Zach Benning, CFP®
Senior Vice President,
Financial Advisor
Direct:
(630) 203-6107(630) 203-6107
My Mission Statement
To empower families to maximize their assets, gain financial strength and feel confident in knowing they can live the life of their dreams.
My Story and Services
Mapping Your Route
Planning your financial future is a lot like mountain climbing––two of my biggest passions. Both require a good deal of strategizing and problem-solving. To help get from Point A to Point B with efficiency and minimal risk, you have to piece together many smaller, less intuitive steps in between. Since 2010, I have helped dozens of high net worth individuals and families chart the financial course to their future. As a Certified Financial Planner ™ , I know what obstacles to look out for, and what efficiencies you can leverage.
Navigating Your Journey
The other similarity between climbing and finance is the need for flexibility. Even though you have a planned route, you often have to reassess the conditions as you go and reconfigure the route on the fly. That’s why I value deep, ongoing relationships with my clients that can extend across generations. It allows me as a younger financial advisor, supported by my assistant Deanna Laboy, to devote the time and energy needed to help you:
• Grow and diversify your wealth, and seek to preserve it in periods of heightened volatility
• Account for current financial trends or other life changes that may require adjustments to your financial plan
• Provide comprehensive support, leveraging Deanna’s talents as a Registered Client Associate, as well as smart technology and data-driven analytics to help you stay on course and maximize all your assets
Planning your financial future is a lot like mountain climbing––two of my biggest passions. Both require a good deal of strategizing and problem-solving. To help get from Point A to Point B with efficiency and minimal risk, you have to piece together many smaller, less intuitive steps in between. Since 2010, I have helped dozens of high net worth individuals and families chart the financial course to their future. As a Certified Financial Planner ™ , I know what obstacles to look out for, and what efficiencies you can leverage.
Navigating Your Journey
The other similarity between climbing and finance is the need for flexibility. Even though you have a planned route, you often have to reassess the conditions as you go and reconfigure the route on the fly. That’s why I value deep, ongoing relationships with my clients that can extend across generations. It allows me as a younger financial advisor, supported by my assistant Deanna Laboy, to devote the time and energy needed to help you:
• Grow and diversify your wealth, and seek to preserve it in periods of heightened volatility
• Account for current financial trends or other life changes that may require adjustments to your financial plan
• Provide comprehensive support, leveraging Deanna’s talents as a Registered Client Associate, as well as smart technology and data-driven analytics to help you stay on course and maximize all your assets
Securities Agent: MA, AR, UT, TN, OK, OH, ME, IN, WA, TX, MT, KY, IA, DE, AZ, MS, MO, IL, ID, DC, CT, NM, SD, PA, NJ, HI, CO, NY, MD, AL, WI, VA, SC, NH, LA, WY, VT, NV, MI, GA, FL, RI, PR, OR, NC, MN, CA; General Securities Representative; Investment Advisor Representative
NMLS#: 2355792
NMLS#: 2355792
Check the background of Our Firm and Investment Professionals on FINRA's BrokerCheck.*
My Process
Understanding how you value your wealth guides our advisory relationship while an emphasis on diversification and income generation are the foundation of the customized investment strategies that support your financial plan.
The Meaning of Your Money
Gathering information about your unique situation can identify and expand on many goals and aspirations you have for that wealth as well as address concerns and areas that merit attention. All this information is captured digitally using a process called Mind Mapping that enables us to craft a personalized, comprehensive roadmap to guide your financial journey.
Our Balanced Approach
The Meaning of Your Money
Gathering information about your unique situation can identify and expand on many goals and aspirations you have for that wealth as well as address concerns and areas that merit attention. All this information is captured digitally using a process called Mind Mapping that enables us to craft a personalized, comprehensive roadmap to guide your financial journey.
Our Balanced Approach
1: Capture Income
Building wealth starts with putting a balanced plan together to manage your working cashflow like a business so you have funds to enjoy life now and feel confident about the future.
2: Allocate Effectively
We spread your investment savings across a wide range of assets to promote diversification and take full advantage of the breadth of capital markets. Your portfolio can include individual stocks and bonds, cash as well as private equity and other alternative investments. Since each of these assets tends to be impacted by different factors, they can potentially help manage risk and keep your wealth growing through varying economic conditions.
3: Manage Distributions
We believe you need diversified wealth to distribute your income effectively in retirement or to meet other cash flow needs. We actively manage your distributions, working with our network of tax professionals and Morgan Stanley’s tax resources to be selective about which securities and accounts to tap to take advantage of opportunities and minimize your tax liabilities.
4: Consider Lifestyle Impact
Ultimately you save and invest your hard earn money so it can make an impact on your family’s future. We apply our deep understanding of your wealth priorities to guide decision making and achieve positive outcomes.
5: Ensure Legacy
Our credentials and youth will allow us to be your trusted resource for decades to come. This means your complete financial picture is managed effectively through the entirety of your career and retirement. By building a relationship with your spouse and your children and fully understanding your estate plans, we can help ensure an efficient transfer of your wealth to the most important people and causes in your life.
My Clients
Families We Serve
We relish working with successful individuals who are always looking to create new opportunities for themselves, their families and the communities around them. Many of those opportunities come from developing trusted personal and professional networks. As your financial advisor, I strive to a be crucial part of those networks.
I will work with you in an advice-driven and exploratory way, empowering a relationship where we are always learning and evolving, opening more doors for you to pursue. These could include coaching you on the fundamentals of capital markets, devising strategies to help care for aging parents or developing plans to help your children buy their first home. While I may not have the answers to every question you throw at me, I can draw on the global resources of Morgan Stanley and its specialist partners to find solutions to just about any challenge.
I will work with you in an advice-driven and exploratory way, empowering a relationship where we are always learning and evolving, opening more doors for you to pursue. These could include coaching you on the fundamentals of capital markets, devising strategies to help care for aging parents or developing plans to help your children buy their first home. While I may not have the answers to every question you throw at me, I can draw on the global resources of Morgan Stanley and its specialist partners to find solutions to just about any challenge.
Advisors Nearing Retirement
We also work with advisors nearing retirement who are looking to build a healthy and gradual transition into retirement. We have a simple and balanced process designed to collaborate with you, insert our expertise to provide added value, and develop trust over time with the families you and your team serves. Our goal is to build a succession plan so you can confidently start the next chapter of your life on your terms and know that your clients are well served many years into the future. You have planned retirement for hundreds of clients over the years, lets work together to plan yours!
We serve families and advisors right here in Chicago and across the United States. Our business is built around you and your busy schedule. We want to meet you where you are most comfortable which includes any of our Morgan Stanley offices, digitally through ZOOM, or at your home.
Click here to schedule a meeting with meDIGITAL RESOURCES
We offer a comprehensive suite of tools to manage your wealth more effectively in today’s busy world. We strive to ensure we serve our clients with market-leading technology platforms that are resilient, safe, efficient, smart, fast and flexible.
Morgan Stanley Online (MSO)
When you sign up for MSO, you can conveniently and securely manage your account online or on your mobile device.
Click here to learn more
Morgan Stanley Mobile App
The Morgan Stanley Mobile App gives you the same capabilities as Morgan Stanley Online – all from the convenience of your own phone. It also offers features to simplify your everyday finances.
Click here to learn more
Total Wealth View
With this service, you can view all your assets and liabilities together – whether held at Morgan Stanley or elsewhere – in one place for a comprehensive overview of your assets.
Click here to learn more
Goals Planning System (GPS)
GPS is our financial planning software. It helps define what you want out of life, so we can create a financial framework to bring these goals to fruition.
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Digital Vault
The Digital Vault allows you to build a centralized library for all your documents using encryption.
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E-Delivery
E-Delivery allows you to securely save, print, send and receive documents at any time from both Morgan Stanley Online and the Morgan Stanley Mobile App.
Click here to learn more
E-Sign
E-Sign is a digital, paperless alternative to the traditional means of obtaining signatures for necessary paperwork. There is no registration process to begin using E-Sign – all you need is a valid email address and phone number.
Click here to learn more
• Proud Dad & Lucky Husband –– I’ve spent over half my life with my incredible wife Sarah, and I feel truly blessed. Even more so lately, because we have two beautiful daughters named Harper and Tessa who fill our hearts with joy and love. It seems like every day they find new ways to put a smile on our faces.
• Adventurer of the Great Outdoors –– Over the years, I’ve climbed mountains in the Pacific Northwest, ice waterfalls in the canyons of Montana, dusty volcanoes in Africa and Mexico, and hard alpine ice on mountain faces in Peru. There’s nothing like looking out from the crest of a mountain to remember just how big, beautiful and mysterious the world really is.
• Suburban Dog Sledder –– I’m kidding (mostly). But my wife Sarah and I did try dog sledding a few years ago up in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and we loved the pups so much that a few months later we drove back up and adopted two retired Huskies. So, I guess you could say I know how to plan for a four-legged retirement, too.
• Engaged Local Citizen ––I know how important it is to remember your roots. I grew up in a small town right here in Illinois. Our family aims to make an impact on our community and our world. We are really passionate about helping educating children with limited opportunity from here in Chicago, through our support of Guitars over Guns, all the way to challenged communities in Guatemala through a program called Common Hope. I also learned how to dance the Hustle and Bachata so I could compete in Dancing with Chicago Celebrities at the Navy Pier AON Ballroom in 2023 in support of breast cancer.
• Adventurer of the Great Outdoors –– Over the years, I’ve climbed mountains in the Pacific Northwest, ice waterfalls in the canyons of Montana, dusty volcanoes in Africa and Mexico, and hard alpine ice on mountain faces in Peru. There’s nothing like looking out from the crest of a mountain to remember just how big, beautiful and mysterious the world really is.
• Suburban Dog Sledder –– I’m kidding (mostly). But my wife Sarah and I did try dog sledding a few years ago up in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and we loved the pups so much that a few months later we drove back up and adopted two retired Huskies. So, I guess you could say I know how to plan for a four-legged retirement, too.
• Engaged Local Citizen ––I know how important it is to remember your roots. I grew up in a small town right here in Illinois. Our family aims to make an impact on our community and our world. We are really passionate about helping educating children with limited opportunity from here in Chicago, through our support of Guitars over Guns, all the way to challenged communities in Guatemala through a program called Common Hope. I also learned how to dance the Hustle and Bachata so I could compete in Dancing with Chicago Celebrities at the Navy Pier AON Ballroom in 2023 in support of breast cancer.
Location
2211 York Rd
Ste 100
Oak Brook, IL 60523
US
Direct:
(630) 203-6107(630) 203-6107
Fax:
(630) 364-4662(630) 364-4662
2211 York Rd
Ste 100
Oak Brook, IL 60523
US
Direct:
(630) 245-6012(630) 245-6012
Wealth Management
Global Investment Office
Portfolio Insights
Retirement
Working with you to understand your life goals and develop a personalized wealth strategy. Today and for the years to come.
- 401(k) Rollovers
- IRA Plans
- Retirement income strategies
- Retirement plan participants
- Annuities
Investing
Working closely with you to guide your wealth and investments through the most challenging market cycles.
- Asset Management
- Wealth Planning
- Traditional Investments
- Alternative Investments
- Impact Investing
Family
Creating customized financial strategies for the challenges that today’s families face.
- Estate Planning Strategies
- 529 Plans / Education Savings Planning
- Long Term Care Insurance
- Special Needs Planning
- Trust Services
Are You Prepared for Tax Day?
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Business Planning
Helping you on key aspects of your business such as ownership, liquidity and developing opportunities.
- Succession Planning
- Business Planning
- Qualified Retirement Plans
Financial Planning for Life After Selling a Business
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Philanthropy
Making sure your philanthropic dollars are managed with the same high quality service as the rest of your wealth.
- Endowments
- Foundations
- Donor Advised Funds
- Impact Investing
Donor Advised Funds: A Smart Way to Manage Your Giving
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Mosaic
Explore ideas and inspiration with captivating, original lifestyle stories created exclusively for Morgan Stanley clients.
A Change of Greenery
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Financial Wellness
Enhancing Financial Wellness enables your workforce to do their best work. Companies that invest in financial wellness have an opportunity to:
- Reduce employee stress,
- Improve retention and engagement, and
- Set themselves apart by offering comprehensive financial wellness benefits.
Ready to start a conversation? Contact Zach Benning today.
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and CFP® (with plaque design) in the United States, which it authorizes use of by individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.
1Morgan Stanley offers a wide array of brokerage and advisory services to its clients, each of which may create a different type of relationship with different obligations to you. Please consult with your Financial Advisor to understand these differences or review our Understanding Your Brokerage and Investment Advisory Relationships brochure available at www.morganstanley.com/wealth-relationshipwithms/pdfs/understandingyourrelationship.pdf.
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors and Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Clients should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for matters involving trust and estate planning, charitable giving, philanthropic planning and other legal matters.
2Products and services are provided by third party service providers, not Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”). Morgan Stanley may not receive a referral fee or have any input concerning such products or services. There may be additional service providers for comparative purposes. Please perform a thorough due diligence and make your own independent decision.
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors and Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Clients should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for matters involving trust and estate planning, charitable giving, philanthropic planning and other legal matters.
3Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors or Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Clients should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for legal matters.
4Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors or Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Clients should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for legal matters.
5Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors and Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Clients should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for matters involving trust and estate planning and other legal matters.
Check the background of our Firm and Investment Professionals on FINRA's BrokerCheck*.
The information, products and services described here are intended only for individuals residing in states where this Financial Advisor is properly registered as described in this site.
Morgan Stanley reserves the right, to the extent permitted under applicable law, to retain and monitor all electronic communications. Morgan Stanley will not accept purchase or sale orders via any Internet site, social media site and/or its messaging systems. Morgan Stanley does not endorse and is not responsible and assumes no liability for content, products or services posted by third-parties on any Internet site, social media site and/or its messaging systems. All electronic communications are subject to terms available at the following link:
https://www.morganstanley.com/disclaimers/mswm-email.html. Any profiles and associated content are for U.S. residents only.
The securities/instruments, services, investments and investment strategies discussed in this material may not be appropriate for all investors. The appropriateness of a particular investment, investment strategy or service will depend on an investor's individual circumstances and objectives. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC recommends that investors independently evaluate particular investments, strategies and services, and encourages investors to seek the advice of a Financial Advisor or Private Wealth Advisor. This material does not provide individually tailored investment advice. It has been prepared without regard to the individual financial circumstances and objectives of persons who receive it.
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors or Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Individuals should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for legal matters.
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”) is not implying an affiliation, sponsorship, endorsement with/of the third party or that any monitoring is being done by Morgan Stanley of any information contained within the website. Morgan Stanley is not responsible for the information contained on the third-party website or the use of or inability to use such site. Nor do we guarantee their accuracy or completeness.
The views, opinions or advice contained within third party websites or materials are solely those of the author, who is not a Morgan Stanley employee, and do not necessarily reflect those of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, or its affiliates. The strategies and/or investments referenced may not be appropriate for all investors as the appropriateness of a particular investment or strategy will depend on an investor's individual circumstances and objectives.
*References to length of service at Morgan Stanley include years at Morgan Stanley and predecessor firms.
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and federally registered CFP (with flame design) in the U.S, which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.
The use of the CDFA designation does not permit the rendering of legal advice by Morgan Stanley or its Financial Advisors which may only be done by a licensed attorney. The CDFA designation is not intended to imply that either Morgan Stanley or its Financial Advisors are acting as experts in this field.
Awards Disclosures
1Morgan Stanley offers a wide array of brokerage and advisory services to its clients, each of which may create a different type of relationship with different obligations to you. Please consult with your Financial Advisor to understand these differences or review our Understanding Your Brokerage and Investment Advisory Relationships brochure available at www.morganstanley.com/wealth-relationshipwithms/pdfs/understandingyourrelationship.pdf.
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors and Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Clients should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for matters involving trust and estate planning, charitable giving, philanthropic planning and other legal matters.
2Products and services are provided by third party service providers, not Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”). Morgan Stanley may not receive a referral fee or have any input concerning such products or services. There may be additional service providers for comparative purposes. Please perform a thorough due diligence and make your own independent decision.
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors and Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Clients should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for matters involving trust and estate planning, charitable giving, philanthropic planning and other legal matters.
3Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors or Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Clients should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for legal matters.
4Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors or Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Clients should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for legal matters.
5Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors and Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Clients should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for matters involving trust and estate planning and other legal matters.
Check the background of our Firm and Investment Professionals on FINRA's BrokerCheck*.
The information, products and services described here are intended only for individuals residing in states where this Financial Advisor is properly registered as described in this site.
Morgan Stanley reserves the right, to the extent permitted under applicable law, to retain and monitor all electronic communications. Morgan Stanley will not accept purchase or sale orders via any Internet site, social media site and/or its messaging systems. Morgan Stanley does not endorse and is not responsible and assumes no liability for content, products or services posted by third-parties on any Internet site, social media site and/or its messaging systems. All electronic communications are subject to terms available at the following link:
https://www.morganstanley.com/disclaimers/mswm-email.html. Any profiles and associated content are for U.S. residents only.
The securities/instruments, services, investments and investment strategies discussed in this material may not be appropriate for all investors. The appropriateness of a particular investment, investment strategy or service will depend on an investor's individual circumstances and objectives. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC recommends that investors independently evaluate particular investments, strategies and services, and encourages investors to seek the advice of a Financial Advisor or Private Wealth Advisor. This material does not provide individually tailored investment advice. It has been prepared without regard to the individual financial circumstances and objectives of persons who receive it.
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors or Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Individuals should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for legal matters.
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”) is not implying an affiliation, sponsorship, endorsement with/of the third party or that any monitoring is being done by Morgan Stanley of any information contained within the website. Morgan Stanley is not responsible for the information contained on the third-party website or the use of or inability to use such site. Nor do we guarantee their accuracy or completeness.
The views, opinions or advice contained within third party websites or materials are solely those of the author, who is not a Morgan Stanley employee, and do not necessarily reflect those of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, or its affiliates. The strategies and/or investments referenced may not be appropriate for all investors as the appropriateness of a particular investment or strategy will depend on an investor's individual circumstances and objectives.
*References to length of service at Morgan Stanley include years at Morgan Stanley and predecessor firms.
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and federally registered CFP (with flame design) in the U.S, which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.
The use of the CDFA designation does not permit the rendering of legal advice by Morgan Stanley or its Financial Advisors which may only be done by a licensed attorney. The CDFA designation is not intended to imply that either Morgan Stanley or its Financial Advisors are acting as experts in this field.
Awards Disclosures
CRC 6491812 (04/2024)
