Tammie Kuykendall is a Vice President Plan Communications in Mesirow Executive Benefit Services She is responsible for plan reporting as well as communications and educational materials for clients and participants in nonqualified deferred compensation plans Tammie has 39 years of industry experience specializing in the administration of nonqualified deferred compensation plans Prior to joining…

by Keith Gustafson CFA and Christopher M ONeill PhD CFA CFP ®, FRM ®, ChFC ®, An industry overview of glide paths and asset allocations Target Date Funds (TDFs have been utilized since the Pension Protection Act (PPA of 2006 in a Qualified Default Investment Alternative (QDIA setting as a means of providing retirement savers with a one-stop solution suited to their age and in some cases risk tolerance level Among the allowed QDIA options which consist of managed accounts…

President Trump’s tariff announcement on April 2 2025 was much more significant than markets expected resulting in sharp selloffs across most equity markets Though the full impact of the announcement is still undetermined we continue to believe in staying focused on core investment principles around owning high-quality businesses at reasonable valuations a practical asset allocation based on your…, Please see below for our perspective on yesterday’s announcement the market reaction and our ideas for navigating periods of uncertainty While Trump announced a 10% minimum tariff on all countries he also announced much more severe tariff rates on some of the United States’ key trading partners including an additional 34% tariff on China (bringing China’s total tariff levy to over 50% , According to Fitch and Reuters the tariffs amount to an effective 26% global tariff rate the highest since 1910, 1 Market pundits are pointing out the haphazard manner with which these tariffs were announced , we view the market’s reaction as reflecting concern about economic growth, but NOT a crisis of confidence,  For example Treasury Bonds are doing a good job as a market hedge reflecting the view that US government bonds are still a safe haven during times of uncertainty We expect that , yesterday’s announcement was not the “end game”,  that the range of outcomes remains wide and where we are today is likely not where we will end up in the future If taken at face value , the immediate-term impact of these tariff implementations may likely be higher prices and a slowdown in spending,  potentially resulting in economic contraction or a recession, We expect that economic data will be choppy over at least the next few months, as businesses make unique timing decisions about how best to manage this uncertain tariff environment For example several businesses have pulled forward spending and built up inventory in recent weeks in anticipation of higher costs in the future In the medium term assuming no change to the tariff rates announced yesterday , we expect businesses to re-examine trading partners and routes including building domestic capacity and adjusting supply chains,  For example China faces higher tariff rates on the production of shoes than Brazil so shoe manufacturers may look to move production from China to Brazil However these decisions are costly and won’t likely be made quickly as executives weigh the risks and rewards - especially if the tariff regime changes again from here While the near term is uncertain , we caution against significantly changing your investment strategy,  Markets tend to rebound before data suggests improvement Staying on the sidelines and missing a rebound can be very costly to your long-term returns Long-term investors should already be aware that significant market drawdowns seem to occur every few years While the causes of the significant selloffs tend to change (housing crises pandemics inflation and unexpected tariffs the patterns remain…, We think the key to this market environment is to focus on core investment principles around maintaining a long-term perspective asset allocation and diversification,  International stocks and bonds have held up relatively well in this recent environment highlighting the benefits of asset class diversification Published April 4 2025 1 | https//wwwreuterscom/markets/us/us-tariff-rate-rockets-22-highest-since-1910-fitch-economist-says-2025-04-02/

With the change in tax code a few years ago many affluent individuals and families who used to itemize now qualify for the standard deduction instead which can impact the deductibility of charitable gifts 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…, Here are two strategies to consider, Strategy 1 Donor Advised Fund, One approach taxpayers can consider is to strategically “lump together” several years’ of charitable donations into a single tax year by making a donation to a Donor Advised Fund (DAF A DAF is a vehicle for charitable giving that makes it easy for donors to dedicate funds to support their favorite nonprofit organization It allows the donor to make a charitable contribution receive an immediate…, Strategy 2 IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs, Charitable-minded investors can take advantage of qualified charitable distributions (QCDs where some or all their distribution is donated directly to a charity In these situations the amount donated can be used to satisfy the annual required minimum distribution (RMD requirement but is excluded from taxable income This approach is limited to $100000 per year  In situations where the taxpayer is…, Published  February 2024, Sources “Timing Tax Savings With Deduction Lumping And Charitable Clumping” Nerds Eye View Blog wwwkitcescom January 31 2018 https//wwwirsgov https//wwwirsgov/charities-non-profits/charitable-organizations/donor-advised-funds “Rules and Requirements For Doing a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD From an IRA” Nerds Eye View Blog wwwkitcescom June 15 2016

Tess is an Analyst in Mesirow CTL and Structured Debt Products She is responsible for supporting the team in research and analysis Prior to joining Mesirow full time in 2022 Tess interned at Mesirow through their Capital Markets Rotational Summer Internship and spent a second summer interning with the Credit Tenant Lease and Structured Debt Products Team Tess earned a Bachelor of Arts in…

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 , The SECURE 20 Act which was signed into law in late 2022 introduced several new retirement plan provisions One of these included the “Super Catch-Up” contribution If you’re eligible this may be the opportunity to boost your retirement savings and add thousands to your nest egg  Here’s what you need to know , New rules make saving easier, If there is one advantage to getting older it’s the ability to save more to your qualified retirement plans The annual contribution limit for employees who take part in 401(k 403(b governmental 457(b plans and the federal government’s Thrift Savings Plan increased to $23500 in 2025 up a whopping $500 from the previous year Except for non-governmental 457(b plans the IRS allows those age 50 or…, Clarifying the nuances regarding the new “super catch-up” contributions for 2025, What plans are being affected, Governmental 457(b 401(k and 403(b and SIMPLE plans Not all plans offer catch-up contributions Check with your plan administrator to see if yours does IRAs are not eligible, Does this apply to Individual 401(k plans, Yes the super catch-up contribution is available for solo plans but not all solo plans offer it so check the details, If I am 59 and turn 60 during 2025 can I take advantage of this, Yes anyone that turns 60 to age 63 in 2025 is eligible, Does the company match impact the super catch-up limit, No Employer contributions including company match and profit-sharing contributions are considered separate , Does this apply to non-governmental 457(b plans , No only governmental 457(b plans which are generally offered by certain state and local governments and tax-exempt organizations , What happens if I turn 64 during the calendar year,  , You will revert to the age 50 catch-up contribution limit in effect for that year ($7500 for 2025 assuming your plan offers catch-up contributions , If I’m eligible can I add $7500 for the over age 50 catch up plus the $11250 super catch up, No you don’t get to do both, Can I take advantage if I add to my Roth 401(k, Yes you can Whether you should or not is another topic, What are the annual contribution limits in 2025 , See below Important note the limits are different for the less-common SIMPLE plans Defined contribution plans (excluding simple plans, Age, 2025 annual participant deferral limit, (assuming no change from 2024 49 and under $23000 50 to 59 $30500 ($23000 plus $7500 catch-up 60 to 63 $34250 ($23000 plus $11250 catch-up 64 and older $30500 ($23000 plus $7500 catch-up   simple plans, Age, 2025 annual participant deferral limit, (assuming no change from 2024 49 and under $16000 50 to 59 $19500 ($16000 plus $3500 catch-up 60 to 63 $21250 ($16000 plus $5250 catch-up 64 and older $19500 ($16000 plus $3500 catch-up,  , Is there anything I need to do, Yes you may need to increase your contributions to hit the maximum Check to make sure   Since this opportunity only lasts up to four years (until you reach age 64 we recommend you talk to your Mesirow Wealth Advisor to see how you can take advantage of super-catch up contributions as soon as you can  Published March 2025