Welcome to Equitrust Financial Group, Ltd.  A full-service financial planning firm specializing in:

Feel free to browse our site.  You'll find a variety of newsletters, articles, and calculators that we hope you will find interesting.

If you have any questions or want to schedule a complimentary meeting to discuss your specific questions, please call us at 847-317-0200.  We look forward to talking with you.        

Loan Payoff

How much will it cost to pay off a loan over its lifetime?

Home Affordability

Estimate of the maximum amount of financing you can expect to get when you begin house hunting.

Mortgage Refinancing

Determine whether you should consider refinancing your mortgage.

Mortgage Acceleration

This calculator can help you determine how soon you can pay off your mortgage.

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New Opportunity Under the Federal Gift Tax

The 2010 Tax Relief Act raised the lifetime gift-tax exclusion to $5 million. This means it could be a good time to make the most of tax-free gift transfers. If so, it's important to understand the annual and lifetime gift exemption limits, as well as which gifts might not be subject to them.

Preparing to Turn the Corner

What happens to a multiple-owner business when one of them chooses to retire or must leave suddenly for some other reason? Death, disability, divorce, & bankruptcy are just a few of the events that can affect one owner and threaten the future of the business. This article discusses the reasons why it may make sense for a small business to have a buy-sell agreement in place.

The Financial State of the States

Many state and local governments have struggled with lower tax receipts and large budget deficits — during and after the recession. This article offers a closer look at the financial pressures facing the states and how the methods used to address budget shortfalls could ultimately serve as a drag on the national economy.

Balancing Stability and Growth

An investor who is 2 or 3 decades from retirement could decide to be more aggressive in pursuing investment growth than someone approaching retirement. Even though investors address this by transitioning to a more conservative asset allocation, they still need to seek growth while balancing the desire for principal preservation. This article offers some factors to consider.

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