Sending your young adult off to college or university can be both scary and exciting even in the best of times These tips may help you help your child navigate some important financial planning and life issues, Establish a Health Care Power of Attorney (POA, For the first 18 years of your child’s life you played a key role in making medical decisions But when your child legally becomes an adult at 18 you could be effectively estranged from important decisions regarding their health care According to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA” a medical provider can choose not to disclose protected health information to…, Evaluate college health insurance, Most colleges and universities offer a student health plan In many instances parents don’t realize they are paying for this coverage and/or that it is available However before you opt out of the school’s health plan consider the following If your child is attending a college in a state outside of your residence ensure that you are aware of how your current coverage may apply in the respective…, Gain access to your child’s student portal, This may not be a popular decision from your child’s perspective but gaining access to their student portal allows you to keep an eye on the status of tuition payments financial aid grants available credits for meals and much more A second set of eyes never hurts to make sure that all is as it should be especially with freshman who are often challenged with meeting these types of financial…, Set up bank accounts and establish credit, Before your child goes away to school we often recommend that your child establish their own bank account and credit card They may have already done this when they worked during high school but once they get to college they will most likely be bombarded with offers to sign up for credit cards better to nip that temptation in the bud before it happens If you can link your child’s accounts to your…, Think before you sign that lease, Many students decide to partner with friends and rent an apartment either on campus or off They will sign a lease that obligates them to its terms But as we all know life happens and often the four best friends and roommates who start out the year don’t always finish the year together Then what Consider a twofold approach Make sure your child reads and understands the terms of the lease Create an…

Heading off to college can be exciting and scary at the same time For some it may be the first time they are moving away from home and managing their personal finances more independently These tips may help prepare students heading off to school as they navigate life away from home , 1 Make sure you have signed a Health Care Power of Attorney (POA, Once you turn eighteen you are officially considered a legal “adult” as it relates to making health care decisions According to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA” a medical provider can choose not to disclose health information to anyone if they determine it is not in the best interests of the patient including your parents  To avoid this potential issue you…, 2 Establish a budget, Being on your own also means overseeing your own finances It is important to get a sense of what your cost of living is as a student in college and make sure you can stick to a budget This will make sure you are set up for success in college and beyond , Understanding fixed and variable expenses, One helpful way to build out a budget is to determine how much you are spending on fixed expenses and variable expenses Fixed expenses are items that do not typically vary month-to-month such as rent Wi-Fi/cell phone bills groceries and other recurring charges Variable expenses might include things like restaurants concert tickets and other expenses that do not stay the same month-to-month  Once…, Take advantage of student discounts , As a student you may be entitled to perks and discounts at stores Movie theaters subscription streaming services and other retailers often offer some discounts for students enrolled in college It never hurts to ask , Build loyalty with an airline if you are going to school out of state, If you are going out of state for school consider signing up for the various free loyalty programs offered by airlines This will help you start to earn miles that can be useful in the future , 3 Open a bank account and establish credit , You may have already opened a bank account in high school but if not now is the perfect time Make sure to use a reputable bank such as one that your parents use and recommend Opening a checking savings and a credit card will help you start to establish good credit if you are responsible and pay your credit card statement in full each month This is where it is important to have a budget in place , 4 Consider a summer internship, While summer break is time away from the workload of classes it is also a great time to start working towards building your career after college Consider an internship like a sample of what a job might look like full time Take advantage of the opportunity to work in a field that you are interested in Even if you find that you are not as enthused by the work as you thought still make sure to build…, 5 Start saving for retirement, Saving for retirement while in college sounds like an oxymoron But if you have earned income you may be eligible to save in a Roth IRA Roth IRAs are retirement accounts that are funded with after-tax dollars At retirement distributions from the account are tax-free Investing in a Roth IRA can be beneficial for younger investors since that money can grow tax-deferred for many years until…

Is surging demand for air travel an opportunity for mid-sized aerospace manufacturers, A phrase that frequent airline travelers hate to hear is when the pilot suggests they stay in their seats because “We are running into a bit of chop” The same could be said of air carriers’ efforts to meet burgeoning demand, Commercial air travel continues to surge as the world puts the pandemic in the rearview mirror Halfway through 2023 RevenuePassenger Kilometers (“RPKs” an essential metric for the commercial aviation industry continues to climb In fact global RPKs are only 120% off their 2019 pre-COVID levels While all regions continue to see growth the International Air Transport Association (IATA reports that…, Record orders suggest an expectation for sustained demand, This year during the Paris Air Show there was much buzz around the increased new aircraft booking orders including a record 500-plane deal between Indian airline IndiGo and Airbus for A320neos In total Airbus left Paris with 801 new orders and Boeing with 230 Although Airbus was the clear winner coming out of the Air Show the industry might be the true winner given the optimism stemming from the…

On the first day of your new job you are handed a very large packet of paperwork and asked to choose your employee benefits Where do you start The most common categories of employee benefits are health care life and disability protection and retirement savings , Health Care, Traditional health insurance coverage is typically offered by a third party benefits provider Through your employer you will be offered a choice of health insurance plans which all vary in their coverage and cost You pay your premiums with pre-tax dollars and generally your employer absorbs a portion of the premium costs The two most common types of plans provided are the following, Preferred Provider Organization (PPO, A PPO is the most flexible type of health plan offering a broad network of doctors and hospitals that you can choose from If you prefer you have the flexibility to choose a doctor or hospital outside of the network but there may be additional costs PPOs are often offered as either high deductible or low deductible plans If you are offered a choice carefully consider the costs versus the benefits…, Health Maintenance Organization (HMO, An HMO is often the most cost effective option however its the least flexible This type of plan dictates that the primary care physician of your choice — limited to a physician in the provider’s network — will coordinate delegate or direct all health care services For example if you needed to see a specialist of any kind your primary care physician would need to refer you to the specialist the…, Health Savings Account (“HSA”, An HSA is often partnered with a high deductible PPO plan and is a way for employees to offset the high deductible In 2025 employees can make pre-tax contributions up to $4300 as an individual or $8550 for a family into the HSA every year and this account can be used to pay for eligible medical expenses If you are over 55 you can contribute an additional $1000 into the HSA In some instances…, Flexible Spending Account (FSA, Similar to an HSA an FSA allows pre-tax contributions into the account to be used for eligible medical expenses In 2025 the maximum contribution amount is $3300² Unlike an HSA an FSA cannot accumulate a balance over time Think of an FSA as “use it or lose it” all annual contributions must be spent on eligible medical expenses every year In most cases an FSA is selected in lieu of an HSA however…, Dental, Most employer , dental plans,  cover 100% of routine check-ups and a percentage of the costs associated with major dental work up to a specific amount The balance not covered by the insurance will need to be paid by the patient which might be a good reason to consider an HSA or FSA, Vision, Most , vision plans,  cover a portion of routine eye exams and corrective eye wear (glasses and/or contacts Generally there will be a network of eye care professionals to choose from This may be another good instance to use your HSA or FSA to cover any costs not covered by the insurance plan, Life and Disability, The life insurance offered by your employer is group insurance designed to guarantee that all employees regardless of health can be insured Based on your health and family situation you may want to speak with your wealth advisor to determine the most appropriate amount of coverage and whether group coverage or an individual policy makes the best sense for you Disability insurance will allow you…, Retirement Savings, The most common type of retirement plan offered by companies today is the 401(k plan If you work for a nonprofit organization school or government organization you might be offered a 403(b or 457 plan instead In a 401(k you can contribute up to $23500 per year in 2025 If you are age 50 or older you can contribute an extra $7300 Under a change made in SECURE 20 a higher catch-up contribution limit…, Annual Decision-Making, Every year around the same time you will have the opportunity to revisit your employee benefit choices during your employers open enrollment period Your Mesirow Wealth Advisor helps clients make these types of decisions all the time Please dont hesitate to contact your wealth advisor to help you select the employee benefits that will provide the most value for you and your family, Published January 2025, https//wwwforbescom/sites/davidrae/2024/12/02/the-new-2025-health-savings-accounts-hsa-limits-explained/ https//wwwfsafedsgov/support/messageboard/281https//wwwshrmorg/ResourcesAndTools/hr-topics/benefits/Pages/2023-fsa-contribution-cap-and-other-colasaspx https//wwwirsgov/retirement-plans/plan-participant-employee/retirement-topics-ira-contribution-limits

Managing your personal wealth isn’t just about the dollars and cents It’s about connecting with what matters to you Across all generations from life changes through life stages Mesirow is here to help That’s why every quarter we write content on topics that we hope are relevant and insightful for you, Market volatility can create tax-smart opportunities, Although periods of market volatility can often create investor anxiety the gains and losses incurred during up and down markets can be leveraged to work together to minimize the taxes investors pay on capital gains Through a practice called “tax loss harvesting” a savvy investor and wealth advisory team can strategically reduce federal tax liabilities without impacting long-term investment plans…, Five key federal tax changes in 2023, The United States is experiencing the worst inflation in 40 years following unprecedent financial stimulus as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic While consumers are feeling this pain in their everyday purchases the IRS is offering some relief by making adjustments during the 2023 tax year that will lower the tax burden for most Americans More, Tough times don’t last tough investors do, Market volatility throughout 2022 has hurt investors’ confidence and is leaving many wondering if it is worth staying invested or if it is time to cut their losses While pain is extremely evident in the short-term it’s important to zoom out when looking at your portfolio More, 4 tips to help keep your New Year’s financial resolutions on track, The beginning of each year brings hope as we consider starting something new or making improvements to something we have started Many of us reflect on what should be different and commit to making a change often referred to as a “New Year’s resolution”  Making a New Year’s resolution can be positive if done correctly as it requires us to reflect and analyze our personal position as well as set…, Tools you can use, Mesirow Mondays - Listen In  On the first Monday of every month Mesirow Wealth Management thought leaders are featured on the WGN Radio 720 Your Money Matters show hosted by Jon Hansen Listen to recent broadcasts about retirement and tax-advantaged strategies More Document locator How easy is it for you or a family member to locate your most important documents in an emergency Mesirow’s  document…

Managing your personal wealth isn’t just about the dollars and cents It’s about connecting with what matters to you Across all generations from life changes through life stages Mesirow is here to help That’s why every quarter we write content on topics that we hope are relevant and insightful for you, Seven year-end planning tips, It is always important to review your financial plan every year to see if there are opportunities to make changes based on any life changes you or your family may have recently experienced Depending on your unique situation some of the tips in this article might make sense for you and your family More, Three tips to plan for the 2026 sunset of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA was signed into law on December 22 2017 This legislation went into effect in 2018 and it impacted nearly every part of the tax code However one of its most unique features is its “sunset” in 2026 at which point most of the changes to the tax rules revert to their 2017 levels Although 2026 is still more than two years away there are a few strategies that you can use…, Financial and lifestyle changes - Realities facing younger generations, Members of the Silent Generation Baby Boomers and some of Generation X may now reflect on their life course and say “back in my day” when sharing financial wisdom with their family’s youth However many people may not be aware of how much things have changed thereby presenting a barrier to achieving common goals such as education housing and having a family Individuals in Generations Y (…, Prepare Plan Protect - Wealth planning tips for business owners, Personal wealth planning is critical in all phases of your career and all stages of your business Just as you are identifying short and long-term growth goals and strategies for the company it is important to identify short and long-term personal financial goals and plans for you and your family As there are also numerous risks to company ownership we’d like to suggest a formula you can use to…, Tools you can use, Mesirow Mondays – Listen In  On the first Monday of every month Mesirow Wealth Management thought leaders are featured on the WGN Radio 720 Your Money Matters show hosted by Jon Hansen Listen to recent broadcasts about retirement and tax-advantaged strategies More Small Business Guide If you are a business owner who is planning on selling your business now or in the future our goal is to make…

Managing your personal wealth isn’t just about the dollars and cents It’s about connecting with what matters to you Across all generations from life changes through life stages Mesirow is here to help , This quarter weve written about how finances can adapt to various life and investment transitions , Is early retirement right for you, At one time or another you may be offered the opportunity to retire early - well before your 65th birthday It is important to plan for this contingency in advance More, 10 things you might not know about your Health Savings Account (HSA, One of the key advantages of an HSA is its flexibility For the short term you can use it to pay for immediate medical expenses But if you dont need to spend on medical expenses in any given year or choose to pay for those expenses from a different source your account can grow significantly Over the long term there is no better tax-deferred wealth accumulation vehicle, More, Seven year-end planning tips, With so much happening in the world today and the usual end-of-year craziness of the holiday season its not always easy to remember critical financial deadliness More, A guide to special needs financial planning, Raising or caring for a loved one with special needs comes with unique challenges including financial planning This guide explores the essential aspects of financial planning for individuals with disabilities We delve into navigating public benefits legal tools like Special Needs Trusts investment strategies and insurance planning By understanding these areas you can ensure your loved one…, Tools you can use, Legacy guide  Our guide “Blaze your trail Ensure your legacy by mapping out a thoughtful wealth transfer strategy” is designed to help you begin that journey and to give you a roadmap to making a legacy plan a reality More estate planning fact sheet Having an estate plan ensures that your legacy will live on But these decisions can be intimidating existing at a nexus of numerous investment…