Clarke, Nicolini & Associates LTD

By Marcella Peyre-Ferry Contributing Writer

Clarke, Nicolini & Associates, Ltd. is a local accounting firm that can be counted on for the best in customer service.

“We’re probably known mostly as a tax firm. We prepare income tax returns for closely held businesses, individuals, trusts and estates,” said partner Rob Nicolini. Unlike a seasonal tax preparation service, Clarke, Nicolini & Associates is available to assist clients throughout the year. “We do a lot of income tax planning in November and December and project the client’s tax situation to see what strategies can be done before the end of the year to mitigate income taxes. Whatever strategy is used, the main goal is to use sound financial decisions which will ultimately put the most money in your pocket at the end of the day,” Rob said. “To get to the end of the year to pay zero one year and thirty-five percent the next doesn’t make sound economic sense. Income tax planning is not just the current year it’s also the next year and possibly a third year,” Rob said. Rob and his partners, Jeff Fullerton and Melissa McClay take 40 hours a year in continuing education classes as well as following all the latest updates and changes to tax law. This knowledge can make a big difference when it comes to tax preparation and planning. “We try to let our clients know the tax law changes that we think will have an impact on their particular income tax situation,” Nicolini said. The firm originally started in the 1950s as George Stiteler and Company. Rob Nicolini started with the firm on

January 2, 1980 and became a partner October 1, 1985. Jeff Fullerton has been a partner in the firm since October 1, 1999, while Melissa McClay became a partner October 1, 2021.

Rob has been Chairman of the Exton Region Chamber of Commerce three times and has served on the Chamber Board for over 20 years. He is also an Elder in Mission Community Church located in Downingtown. All three partners prepare income tax returns, with Rob handling most of the trust and estate income tax preparation. Jeff Fullerton is in charge of keeping the firm in compliance with the financial statement reporting practices, while Melissa McClay is an expert in Quickbooks. In addition to the partners in the firm, they also have fulltime staff with additional staff added during tax season so that all clients can be served in a timely fashion. “The biggest thing I can say about my business is we retain clients for a long time. We try to give the absolute best service we can by timely returning phone calls and answering emails,” Rob said. “We have some clients who are second or third generation. I think we have always worked hard at giving the best service we can.” New clients are always welcome. Although the pandemic forced many people to rely on virtual meetings, Rob is happy to be returning to personal interaction with clients. “I always want to meet my new clients face to face at first, instead of over an email or zoom call. A number of people are still concerned about COVID-19 and we’ll do whatever we can to make it easy for them,” Rob said.

Clarke, Nicolini & Associates, Ltd. is located at 1240

West Chester Pike in the Goshen Professional Center.

TRANSPORTATION

HIGHWAYS

Residents, commuters, and shoppers have many options for moving about the Exton region, the heart of which is the Exton crossroads, where PA 100 and US Route 30 meet with a plethora of shopping and restaurants abound.

PA 100, locally known as Pottstown Pike, takes traffic north towards Pottstown after the Downingtown exit (PA-TPK#312) of the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76) and south to West Chester. US Route 30, known nationally as Lincoln Highway, heads west from Exton to Lancaster and the Susquehanna River and east toward Center City Philadelphia through the historic Main Line. The US Route 30 Bypass helps ease traffic flow through the area. US Route 202 takes traffic from the Exton area directly to King of Prussia and the Schuylkill Expressway (I-76) connection to Philadelphia or south to Delaware and beyond. Recently completed major road improvements in the area include widening the US Route 202 corridor at the Route 30 interchange, widening and adding turn lanes to PA 100 in Exton, and adding an exit from the PA Turnpike at PA 29 in Malvern (EZ Pass only). You can sign-up for EZ Pass, a transponder based system that allows drive-thru automated toll collection, online at https://www.ezpass. csc.paturnpike.com/PovEntryPages/Main.aspx. A Go Pak purchase can also be made at Pennsylvania Turnpike Service plazas and select retailers. If you have just moved to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, know that vehicle registration is handled at auto tag centers, and you must go to the PennDot Driver License Center/Division of Motor Vehicles to get a Pennsylvania driver’s license with photo; many in the region use the office in Malvern. For any visit, be sure to take 2 forms of identification and a check or money order as they don’t accept cash or credit cards. For more information, visit http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/.

photos courtesy of Lee Ann Embrey

RAIL SERVICE

SEPTA—the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority—provides commuter rail service on thirteen branches throughout southeastern Pennsylvania. From west to east in the Exton region, SEPTA’s Paoli/Thorndale line services Thorndale, Downingtown, Whitford, Exton, Malvern, Paoli, Daylesford and Berwyn. This line provides commuter service to all three Center City Philadelphia terminals: 30th Street Station, Suburban Station and Jefferson Station (formerly Market East). Be sure to board at any station with cash. The “Independence Pass” is a popular option for individuals and families as it permits access to all forms of SEPTA transport. To find current regional rail schedules, visit

http://www.septa.org/schedules/rail/index.html.

Amtrak provides five convenient stations within the Exton region: Coatesville, Downingtown, Exton, Paoli, and Ardmore where travelers can head west to Lancaster or East to Philadelphia and beyond. The Keystone train runs between New York City and Harrisburg by way of Philadelphia. From historic 30th St Station, travelers can access most of the East Coast by rail. Norfolk Southern provides freight service throughout the Exton region.

BUS SERVICE

SEPTA also provides multiple bus routes from various points in Chester County to Center City Philadelphia, to corporate business parks, and to regional shopping malls and universities. To find current bus routes, visit www.septa.org/schedules/bus/index.html.

Local Bus Service Chester County offers two types of paratransit services: the Medical Assistance Transportation Program (MATP) and the Aging Shared Ride Program. Rover Community Transportation is also available regardless of age or ambulatory ability.

AIRPORTS

Philadelphia International Airport

(PHL) is less than an hour away from Exton by car. The Brandywine Airport, twenty minutes away, is adjacent to PA 202. The Chester County Airport operates around the clock with services that include charter flights, flight instruction, aircraft sales, leasing, storage, maintenance, and fuel service.

PEDAL POWER

Cycling is a common form of transportation and exercise in the area. Local bike/walking trails systems can lead a rider around region. Taking the Chester Valley Trail from Exton to join the award-winning Schuykill River Trail system, riders can pedal to center city Philadelphia or the city of Reading, Berks County within a day.

photos courtesy of Lee Ann Embrey photos courtesy of Lee Ann Embrey

EDUCATION

Students who live in the Exton area have access to some of the best schools in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. These include schools ranked top of the list for best schools in Pennsylvania, providing students with access to a pristine education. Niche has deemed high schools in the Downingtown, West Chester, Great Valley, Owen J. Roberts, and Tredyffrin-Easttown school districts to be among the best public high schools of 2022 in Pennsylvania using data acquired from the U.S. Department of Education, which includes college readiness, graduation rate, and test scores. Downingtown STEM has continued its pattern of excellence by placing 1st in state assessment proficiency as reported by the U.S. News and World Report Best High Schools Ranking. Other top runners include Conestoga of Tredyffrin-Easttown, Great Valley, Downingtown East, Downingtown West, West Chester Bayard Rustin, West Chester East, and West Chester Henderson, all of whom have flourished as they recover from the strains of the Coronavirus pandemic. The Exton region also includes extensive alternative education opportunities, including options for students with different learning needs, charter schools, cyber schools, homeschooling networks, vocational training centers, and online learning or seven colleges and universities for those perusing a degree. Exton also boasts among the best private day schools, boarding schools, and parochial schools in the Philadelphia archdiocese.

HEALTHY HABITAT

A Healthy Habitat

Chester County has been recognized as one of the 500 healthiest counties in the nation by U.S. News & World Report in collaboration with CVS Health. The University of Wisconsin and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation have measured the health of our nation’s counties and named Chester County their top pick in Pennsylvania. Length and quality of life including access to housing, transportation, and good care; the quality of air and water; education and employment opportunities; community safety; and healthy behaviors regarding diet, exercise, and stimulant use were all measured.

Chester County is also the wealthiest county in the state based on median household income figures from the United States Census Bureau. However, county food banks continue to serve 7.1% of the population who live in poverty. Care is close by and residents reap the benefits of community health. For a minor injury, you may choose to go to an urgent care center, an alternative medicine provider, or a specialist (see listings under Chiropractors, Health Care Services, Occupational Health Services/Physical Therapy, and Optometrists/ Ophthalmologists). Outstanding hospitals in the area include: • Chester County Hospital, 701 E. Marshall Street, West Chester, PA 19380 includes Occupational Health Center and Travel Medicine photos courtesy of Lee Ann Embrey

610-884-4197 | advanceautoparts.com 220 N. Pottstown Pike Exton, PA 19341

• Paoli Hospital, 255 West Lancaster Avenue, Paoli, PA 19301

Stay safe! In a life-threatening situation or true emergency, get to a safe place and call 9-1-1. Begin by stating your location so help can be sent out quickly. Stay on the phone and provide the dispatcher with as much information as possible. Police, volunteer firefighters, and/or volunteer EMS crews will be directed to respond based on your input. In Chester County, Emergency Alert System (EAS) radio messages are available on FM 90.9 and FM 102.9. These alerts will notify you of possible hazards including but not limited to blizzards, disease outbreaks, fire danger, flooding, hail, high winds, nuclear plant accidents, and tornadoes. You can sign up to receive the text or e-mail versions of these warnings at chesco.org/list.aspx.

The Limerick Nuclear Generating Station routinely tests its warning sirens at 2 pm on the first Monday of each month. Sirens may also accidentally sound. True emergencies will be accompanied by an EAS message. You can also keep yourself safe by dialing 8-1-1 at least 3 business days before you dig in your yard with power equipment. This gives utility companies time to come mark where their lines are buried.

All photo courtesy of Lee Ann Embrey