the real estate industry and has testified and been deposed on various occasions.

Mr. Sonenberg has also been involved in several New York State Tax Court cases with respect to determining fair market values of Cooperative Apartment Buildings in New York City.  Testifying in tax court as a witness for his corporate client and winning the cases resulting in no additional assessment.

He is also involved in such areas as manufacturing and service area clients, seeking to use his understanding of communicating and tax-saving ideas for clients.  He has assisted in acquiring such companies as well as in assisting in determining valuing for Employee Stock Option Plans.

Mr. Sonenberg is a CPA licensed in New York and a Suma Cum Laude graduate of the State University of New York at Albany, NY.   He is a member of the American Society of Certified Public Accountants, the Building Owners and Managers Association and the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (“NYSSCPA”).  Mr. Sonenberg has also served on various NYSSCPA committees and has lectured to the Real Estate Cooperative Board.   Mr. Sonenberg also serves as the Treasurer of Yeshiva Central Queens School and Young Israel of Hillcrest.