Wealth insights hub

Wealth Advisor Jeff Condren, CFP®, was featured on the Disruptive Successor podcast, where he shared insights on generational wealth transfer and succession planning.

Wealth advisor Gregg Lunceford, Ph.D., CFP® was featured on the Serving Seniors Podcast sharing his insights on reshaping retirement.

In "The Next Chapter" podcast, Gregg Lunceford discusses the unique challenges individuals face as they move beyond traditional career and retirement milestones.

Mesirow Wealth Advisor Gregg Lunceford talks about discussions topics that can help prevent financial stress by encouraging families to share health history to better anticipate future care.

Gregg shared perspectives from his research and experience working with individuals and families navigating retirement transitions.

If you have a significant portion of your retirement funds in a 401(k), how you handle it upon retiring or moving to another employer can have a huge impact on your chances of retiring well.

Money touches nearly every aspect of life, from daily routines to long term dreams. Between rising prices, market ups and downs, and everyday financial pressures, it can be easy to focus on uncertainty and lose sight of what is going well.

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?

This brochure outlines examples of popular scams and action steps you can take to protect yourself.

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.

On July 4, 2025, the President signed into law an omnibus tax and budget package titled the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). The legislation made key changes to several tax provisions, as well as making permanent many of the provisions.

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.

Discover the benefits of compound interest over time and how its power can help investors reach their most important financial objectives.

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. The good news is, there is a way to defer these taxes by using a 1031 Exchange.

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!

Inflation is at the highest rate since the early 80's, as we experience the effects of US Government & Federal Reserve stimulus programs that were put into place to support the economy during the pandemic.

Financial terminology sometimes seems like a different language. In this article, learn essential terms to clarify what the experts are saying and how that impacts everyday life.

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 this is with a Donor Advised Fund, which allows donors to make a charitable contribution, receive an immediate tax benefit and then recommend grants to charities over time.

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.

If you have ever applied for a mortgage or financed a car, you may have noticed that the interest rate charged for the loan can vary significantly. Why?

Many people are well aware of two key advantages of a Roth IRA: the ability to withdraw money tax-free — which appeals to anyone who wants to minimize their tax bite in retirement — and the ability for wealthier taxpayers to maximize assets and minimize taxes for their heirs.

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.

Inflation continues at the highest rate since the early 80's and as a result different savings vehicles such as Series I Savings Bonds, or "I Bonds," are emerging in popularity.

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.

What "givers" have in common is their desire to invest in their communities and make a difference in the lives of others, either through donations of time, money, or both.

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

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.

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.

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

Your IRA most likely represents a significant portion of your long-term retirement savings and can also play an important role in annual tax planning.

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.

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.

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

Common questions about "stock splits" include: Why do companies announce stock splits, and what does it mean? Does a split change the company's underlying value? Can the split make the stock more affordable for everyday investors?

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.

As markets fluctuate and headlines warn of uncertainty, it's easy to let fear drive financial decisions. But often, the real dangers lurk not in the market itself – but in our own habits.

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.

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

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.

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.

An intrafamily loan is a wealth planning strategy that has become increasingly more utilized in the current interest rate environment. These loans can be used for a variety of reasons, including helping a child purchase a home, investing in a business, or just providing additional liquidity.

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.

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.

With April 15 right around the corner, now is a great time to start organizing your 2025 tax preparation. Some items that may have seemed meaningless in the past now matter given the recent law changes. Below are a few helpful reminders, and some new thin

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

For 88 years, Mesirow Wealth Management has been helping individuals and families make the financial decisions that support their most important life decisions. We listen. We understand. We help. If you, or someone you know, are looking for a trusted financial advisor, this guide is designed to help you ask the right questions and determine the right fit.

Excess liability insurance can make a big difference should you ever find yourself faced with legal action. Liability insurance is not a one-size-fits-all solution and should be approached with thoughtful and careful planning. Depending on their unique circumstances, our clients tend to carry between $1 million and $10 million in excess liability coverage.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Help prepare students as they head off to school and begin to navigate life away from home.

If you are making charitable contributions, now is a good time to re-examine the tax benefits of doing so, and if the gifting strategies you are utilizing are best for you.

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.

Wealth advisor Jeff Condren appeared on the Aligned Money show, where he shared simple frameworks for tackling big priorities — from preparing for college costs to mapping out retirement — in ways that feel manageable rather than overwhelmin

“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.

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

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.

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.

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, this article outlines a few steps you should consider.

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.

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. 

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

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.

The One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed into law on July 4, 2025, created a new tax-advantaged savings account for children under age 18.

Mesirow wealth advisor Jeff Condren was featured on The Influential Entrepreneur Podcast where he shared how clear goals, consistent communication and disciplined planning help clients make confident decisions through every market cycle.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Supporting a 20-year retirement may be manageable for many, but supporting a 40-year retirement requires a different level of strategic planning and discipline.

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.

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

Want to live your best life in retirement? Teaming with a wealth advisor can help. If you've done your own retirement investing to this point, here's something to consider: it's no longer just about growth. It's about management.

If you set a goal, but don't create a plan to achieve that goal how will you attain it? How will you hold yourself accountable? How will you track your progress along the way? Likely, you won't. You will continue to dream.

Asset allocation is one of the most critical decisions in building and preserving wealth, particularly as it relates to retirement and estate planning.

With so much happening in the world today and the usual end-of-year craziness of the holiday season, it's not always easy to remember critical financial deadliness.

Achieving independence: 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.

It's 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.

This is a great time to review the goals that you set at the beginning of the year to ensure you are on track. It is important to reflect on your financial goals, investment strategies and risk tolerance to ensure that you are well-positioned for the rema

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

Raising financially confident children is one of the greatest gifts we can give as parents and grandparents. Whether your goal is to fund higher education, encourage responsible money habits or provide a head start on retirement savings, there are several

Discussions between parents and children are not easy and get more complex as we advance to different stages in life. Regardless of how mature we think we are as the parent or the child, some discussions are just not fun. Preparing and engaging in them

For most individuals, taxes are a burden they hope to minimize. Yet, effective wealth management doesn’t just reduce taxes — it strategically aligns them with a client’s financial goals.

It’s often hard to tell the difference between relevant market information and noise. Our Market Observations newsletter lets you know what articles our advisors are using to form ideas and shape opinions.

Having a baby is one of the most awe-inspiring moments in most people's lives, truly a time of profound emotion and personal joy. However, that joy also comes with financial complexities that can be dealt with by planning ahead.

It's a fact; couples in the US are marrying later in life, especially college educated professionals. As a result, both partners have often begun to save, invest, and accumulate assets. Premarital financial planning has therefore become extremely importan

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. This is why so many people seek counsel to draft or update health care and other estate planning documents.

Many of us have had a loved one, a parent or grandparent who needed someone to help in their home with daily living activities, or were a resident in a nursing home. Based on this experience, it's human nature to worry that the same thing could happen to us. We are living longer and the likelihood of needing some kind of care as we age is very real.

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

You just entered the real world, now what? 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.

Many of us expect to stay healthy and self-sufficient well into our senior years, but planning for the possibility is not only prudent, it can help protect your assets, investments and resources from what can become significant expenses later in life. And for people who have a family history of Alzheimer's or dementia, those concerns are magnified.

As with any significant life change, a divorce can be an emotional and stressful period and the more organized and prepared you are, the better equipped you will be for this transition in your life.