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…

Dan Personette CFA has over 20 years of industry experience and will join the Mesirow Strategic Fixed Income team as a Managing Director and Portfolio Manager, Dan will oversee portfolio management portfolio construction and trade implementation across several key mandates, Previously Dan was a Senior Portfolio Manager at Northern Trust Asset Management, CHICAGO June 18 2024, – Mesirow an independent employee-owned financial services firm is pleased to announce the appointment of, Dan Personette, CFA as a Managing Director and Portfolio Manager in, Mesirow Strategic Fixed Income, Dan will oversee portfolio management portfolio construction and trade implementation across multiple mandates with responsibilities spanning rates global macro and mortgage-backed sectors “We are excited to welcome Dan to the team as we serve an increasingly large base of sophisticated investors” said, David Nirtaut, Senior Managing Director Co-Chief Investment Officer of Mesirow Strategic Fixed Income “His experience in active portfolio management trading and multi-asset allocation within fixed income will be invaluable as we continue to grow our client base” “Mesirow Strategic Fixed Income’s custom client portfolios and effective risk management will enable us to offer a product with a differentiated…, About Mesirow Strategic Fixed Income,   With global headquarters in Chicago Mesirow Strategic Fixed Income seeks to capture the majority of available incremental investment returns while maintaining a neutral duration posture to minimize risk Our approach capitalizes on in-depth research and yield curve analysis to determine the most efficient portfolio structure Watch David Nirtauts latest investment grade fixed income market, outlook video, For more information on Mesirow Strategic Fixed Income please visit, https//mesirowcom/strategicfixedincome, About Mesirow , Mesirow is an independent employee-owned financial services firm founded in 1937 Headquartered in Chicago with locations around the world we serve clients through a personal custom approach to reaching financial goals and acting as a force for social good With capabilities spanning Global Investment Management Capital Markets & Investment Banking and Advisory Services we invest in what…, mesirowcom, follow us on, LinkedIn, and subscribe to, Spark, our quarterly newsletter Mesirow has been named one of the Best Places to Work in Chicago by Crain’s Chicago Business multiple times and is one of Barron’s Top 100 RIA firms 

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…

What are they and how do they fit within my financial plan  , 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 This article explains what I Bonds are the pros and cons of investing in them tax considerations and how they may factor into your financial planning I Bonds are savings bonds from the United States Treasury that encourage…, How to calculate I Bond interest rates, Calculating the interest rates for I Bonds consists of knowing the fixed rate which is set at purchase and the variable rate (which we know changes every six months You can calculate it using the below formula Composite rate = [fixed rate + (2 x semiannual variable rate + (fixed rate x semiannual variable rate], The pros and cons of I Bonds, I Bonds present themselves as a lower-risk savings vehicle However there are both pros and cons to I Bonds so it is important to consider how I Bonds would fit within your current financial plan depending on your unique situation Pros I Bonds are generally a liquid investment and can be held for as little as one year and as long as 30 years They are viewed as a lower risk investment and have been…, I Bonds offer tax reporting flexibility, Depending on your situation you have a few options for reporting the interest incurred during the life of the bond You can report the interest earned every year when you file your taxes OR you can defer reporting the interest until you file a federal income tax return for the year in which the first of these events occurs You cash the bond and receive what the bond is worth including the interest…, How to incorporate I Bonds within your financial planning, Many of our clients are asking if I Bonds is an appropriate savings vehicle Your Mesirow Wealth Advisor can work with you to explore the pros and cons relative to your unique financial plan   1 https//wwwtreasurydirectgov/indiv/research/indepth/ibonds/res_ibondshtm, Published March 2025

Servia Rindfleish is a Managing Director and Client Portfolio Manager for Mesirow Alternative Credit In this role she drives business development efforts focusing on building and strengthening partnerships with existing and prospective clients LPs consultants and other investor classes Before joining Mesirow Alternative Credit she focused on research and analytics and client service while…

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 , A well-maintained financial plan is always important but with so many changes happening its more important today than ever  Depending on your unique situation some tips listed below make sense for you and your family We hope these helpful tips are an essential reminder that some planning strategies cannot wait until next year , 1 Maximize your tax-deferred annual contributions, Are you maximizing the contributions allowed for your particular plan (401k 403b etc One way to reduce taxable income is by maximizing contributions to your tax-deferred retirement plan(s The 2025 contribution limits are $23500 for a defined contribution plan with a $7500 catch-up contribution available if you are over 50¹ Remember that your 401k and 403b contributions must be deferred from…, 2 Maximize your annual gifting, Have you made your annual exclusion gifts yet During 2025 you may gift up to $19000 to any individual free of gift or estate tax A married couple may gift up to $38000 per beneficiary during the calendar year²  In addition you may pay directly for qualified educational and medical expenses in any amount without gift tax consequences This is a great way to gift additional money to support the…, 3 Make charity contributions from your IRA, Did you know that you can make Qualified Charitable Distributions from your IRA Anyone age 70 ½ or older can still distribute up to $108000 (per taxpayer ³ from their IRA account directly to a qualified charity This allows you to satisfy your charitable obligations entirely with pre-tax dollars as these QCDs are excluded from your adjusted gross income This also allows standard deduction…, 4 Bunch your charitable contributions, To maximize the tax benefit of itemized deductions for charitable giving you may consider “bunching” your charitable deductions this year using a Donor Advised Fund (DAF  When you contribute to a DAF you receive an income tax deduction for the entire contribution the year it was made (regardless of whether the funds are used for charitable purposes in the same year  Be careful there are…, 5 Convert your Traditional IRA to a Roth IRA, With the combination of low marginal tax rates and recent volatile market conditions now may be an advantageous time to convert some pre-tax Traditional IRA money into a Roth IRA While this would require paying income taxes on that pre-tax amount it results in a tax-free account going forward  In addition those who cannot make deductible IRA contributions should consider making a nondeductible…, 6 Minimize the tax impact on investment gains , Although periods of market volatility can often create anxiety the gains and losses incurred during up and down markets can be leveraged to work together to minimize the taxes you pay on capital gains Through a practice called “tax loss harvesting” it’s possible to strategically reduce federal tax liabilities without impacting long-term investment plans   When utilizing this strategy it is…, 7 Make 529 contributions by year end, The cost of college education continues to rise every year Using 529 plans is a great way to help save for future college expenses and potentially receive a state tax benefit on your current-year contributions Growth in 529 plans is tax-deferred and can be withdrawn tax-free if used for qualified education purposes Most states offer a current-year deduction on state income tax based on how much…, Discuss any changes in your life, Life is constantly changing We adapt to job changes upsize and downsize our homes have children or grandchildren become involved with new charitable organizations adopt healthier lifestyles or struggle with illness refocus from childcare to parent care and so many more events that contribute to — and sometimes challenge — our lives Discussing these changes with your Mesirow Wealth Advisor allows…

Shane McDaniel is a Managing Director in Mesirow Investment Banking He is responsible for developing key relationships leading deal teams throughout the transaction process and providing advisory services on middle-market M&A assignments within the technology and services sector Shane has devoted his career to serving institutional investors including prominent venture capital and private…

Shannon Walker is a Vice President in Mesirow Currency Management Her primary responsibilities include the analysis reporting design and marketing material production of Mesirow Currency Alpha & Macro strategies Shannon has thirteen   years of industry experience in marketing and investor relations Before joining Mesirow she was a Senior Marketing Associate at The Cambridge Strategy  In…