Independent Investment Advisor & OCIO in Chicago

Our Chicago office on North Dearborn in the Gold Coast serves institutional and private clients across the city, the North Shore and the Midwest.

Who we work with in Chicago

From our Chicago office we provide private wealth and family office advisory through the VistaWealth Office™; OCIO and investment consulting to foundations, endowments and nonprofits; Integrated Chief Investment Officer™ (iCIO™) services to RIAs, multi-family offices and trust departments; and fiduciary consulting to 401(k), 403(b) and pension plan sponsors.

We regularly meet clients in Chicago, Gold Coast, Lincoln Park, River North, North Shore, Evanston, Oak Park and the greater Chicago area, and serve institutions and families nationally from all three offices.

Choosing an investment advisor in Chicago

Our guide, Selecting a Chicago Area Financial Advisor, explains how to evaluate fiduciary status, independence, credentials and fees before you sign an agreement — whether or not you choose Vistamark.

An independent, fiduciary advisor in Chicago

Vistamark Investments is an SEC-registered investment adviser and a fiduciary to every client. The firm is independent and owned by its partners, it is not part of a bank or broker-dealer, and it accepts no compensation from managers, custodians or product sponsors, so the only party paying for the advice is the client. Our Chicago team includes Ryan Walter, who leads institutional relationships with foundations, endowments and retirement plan committees.

Planning issues we see most often in Illinois

Illinois families face a state estate tax on estates above $4 million, with no portability between spouses, alongside a flat state income tax. That makes trust design and lifetime gifting decisions more consequential here than in many states; our guide to estate tax strategies for married couples walks through them. We also work with Chicago families on Illinois 529 plans, concentrated stock from public-company careers, and the financial rebuild after divorce.

For Chicago foundations, endowments and nonprofits, investment and spending decisions sit under Illinois’s version of UPMIFA. UPMIFA in Plain English explains what the statute asks of a board.

How a first meeting works

A new relationship starts with a no-cost conversation about goals, the balance sheet or the committee’s current arrangement. We then gather the details and deliver a written proposal or assessment with every fee disclosed, which you can act on whether or not you hire Vistamark. Meetings can be held at our office on North Dearborn, at your office, or by video.

Practices at this office

• Foundations & Endowments — Foundations, Endowments & Nonprofits
• Financial Institutions (iCIO™) — Integrated Chief Investment Officer™ for RIAs, multi-family offices, trust departments and family offices
• Private Wealth & Family Offices — The VistaWealth Office™
• Retirement Plan Sponsors — Defined benefit and defined contribution plans
• Business Owners & Counsel — M&A and expert advisory · through Vistamark Consulting