Wealth Knowledge Center

Resources designed for you

Our clients often share that one of the most valuable aspects of their relationship with us is our understanding that their lives—and wealth planning needs—are dynamic. As your needs and objectives change over time, we’re here with facts, updates and personalized guidance.

Our Wealth Advisors have written the articles below to help you gain insights into a variety of financial planning topics.

Multimedia Library

Dive into a rich collection of insights from Mesirow wealth advisors through dynamic video clips, compelling audio segments, and thought-provoking podcasts—designed to keep you informed and inspired.

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Mesirow Minute Videos

Stay informed without the noise—our wealth advisors distill essential investing insights into one-minute updates

Financial planning basics

In this video, Tiffany Irving discusses the best time to create a financial plan and how to go about it.

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Tax efficient investing

Jenniger Gartenberg tax efficient investment strategies

A savvy investor can strategically reduce federal tax liabilities without impacting long-term investment plans. Learn how in this insightful video from Jennifer Gartenberg.

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Retirement myths part 1

We all have pre-conceived notions about retirement. In this video, Gregg Lunceford presents a few commonly held beliefs that he challenges as being myths.

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Charitable giving strategies

In this insightful video, Jennifer Gartenberg shares ideas on creating charitable giving strategies that align with your personal and financial goals.

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Retirement myths part 2

In this video Gregg Lunceford challenges and debunks more retirement myths

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Financial planning for business owners

Tiffany Irving discusses how business owners can use financial planning to their advantage in this insightful video.

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Mesirow Monday Interviews

Mesirow Mondays on WGN 720 “Your Money Matters”

Tune in on the first Monday of every month as Mesirow thought leaders join Jon Hansen on WGN Radio 720’s Your Money Matters. Each month, our experts break down key financial topics, from the fundamentals of personal finance and investing to wealth management, retirement planning, and building long-term financial security.

Whether you're just getting started or planning for the future, Mesirow Mondays delivers timely insights to help you take control of your financial journey.

Listen to all our insights here

Featured interview

Sumit Desai, CFA, featured on WGN Radio 720

Are you worried that tariffs could put your portfolio at risk? Recently on Your Money Matters, Mesirow Wealth Management's Director of Research, Sumit Desai, CFA, joined Jon Hansen to discuss how to navigate the potential storm.

Listen to the broadcast

Podcasts

Hear what’s next in wealth—from the voices shaping it

Mesirow Wealth Advisors are hitting the mic—sharing smart, accessible insights on everything from investing fundamentals and financial planning to retirement strategies. Catch them on top podcasts as they bring fresh perspectives to audiences around the globe.

Tune in and stay a step ahead.

Navigating new parent finances

Mesirow Wealth Advisor Sophia Yudkowsky CFP ® had a great conversation with Misty Lynch on the Demystifying Money podcast, diving into finances for young families. One of the big topics they covered was the real cost of having kids—and how to plan financially for this exciting (and life-changing!) chapter.

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The rise of the female breadwinner

Mesirow Wealth Advisor Tiffany Irving, CFP® had an insightful conversation with Gabe Dunn on the Bad With Money podcast about the rise of the female breadwinner. One key topic? The often tough—but necessary—conversation around whether the stay-at-home partner needs to return to work, and if one income is truly enough to support the family today and down the road.

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Retirement

Maintaining your wealth and living your best retirement

Preserving your wealth requires careful financial planning not only before but also within retirement.

Transitioning from work to a life of leisure is part of the American dream, but the reality of lifestyle in retirement can be shocking without proper planning. Developing a retirement identity includes everything from your social network to everyday lifestyle and your financial efficacy.

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Planning

Rethinking retirement myths

Retirement has changed greatly in recent decades and yours may be different from what your parents and grandparents experienced. To prepare for what retirement could be for you, it is important to understand a few retirement myths and what retirement may not be.

In order to determine how to maximize Social Security, it is important to know which types of benefits are available, and then to identify when is the best time to begin receiving these benefits will be based on your individual situation.

Medicare can be a complex program to navigate with several considerations depending on your unique situation. Understanding the program's basic structure is important when creating a financial plan in retirement.

Most investors understand the benefits of using retirement accounts to build long-term wealth. What is less known is that they can also provide creditor protection in the event of a legal liability, personal injury lawsuit, or bankruptcy.

Knowing what tax-advantaged investment accounts are is crucial for the management of our clients’ wealth. These vehicles shelter ongoing investment growth from taxes, and may provide a tax benefit for contributions or withdrawals.

Planning for retirement as a couple can have several benefits including confirming common goals, creating accountability to achieve a greater probability of success, and building retirement confidence.

The ups and downs of the economy may cause people to give up hope. However, recent studies show that Generation Z is the most optimistic about retirement — even with a global pandemic in the equation.

Get the guide that will help you determine when your prime time to retirement is.

Lifestyle

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.

Now more than ever individuals are considering transition from their primary careers into a retirement period that may be much longer, and different, than those experienced by prior generations. If you are thinking about making a career transition to retirement, following are a few steps you should consider:

Given increased longevity and improvements in health, today’s retirees have a greater number of lifestyle options that may be difficult to choose from. This post helps you to think them through.

Life in retirement may exceed the life of your career. Having a financial plan and a plan for how you plan to spend the next 30+ years has never been more important. People with a plan are significantly more satisfied in retirement.

Retirement used to mean the end of an era, and was solidified by a person’s complete exit from the workplace, not any more. Learn how entrepreneurship can be a retirement lifestyle choice for you.

Our doctors’ visits and daily exercises focus on our physical and mental well-being — yet, is there something else required in order for us to have a positive health experience in retirement? Yes. Financial wellness.

Charitable giving

Deriving the benefits of doing good

Throughout our history, Mesirow has had a strong philanthropic culture, so charitable giving is a wealth planning area in which we are very experienced and eager to help provide some new ideas.

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Are your philanthropic gifting strategies still up to date?

Learn how changes to IRS regulations over the last few years have, in some instances, expanded how an individual may want to consider carrying out charitable giving.

Two strategies often used by individuals and families are donor-advised funds (DAFs) and private foundations; each has unique costs and tax advantages.

Every generation is shaping the philanthropic landscape in their own way, making a difference in the lives of others. They are also influencing each other’s views on philanthropy.

In preparation for tax time, many of our clients look for opportunities to maximize their charitable contributions, especially in a “windfall” year. One way to do so is with a Donor Advised Fund.

How you can integrate charitable giving into your financial plan and still enjoy some of the tax benefits associated with gifting.

Education

Financial planning for college education

Planning for education expenses can seem daunting, but with help from Mesirow's Wealth Advisors, it doesn't need to be. We work with individuals and families to help create comprehensive financial plans, across generations, that help prepare for pivotal life events like college. A 529 college savings plan is one example of a potential solution to help accumulate and invest for future educational needs.

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Five tips for students

These tips may help prepare students heading off to school as they navigate life away from home.

Tips to help your kids’ college funds grow as fast as they do. This brochure covers college costs, timing and investment ideas.

Investments in a 529 plan grow tax-free, meaning that any investment income or capital gains will not be taxed as long as withdrawals are used for qualified education expenses.

529 accounts are great vehicles to use to save for college. The money grows tax-free, and there is no tax on distributions as long as it is used for qualifying education expenses.

Active early planning and some creativity can help position your family to be financially well-prepared to send the next generation off to college.

Each fall, many of our clients’ children and grandchildren begin their college experience. Now is a good time to review how to spend those 529 College Savings Plan assets.

Sending your young adult off to college or university can be both scary and exciting. These tips may help you help your child navigate some important financial planning and life issues.

Section 529 College Savings Plans have traditionally been used to save and invest for college education. However, legislative reform has expanded how 529 Plans can be used as an educational funding vehicle.

Estate planning

Legacy and estate planning begins...

with understanding your overall balance sheet, the importance of titling your assets properly, establishing appropriate beneficiary designations, and the naming of the professionals who will act on your behalf when needed. Getting organized is the first step. Then, it is very important to have a meaningful conversation with family about your legacy.

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Benefitting from a Charitable Remainder Unitrusts

One solution to consider, when thinking about who to leave your IRA to, is leaving your IRA to a testamentary Charitable Remainder Unitrust (CRUT) for the benefit of your heirs and, ultimately, your preferred charity.

Irrevocable trusts offer investors significant benefits, including asset protection from creditors and lawsuits, tax advantages by reducing estate and income tax liabilities, and efficient wealth transfer while avoiding probate.

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.

This checklist is designed to help guide you through a variety of tasks when you lose a loved one

File folders with documents and bright paperclips

This form will help you provide you and your heirs with easy access to all of your financial information — all in one place.

Changes in the Federal Funds Rate cascade to all corners of finance, from credit card rates, auto financing, mortgages and other rate-sensitive loans, to the fixed income (bond) markets. These changes can also impact many estate planning strategies.

Having a family conversation about your estate and your legacy can be challenging. But, during times of uncertainly, it becomes more important than ever.

The most common misconception is that not everyone needs an estate plan, but estate planning is for everyone. Here are a few tips on how you can get started today.

Taking time to reassess your estate plan on a regular basis is an important habit. Now may be a good time to revisit your will, trust, POA, asset titling and beneficiaries.

You often see the terms Agent, Trustee & Executor in legal documents. But, why does it matter who you appoint to each role?

Even though the current federal estate tax exemption is $12.92 million per individual, planning for potential changes to that exemption is always an important financial planning tip.

There are opportunities to create a continuity of wealth advice and guidance from generation to generation while still providing the expertise of a corporate trustee.

As cryptocurrency continues to evolve as an emerging asset class, it is important to determine how this uniquely positioned investment interacts with other financial planning considerations.

Investment basics

Financial terminology can sometimes seem like a different language

Mesirow has written a number of articles to help you understand key terms, index information and how economic indicators such as inflation and interest rates impact markets.

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How to gauge performance using benchmarks

Using the most appropriate index as a benchmark is key to evaluating how your investment portfolio is performing.

This article provides a summary of what you need to know about the FDIC, an independent agency that provides insurance to member banks.

One way to mitigate short-term volatility is to dollar cost average into the market. Learn how in this article.

Inflation and interest rates are key economic indicators that can impact your pocketbook and financial markets.

The power of “compound interest” is a concept that has been around for a long time, and its benefits can be applied to a number of strategies designed to help accumulate wealth over time.

Stock splits can often be a confusing concept for investors. What does it mean when a company announces a stock split?

Higher interest rates have triggered an increase in investor interest in savings vehicles such as Series I Savings Bonds ("I Bonds").

Financial terminology can sometimes seem like a different language. Learn about five essential finance terms that we believe everyone should know.

If you have recently applied for a loan, you may have noticed that sometimes the interest rate being charged can be relatively high, and sometimes it is much lower. Why?

Life Events

Key life events often trigger the need for advice

Your financial plan and investments may be going along just fine, and then something important happens in your life and the plan needs to change in order to stay on track.

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Life Events

Wedding planning

When planning a wedding, often both partners have begun to save, invest, and accumulate assets. Premarital financial planning has therefore become extremely important.

Deciding where to live on your own for the first time involves more than just finding a place to sleep, it’s a choice that can impact your finances, career opportunities, personal growth and relationships.

Both renting and buying offer distinct advantages and considerations, this article will help you to carefully evaluate them before making a decision.

As with any significant life change, a divorce can be an emotional and stressful period with financial ramifications. Learn how to be prepared.

Having a baby is one of the most exhilarating and awe-inspiring moments in most people’s lives, but comes with financial complexities that can be dealt with by planning ahead.

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?

As we get older, it becomes increasingly important to ensure that our health care needs and desires are well documented and understood by our family, friends, medical providers, and professional advisors.

There comes a time when our clients decide to relocate permanently in the state of their choice; often in a warmer locale! This happens often enough that we thought we would share a checklist for those considering this exciting next phase in their lives.

Caregiving

Caregiving for a loved one

While becoming a caregiver may be unexpected, there are some advance steps you can take so you won’t be caught completely off guard.

Seventy percent of people turning age 65 will need some type of severe long-term services and support in their lifetime. The goal is to be prepared so, if you turn out to be one of them, it doesn’t derail your overall financial plan.

They call it the “sandwich generation,” when we balance caring for our parents, or grandparents, at the same time as we care for our children.

They call it the “sandwich generation,” when we balance caring for our parents, or grandparents, at the same time as we care for our children.

Planning and advice

Meeting your financial goals

Staying on track with your goals to attain your financial objectives is critical. Planning and preparation are key to creating a well-thought-out financial plan that can address your concerns and help set you and your family on a trajectory to meet short-term and long-term goals.

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Mid-year financial checkups

It is important to reflect on your financial goals, investment strategies and risk tolerance to ensure that you are well-positioned for the remainder of the year and beyond.

Financial planning is largely an exercise in risk management — you prepare for the costs you can anticipate and set aside an extra amount to cover the costs you can’t.

The way investments are allocated across different asset classes not only determines the growth and security of retirement savings but also impacts how your wealth can be transferred to future generations.

It's time to sell your successful business — whether for a new venture or retirement. The earlier you start, the better.

This guide is a consolidated list of the annual contribution limits, tax rates and payment requirements for 2025.

Access the guide

2024 planning guide

This guide is a consolidated list of the annual contribution limits, tax rates and payment requirements for 2024.

Access the guide

Special needs planning

This guide explores the essential aspects of financial planning for individuals with disabilities.

When families have dependents who may be considered to have special needs, planning for a secure financial future for this dependent can become extremely complex and often daunting.

If you're at the stage of life where you're trying to accumulate and grow your wealth, how can you be sure you're making the most of these two advantages?

We hope these helpful tips are an essential reminder that some planning strategies cannot wait until next year.

Discussions between parents and children are not easy and get more complex as we advance to different stages in life, learn how to approach them.

How to protect yourself from online financial theft. This brochure outlines examples of popular scams and action steps you can take to protect yourself.

This article addresses five key financial planning topics that should be prioritized when trying to accomplish financial goals on top of day-to-day demands.

The client, Mrs. Q, hit financial success at 50 years old, earning approximately $1.4 million per year. Prior to this later success, she had no significant savings.

Written plans are critically important to helping you along the way. When it comes to your personal finances, the same is true.

Lifestyle and financial goals make take longer for younger generations to accomplish today as individuals need more time to establish themselves. Here are a few reasons why.

One of the most unique features of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is its "sunset" in 2026. Learn how to take advantage of current rules now before they lapse.

In this case study, learn about how multiple generations of a client's family has worked with their Mesirow Wealth Advisory team.

Individuals and families have different wealth planning and investment needs. Finding a financial advisor that is the “right fit” for your unique situation can require a degree of patience and due diligence.

Although the history books have not yet been written, the past few years have impacted financial priorities. It may be the time to take a moment to review where you are, where you are going and what it will take to get there.

Whether a young professional have been in the workforce for the last three years or a recent graduate, here are some quick financial planning tips to jumpstart his or her wealth accumulation journey.

Your financial plan and investment portfolio is likely made up of a variety of different types of assets, which you probably review with your wealth advisor at least annually, if not more often. Insurance policies can play a critical role in your financial plan, but they are often overlooked.

Do you ever dream of receiving a financial windfall? It may seem like a fantasy, but it happens more often than you might think. And, not unlike other financial issues, having a plan will ensure you make the most of your windfall and have no future regrets.

Do I have enough to retire? Can I afford to support a family member? These are a few questions that play into your life and financial decisions. Being organized is critical to an advisor’s ability to answer your unique questions appropriately.

We believe that an essential part of your financial wellbeing is the confidence that your financial identity is secure.

Everyone has unique circumstances that must be considered when creating a financial plan. Depending on goals, members of the LGBTQ community may have additional factors to consider when it comes to financial planning.

An intrafamily loan is a wealth planning strategy that has become increasingly more utilized in the current interest rate environment.

The beginning of each year brings hope as we consider starting something new or making improvements to our financial wellness.

Sometimes homeowner insurance isn't enough to cover potential liability claims.

One of the most commonly overlooked assets are insurance policies. Since insurance plays a critical role in a financial plan, we thought we’d share some insights with you.

Small Business Owners

Running a business isn’t for the faint of heart

It takes time, money and commitment to high quality product and client services. While you are focused on running your business, Mesirow can help provide insights into how financial planning components such as ownership, retirement savings and succession planning play a role to the long-term success of your business.

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Reviewing buy-sell agreements

The United States Supreme Court recently issued a decision which may have a significant impact on closely-held businesses with certain buy-sell agreements.

As a small business owner, there are many reasons to establish a retirement plan for you and your employees. This guide is designed to help you selet which plan is right for you.

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Best practices for selling your business

“Setting a new course: Best practices for selling your business” presents three phases for selling a business which any owner considering selling – now or in the future – will find to be valuable.

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Prepare, Plan, Protect

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.

A 401(k) plan is often a key benefit for attracting and retaining employees, but managing a plan can be challenging for small business owners. Mesirow and a Third Party Administrator (TPA) can help shoulder some of that administrative burden.

At Mesirow, we work with business owners like you to help maximize retirement savings, minimize taxes, and maintain the flexibility required to productively run your business by implementing custom retirement plan strategies.

Most small business owners’ planning strategies are centered around the success and growth of the business. The three most commonly overlooked planning concepts involve ownership, retirement savings, and succession planning.

Tax-advantaged investing

Reducing your tax liabilities

A savvy investor and their wealth advisory team can strategically reduce federal tax liabilities without impacting long-term investment plans.

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An opportunity you don't want to miss

If you’re in your early 60s, retirement may be approaching fast. You’re not alone if you feel compelled to save more during this critical period.

Not everyone understands the ins outs of these types of accounts, so listed below are 10 things you might not know about your HSA.

Strategically allocating assets across accounts with varying tax treatments can help optimize tax efficiency, reduce risk, provide tax flexibility, and potentially maximize after-tax returns.

If you can afford to cover your family’s health care costs out-of-pocket (without spending your Health Savings Account (“HSA”), consider investing those HSA assets instead.

You might want to consider whether a Traditional IRA or a Roth IRA makes the most sense, whether required minimum distributions can be given to charity, or whether you should accelerate your IRA distributions.

Although periods of market volatility can create 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.

Even though you might not be eligible to contribute directly to a Roth IRA, you might be able to convert a traditional pre-tax IRA into a Roth IRA.

As stocks dip this year, some investors are taking advantage of the market volatility by converting their traditional pre-tax IRAs to a Roth IRA.

Many of our clients own business assets or personal property that have appreciated in value and struggle with ways to sell these assets without triggering immediate capital gains taxes.

Want to learn more?

connect with an advisor

Wealth advisory services offered by Mesirow Financial Investment Management, Inc., an SEC-Registered Investment Advisor. Securities offered through Mesirow Financial, Inc., member FINRA, SIPC. Advisory Fees are described in Mesirow Financial Investment Management Inc.’s Part 2A of the Form ADV. Mesirow refers to Mesirow Financial Holdings, Inc. and its divisions, subsidiaries and affiliates. The Mesirow name and logo are registered service marks of Mesirow Financial Holdings, Inc.

Wealth Knowledge Center

Resources designed for you

Multimedia Library

Mesirow Minute Videos

Financial planning basics

Tax efficient investing

Retirement myths part 1

Charitable giving strategies

Retirement myths part 2

Financial planning for business owners

Mesirow Mondays on WGN 720 “Your Money Matters”

Featured interview

Podcasts

Navigating new parent finances

The rise of the female breadwinner

Maintaining your wealth and living your best retirement

Rethinking retirement myths

Maximize your Social Security paycheck

The ABCD’s of Medicare

Protecting against creditors

Planning for required distributions

How couples can prepare for retirement

Why Gen Z is optimistic about retirement

Interested in bringing your retirement into focus?

Is early retirement right for you?

Transitioning from career to retirement

What to do in retirement

The role of planning in retirement satisfaction

Entrepreneurship is a retirement lifestyle choice

Nine questions retirees should ask themselves

Deriving the benefits of doing good

Are your philanthropic gifting strategies still up to date?

Options to donate with intention

Philanthropy bridges generations

A savvy approach to giving back

Taxes and charitable giving

Financial planning for college education

Five tips for students

They grow up so fast!

A beginner's guide to 529 plans

It’s time to consider a 529 conversion

Saving for college: with a 529 Plan

Your guide to 529 Plan withdrawals

College checklist: Five tips for parents

529 Plans not just for college anymore

Legacy and estate planning begins...

Benefitting from a Charitable Remainder Unitrusts

Gift tax reporting

Are you prepared for your legacy?

Legacy checklist

Document locator

The impact of interest rates

Having “The talk” with family

Start creating an estate plan

Stop, take inventory, check-in

The importance of a trusted advocate

Changes in estate tax and planning

The value of a corporate trustee

Hidden pitfalls of Crypto

Financial terminology can sometimes seem like a different language

How to gauge performance using benchmarks

FDIC Insurance: What you need to know

Invest it all today or average in?

Inflation, interest rates and you

The power of compound interest

How stock splits impact your holdings

Series I Savings Bonds

Five essential financial terms

Why interest rates matter

Key life events often trigger the need for advice

Wedding planning

Moving out

Renting vs buying

Divorce

Birth of a child

New job

Health care planning

Are you ready to be a snowbird?

Caregiving for a loved one

The need for long term care