LGBTQ+ financial planning built for Chicago

Chicago has one of the highest concentrations of LGBTQ+ adults in the Midwest, stretching from Northalsted and Lakeview up through Andersonville and Edgewater, out to Logan Square and Rogers Park, and across the suburbs into Oak Park and Evanston. The planning conversations look different depending on which slice you sit in — a Loop consultant with deferred comp and a Big Four bonus track has a very different picture than a Rogers Park nonprofit director with a partner in healthcare.

Illinois has a flat state income tax on top of federal, and Chicago layers on some of the highest property tax rates in the country plus a real-estate transfer tax that matters when couples buy, sell, or restructure titling. For dual-income same-sex households in finance, law, consulting, or tech, the marriage penalty and equity-comp coordination are usually the biggest levers — and most generic Chicago advisors don't plan around either.

Illinois has strong statewide LGBTQ+ legal protections — marriage, parentage, and non-discrimination — which makes Chicago a comparatively safe home base. That said, documents still need to travel: second-parent adoption, healthcare directives, and beneficiary audits protect you if you move, travel, or spend meaningful time in less-protective states. Aequitas is virtual-first, so whether you're in Andersonville, the West Loop, or Evanston, the plan is the same.