Balancing Parenthood, Education, and the CPA Journey: Lessons from Corporate & Commercial Law

This summer tested my limits in the best ways possible... both in the classroom and at home.

I recently completed Corporate & Commercial Law as part of the University of Illinois’ #3-ranked Master of Science in Accountancy (MSA) program. The coursework alone is one of the most demanding in the country; and easily one of the toughest challenges of my life, or so I thought… until having to balance the studying and work, while also adjusting to life as a new parent!

Neither was easy, and both stretched me in ways I didn’t expect. But both have made me stronger; as a parent, as a professional, and as an advisor and strategist for my clients here at CayDen Wealth Management.

Key Lessons in Corporate & Commercial Law

The course was a blast, teaching me about more than just academic theory; it was about gaining practical tools I can use every day to protect and grow my clients’ wealth. Some of my most valuable takeaways included:

• Partnership Rights & Duties: Understanding how to structure partnerships so that owners are protected and succession plans are clear.

• Secured Transactions & Lending: Knowing the rules for pledging collateral and guiding clients through business financing and risk management.

• Bankruptcy & Restructuring: Identifying creditor priorities and legal protections to safeguard both personal and business assets.

• Contracts: Recognizing what makes agreements enforceable, when they may be voidable, and how to ensure client deals hold up under pressure.

• Administrative & Employment Law: Navigating compliance, labor rights, and regulations that impact business operations and investment strategies.

  
  

Each of these lessons directly strengthens my ability to advise my clients in ways that ultimately align with their goals; whether we’re building tax-efficient business structures, evaluating investment opportunities, or designing wealth strategies that stand the test of time.

Why This Matters for Clients and Their Families

At CayDen Wealth Management, our mission is to deliver tax-smart, investment-focused strategies that align with our clients’ family values and goals. And because of our virtual service delivery model, we’re able to provide these solutions to clients across the country; whether they’re business owners in Nebraska, young professionals in North Carolina, pre-retirees in Florida, or entrepreneurs in Colorado.

The CPA journey isn’t just about adding “alphabet soup” after my name on LinkedIn. It’s about showing up for clients with the highest level of expertise; combining tax knowledge, financial strategy, and legal insight to give families confidence in their future, no matter where they live.

Every hour invested in education is an investment in the people we serve:

• Helping business owners protect what they’ve built

• Guiding families to grow wealth with security and purpose

• Ensuring strategies are legally sound, tax-efficient, and aligned with long-term goals

As Benjamin Franklin famously said, “An investment in knowledge pays the best dividends.” This journey is proof that those dividends extend not just to me, but to the families who trust CayDen with their financial future.

The CayDen Difference

By pairing real-world experience with ongoing education at the highest levels, we deliver:

• Tax Planning & Strategy that minimizes liabilities and maximizes growth

• Investment Management grounded in research and aligned with client goals

• Business Structuring & Succession Planning informed by corporate law principles

• Family-Centered Wealth Strategies designed for lasting impact across generations

• Virtual Service Delivery that brings all of these solutions directly to clients in states nationwide

For our clients, this means greater clarity, stronger protection, and confidence in knowing their wealth is being managed with the full picture in mind — all without being limited by geography.

Closing Thoughts

Balancing one of the toughest graduate programs in the country with the joys and challenges of becoming a parent has reinforced a simple truth: the work we do at CayDen isn’t about numbers alone. It’s about people, families, and futures.

Education makes me sharper as a strategist and advisor, but it also makes us better partners to our clients; whether they’re across town or across the country. That’s the dividend that matters most.

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Daniel Caycedo is the Investment & Tax Strategist, as well as a Wealth Management Advisor for CayDen Wealth Management, a Colorado registered investment advisory firm with offices located in Broomfield, Colorado and Charlotte, North Carolina. Daniel works out of CayDen Wealth Management's Charlotte office, providing virtual, fiduciary, comprehensive wealth management and tax services for high performing professionals and their families. Services include proactive Financial Planning, Investment Management, & Tax Services.

Shane Dennehy is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, as well as the President and Sr. Wealth Management Advisor at CayDen Wealth Management, a Colorado registered investment advisory firm with offices located in Broomfield, Colorado and Charlotte, North Carolina. Shane works out of CayDen Wealth Management's Broomfield office, providing virtual, fiduciary, comprehensive wealth management and tax services for high performing professionals and their families. Services include proactive Financial Planning, Investment Management, & Tax Services.