Bluestem Financial Advisors, LLC

05/20/2026

It’s May, and here at Bluestem we are coming up for air after the busyness of tax season, and the energy of the office has shifted.

Those of you working in higher education may be feeling this as well. Classes are wrapping up, campus energy shifts, and there’s a natural pause before summer really begins.

It’s one of the few times in the year where things feel just a little less compressed, and that creates space.

It’s May, and here at Bluestem we are coming up for air after the busyness of tax season, and the energy of the office has shifted. Those of you working in higher education may be feeling this as well. Classes are wrapping up, campus energy shifts, and there’s a natural pause before summer reall...

04/27/2026

We're hiring! If you (or someone you know) are drawn to meaningful work, great clients, and a collaborative team that truly lives its values, we’d love to connect. Take a look and help us spread the word!

The Associate Financial Planner supports clients by preparing high‑quality financial planning analysis, building projections, executing trades, preparing tax returns, and ensuring meeting materials are accurate, organized, and ready. This role is designed for someone starting their financial plann...

04/25/2026

This year Bluestem sponsored a mile at the Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon, which gave us a front row seat to cheer on our very own Jake Kuebler in his first marathon!!

What a fun and inspiring way to spend a Saturday morning! 🏃‍➡️🏃‍♀️‍➡️

04/10/2026

Today we're wearing blue in support of Child Abuse Prevention Month and Champaign County CASA.

04/08/2026

We've added some really cool art pieces to our office recently, thanks to a generous donation by one of our clients, and love what they have added to our space.

Our Bluestem community is filled with thoughtful people who care deeply about culture, creativity, and the places they call home, and it includes many who are involved in the arts in a variety of ways. In fact, some of them are showing their work at Boneyard Arts Festival, which begins tomorrow!

If you’ve visited the Bluestem office recently, you may have noticed a few new pieces of artwork on the wall.

04/03/2026

We’re ready to cheer on Fighting Illini Men's Basketball tomorrow!!🏀🏀🏀

I-L-L!! 🧡💙

03/18/2026

When most people think about charitable giving, cash donations come to mind first. But non-cash charitable gifts such as clothing, household items, furniture, or other personal property are very common and just as meaningful. The challenge is proper documentation and valuation. That is where thoughtful record keeping and leveraging AI can make the process easier and more organized.

When most people think about charitable giving, cash donations come to mind first. But non-cash charitable gifts such as clothing, household items, furniture, or other personal property are very common and just as meaningful. The challenge is proper documentation and valuation. That is where thought

02/19/2026

In late 2025, the University of Illinois rolled out a new Faculty Phased Retirement Program (FPRP). This program offers tenured and other select faculty a way to build a glidepath into retirement while maintaining access to health insurance and other employee benefits. This guide offers our clients and those interested in this program an overview of the program as well as considerations for your retirement and financial plan.

In late 2025, the University of Illinois rolled out a new Faculty Phased Retirement Program (FPRP). This program offers tenured and other select faculty a way to build a glidepath into retirement while maintaining access to health insurance and other employee benefits. This guide offers our clients

01/29/2026

Rachel enjoyed a little time in the snow on her way into work this morning. We hope you're finding moments of joy as we endure this wintery weather! ❄️☃️

01/16/2026

Last week Jake had the incredible opportunity to visit Costa Rica with his Money & Happiness class. Costa Rica is known for its consistently high relative happiness scores and their common greeting, Pura Vida (“pure/simple life”), which reflects a philosophy of appreciating simple pleasures and living with less stress. Here's what they noticed:

➡️Slow breakfasts and long conversations beat rushing to the next thing.
➡️Experiences with people > more stuff in a suitcase.
➡️Choosing “simple and enough” brings more peace than chasing “more.”
➡️When money follows your values, life feels fuller—even without spending more.