Sarah Chodera is Mesirow Chief Marketing Officer In this capacity she leads the firm’s  marketing and communications strategy and execution across media channels Functional areas of responsibility include brand strategy and management marketing technology executive and corporate communications media relations thought leadership product marketing and events Prior to joining Mesirow in 2019 Sarah…

Saran Mishra is an Asset Allocation Research Specialist in Mesirow Fiduciary Solutions He is responsible for leading research initiatives in strategic asset allocation and capital market assumptions He develops and implements quantitative financial models and portfolio optimization techniques interacting with clients on specific research deliverables  Saran joined Mesirow in 2023 and has…

Congratulations you have been accepted, As high school seniors all over the country are sorting through their college acceptance letters their parents and grandparents are feeling trepidation about covering tuition room and board and other expenses for the next four years They are not alone With average tuition rates growing at 2–4% per year¹ the cost of college has become a daunting consideration Active early planning and some…, At Mesirow we work with families to create comprehensive financial plans across generations that help prepare for pivotal life events like college A 529 college funding plan is one example of a solution that we thought you might want to learn more about Created in 1996 529 plans have grown significantly in popularity and are a mainstay of funding college education expenses as well as a vehicle…, 529 plan overview, A 529 plan is a state-sponsored savings vehicle specifically aimed at covering qualified education expenses at post-secondary institutions from college through graduate school Each 529 plan has an owner (frequently the parents or grandparents and a beneficiary (the individual who will use the funds to cover “qualified education” expenses Contributions to a 529 plan are Made with after-tax dollars…, Qualified education expenses, Qualified education expenses include Tuition and fees Books supplies and equipment if required by the educational institution Computer or peripheral equipment computer software or internet access and related services are considered qualified education expenses “if it is to be used primarily by the beneficiary during any of the years the beneficiary is enrolled at an eligible educational…, State laws can impact your decision, Some states offer a state income tax benefit for contributing to the state-specific 529 plan For example Illinois allows residents to deduct up to $10000 annually for state income tax purposes by contributing to one of the two state-offered 529 plans ($20000 for a married couple, Benefits of a 529 plan versus an UTMA or UGMA, Custodial accounts established through the Uniform Gift to Minors Act (UGMA or the Uniform Transfer to Minors Act (UTMA can be very effective tools for passing assets to the next generation however they can have some unintended consequences that 529 plans do not have At the age of 18 or 21 depending on the state of residence the assets in an UTMA or UGMA pass directly and outright to the…, 529 plans and family college planning, 529 plans have unique characteristics that allow for dynamic family planning The owner of the 529 plan can reassign beneficiaries within the same family without any gift tax consequence For example if you open a 529 plan for three siblings and one gets a full scholarship to college you can change the beneficiary on his or her account to the other two siblings or even a first cousin to more fully…, Published in March 2025

Scott Blajszczak is a Vice President in Mesirow Fiduciary Solutions He provides extensive quantitative and qualitative investment research for the groups fiduciary partnership consulting institutional due diligence and other related engagements Scott has six years of experience in the financial services industry Prior to joining Mesirow in 2019 he was a Financial Analyst at Kemper Corporation In…

Background, The client Mrs Q hit financial success at 50 years old earning approximately $14 million per year Prior to this later success she had no significant savings , Situation, Need for a strategic and organized plan for cash flow and long-term legacy, Without any significant savings Mrs Q’s goal now is to build up her savings and investments to reach “financial independence” as soon as possible Ultimately she would like to shift her career to something she finds more interesting but less remunerative , Solution, Starting from scratch we created a holistic financial plan with a savings and investment strategy designed to address short and long term goals , step 1 The first step in creating a comprehensive plan was to understand not only Mrs Q’s financial needs but also how family considerations would integrate into the planning To do this we worked with the client’s accountant and estate attorney to ensure that her children and second marriage would be protected and funded the way she wanted them to  step 2 The next step was to identify and/or set…, Conclusion, Crafting a legacy plan that integrates family and finances, The plan is in place and Mrs Q is making great progress towards her financial goals  She is sending in money automatically each month to her personal account which we are using to fund tax advantaged accounts and leaving the balance in her personal trust  Then investing each entity- with the least tax efficient investments in the advantaged accounts and the most tax efficient in her personal…

Its time to sell your successful business — whether for a new venture or retirement The earlier you start the better Early planning allows you to assemble a team of advisors (financial advisor CPA business attorney estate attorney etc and create a financial strategy aligned with your goals considering taxes income sources expenses risk tolerance family needs and philanthropy Exit planning is one…, 123, One of the first questions advisors are often asked How can I reduce the tax impact from the sale of my business This is a great question But make sure you aren’t asking that question too late in the process While your focus may be on closing the deal (potential buyers deal terms asset vs stock sale valuations business assets real estate etc remember your net proceeds are also directly impacted…, What strategies may be right for you, Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS, — Investors and business owners receive favorable tax treatment for capital gains provided the company meets specific requirements A qualified small business must be an active domestic C-corp with no more than $50 million in assets on and immediately after the issuance of stock If the stock is held for at least five years investors can potentially exclude up to 100% of the gains from federal…, 1031 Exchanges, — Also known as a “like-kind exchange” Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code allows investors and business owners the ability to defer capital gains tax when the proceeds of a business property sale are reinvested in a similar asset or business typically real estate , Qualified Opportunity Zone (QOZ, — You can defer and potentially reduce your tax liability by reinvesting the gains from the sale of business property into economically distressed communities or QOZs The timeline for QOZ deferrals ends by 12312026 or earlier if there is an inclusion event The longer you hold the QOZ investment the greater the tax benefits which can include a step-up in basis After 10 years you may elect to…, Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP, — Selling to your employees through an ESOP may allow you to defer or avoid capital gains tax while you transition out of ownership but maintain the continuity of the business itself  , Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT, — A CRT is a tax-exempt trust that allows donors the ability to make a tax-deductible gift of appreciated assets (including closely held business assets into the irrevocable trust sell them and reduce or defer the capital gains taxes The donor receives an annuity (income for a set number of years or for life and once the term ends the remainder goes to charity    , Installment Sale, — Structured installment sales allow business owners the ability to spread out the receipt of the proceeds over a one two or several years to spread out the income received and the potential tax liability over time When planned well in advance of a sale there are many strategies (including those referenced above that can help business owners protect the value of their assets and create legacies…

While the markets continue to function (albeit at higher pricing and moderately worse terms summer vacations were in full effect as the end of the summer saw a slowdown across the board Rising rates and a summer slowdown made July the lowest direct lending volume month since March with $95 billion of total deal volume Only 28% was for true new issue (LBO or M&A the lowest percentage since…