MB Financial Solutions

09/04/2026

Maria graduated with a social work degree and a lot of pride. She also graduated with $67,000 in student loan debt.

Her first job paid $38,000 a year. Her monthly loan payment came to over $700. She realized she was spending nearly a quarter of her take-home pay just to service the education that got her the job.

Seven years passed. She made every payment. The balance was still above $50,000.

It felt like running on a treadmill, she told her sister. Working hard, staying consistent, going nowhere.

Americans now owe nearly $1.9 trillion in student loan debt. The average borrower carries more than $43,000. With new repayment rules that went into effect in 2026, millions of borrowers are navigating changes that were never clearly explained to them.

Nobody who signed those promissory notes expected a decade of financial strain. But that is the reality a large portion of working adults are living right now.

If someone you know is trying to figure out how their student loans fit into their bigger financial picture, MB Financial Solutions PLLC can help think it through.

Source: The Motley Fool - Student Loan Debt Statistics 2026
https://www.fool.com/research/student-loan-debt-statistics/

09/03/2026

𝗬𝗢𝗨'𝗥𝗘 𝗜𝗡𝗩𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗧𝗢 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘 𝗪𝗘𝗕𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗥!

The Penalty Pain Point Most business owners don't worry about IRS compliance until a notice arrives in the mail with penalty fees attached.

Whether you run a business or a 501(c)(3) non-profit, keeping your entity compliant doesn't have to be confusing or expensive. Join our free training to learn how to protect your organization and keep more money where it belongs.

You're invited to the FREE WEBINAR. Register now: https://events.zoom.us/ev/Ak5htn6q3u5kgeZKTBSFQtZt2lrU5iIE_yS-a1AIvFKka8Lbkejb~AhGj_RMXuc86tXVnqZHPBrE2Lk684f0QnskZ_sv775-HAj7n7GishbIPCw

09/03/2026

On a Monday morning, a mechanic told James his engine was gone. Repair cost: $1,400.

James had been working on his budget for months. He had $160 in savings. The repair went on a credit card he had just paid off two months earlier.

When he shared the story with others in his community, he was floored by how many people had a version of it. The moment the pipe burst. The moment the medical bill showed up. The moment the car died. And the savings simply were not there.

According to a 2026 survey from U.S. News, 43% of Americans cannot cover a $1,000 emergency from their savings. Nearly 1 in 4 adults have no emergency fund at all. The median emergency fund balance has dropped significantly even from the previous year.

The advice sounds simple: save three to six months of expenses. But simple is not the same as easy, especially when every dollar already has somewhere to go.

Even $500 changes everything about how a family responds to life. If someone you know is not sure how to start building that cushion, reach out to MB Financial Solutions PLLC.

Source: U.S. News 2026 Financial Wellness Survey
https://www.usnews.com/banking/articles/2026-financial-wellness-survey

09/02/2026

A 34-year-old woman from Texas sat down one evening to look at her credit card statement. She had been carrying a $6,000 balance for nearly three years. And she had been making minimum payments the whole time.

When she finally did the math, she nearly fell out of her chair. She had already paid over $1,800 in interest alone. The balance had barely moved.

She told a friend later that nobody ever explained to her how minimum payments actually work. Not the bank. Not her parents. Not any class she ever took. She just thought as long as she was paying, she was fine.

Minimum payments are designed to feel manageable. That is the point. The longer it takes to pay off the balance, the more the lender earns. And millions of people are in the exact same position right now, paying month after month without making real progress.

The average American credit card balance is over $6,500, and the average interest rate is above 22%. The math is stacked against anyone who does not fully understand the system.

If someone you know is carrying credit card debt and feeling stuck, there is a path out. It starts with understanding the numbers. MB Financial Solutions PLLC is here to help.

Source: Bankrate 2026 Credit Card Debt Report
https://www.bankrate.com/credit-cards/news/credit-card-debt-report/

09/01/2026

She had been claiming the 20% QBI deduction every year but was not sure it would still be there in 2026. Now she knows.

The OBBBA permanently extended the Section 199A Qualified Business Income deduction for pass-through entities including S-corps, sole proprietorships, partnerships, and LLCs, according to Doeren Mayhew. The deduction remains at 20% of qualifying business income. The OBBBA also expanded phase-in ranges for specified service trades, allowing more business owners to access the full deduction. A new minimum deduction of $400 now applies to those with at least $1,000 of QBI from an active business.

For small business owners, the permanence of QBI is one of the most meaningful financial planning changes in years. If you have not modeled its impact on your tax strategy, this is the conversation to have.

Schedule an Appointment: www.mbfinancialsolutionspllc.com

Source: Doeren Mayhew | OBBBA Tax Analysis
https://www.doeren.com/viewpoint/obbba-in-2026-key-business-tax-planning-considerations

The OBBBA brings several planning opportunities for businesses, especially with some new provisions taking effect in 2026. Learn more about these new…

08/31/2026

08/29/2026

He saved diligently for decades. But when he got to retirement, he had no strategy for how to draw the money down.

Under SECURE 2.0, the required minimum distribution age is now 73, with a phased increase to 75 for those born in 1960 or later, per Porter Wright. Missing an RMD triggers a 25% penalty on the amount not withdrawn, reduced to 10% if corrected within two years. Retirement income planning also involves Social Security timing, Roth conversion strategy, and determining a sustainable withdrawal rate across all accounts.

Accumulation and distribution are two different skills. Saving is the first half. Knowing how to spend without running out is the second.

Schedule an Appointment: www.mbfinancialsolutionspllc.com

Source: Porter Wright | AARP
https://www.porterwright.com/media/eligibility-ages-for-retirement-withdrawals-and-social-security-benefits/

February 2, 2026 / Law Alert Eligibility ages for retirement withdrawals and Social Security benefits As the rules under the SECURE Act (as further developed in the SECURE 2.0 Act) continue to reshape the retirement landscape, including gradually pushing back the age for Required Minimum Distributio...

08/28/2026

The warns of an evolving digital assets scam where fraudsters are sending fake IRS letters that direct you to enroll your cryptocurrency in a “Digital Asset Compliance Portal” by a certain deadline. No such portal exists.

If you receive this notice, do not scan the QR code or provide any personal or financial information. Scammers are trying to steal your information and digital assets.

Stay alert and report these scams at www.irs.gov/scams