Benjamin E. Akselrad

Ben Akselrad is a Principal in Bressler’s Private Wealth Management practice group. He advises individuals on estate planning, estate administration, asset protection and philanthropic matters. He also works with businesses and nonprofit organizations, explaining complex legal issues in practical terms so clients can understand their options.

For business clients, Ben handles formation, capital raising, reorganizations, succession planning, mergers, acquisitions and sales. His work with nonprofit organizations includes helping them get established and advising on ongoing governance issues. He represents clients before the IRS and state tax authorities and seeks to resolve disputes outside court where possible, litigating when necessary.

Ben annually updates New Jersey Estate Planning, Will Drafting and Estate Administration Forms, a treatise published by LexisNexis’ Matthew Bender & Company, Inc. He also volunteers on Calvary Hospital’s Emerging Leaders Committee. Before joining Bressler, he completed two judicial clerkships. He holds a Tax LL.M. from NYU School of Law, a J.D. from Rutgers Law School and a Bachelor of Science in Business from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business.

• Preparing complex estate, inheritance, and gift tax returns for people with significant wealth
• Drafting wills, trusts, and other estate planning documents for young families, high net worth individuals, and a senior diplomat
• Advising clients on multi-million dollar sales to grantor trusts
• Administering multi-million dollar grantor retained annuity trusts for c-suite executives and large shareholders of publicly traded companies
• Terminating, severing, and merging trusts
• Counseling trustees of dynasty trusts regarding complex GST and income tax questions
• Representing corporate trustees and individual trustees in fiduciary litigation matters
• Defending clients in IRS examinations and collection matters
• Business succession planning for multinational corporations
• Reorganizing international companies
• Administering an incentive stock option plan, LLC equity compensation plan, and phantom stock plan
• Negotiating deeds of gift and pledge agreements involving multi-million dollar assets with well-known museums, universities, and donor advised funds.
• Advising on the donation of a valuable art collection to a major museum

• New York University School of Law, LL.M. in Taxation, 2016
• Rutgers Law School, J.D., 2014
• Kelley School of Business, Indiana University, B.S.B., 2010

• New Jersey
• New York
• U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey

• Included in list of the Best Lawyers in America,® "Ones to Watch," 2024-2026

• Member, Emerging Leaders Committee, Calvary Hospital

• Hebrew