The Power of Invitation
Category: Financial Planning
How can extending a powerful invitation create an opportunity for connection? Let's take a look!
The Power of Delegation for Executives
Category: Financial Planning
Are you making the most of the rewards for your hard work? Your organization benefits from your time, effort, and management skills, but does your family get the most from all that effort?
The Once a Year Approach to Looking at Investments
Last year was a very up and down year in the market. That’s not abnormal. In fact, it’s what happens most years. December 12 was the only time last year that I looked at the numbers. In not looking at the numbers throughout the year, I not only minimized worry, but also created the opportunity for a happy surprise.
The Magic of Writing a Letter
Category: Financial Planning
How the magic of writing a letter could help convey your intentions to a beneficiary.
The Joy of Generosity
Category: Financial Planning
In my experience, the joy of generosity is not dependent on monetary value or other objective measures of size or significance. Generosity done well always has the potential to bring joy to both givers and receivers.
The IRS Punted on 2023
Category: Financial Planning
The IRS is allowing some people to skip their Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) from inherited IRAs. If you inherited an IRA in 2020 or later, you may not need to make a distribution this year. Read for some background.
The Invisible Tax
Category: Financial Planning
One of the things married couples often do not consider in their planning is what I like to call the “Invisible Tax.”
The Ins and Outs of Paying Student Loan Debt
Category: Financial Planning
Whether you are working on paying down student debt yourself, or have children looking to do so, below are some questions to consider.
The Influence of Trust
Category: Financial Planning » Behavioral Finance
A good relationship with our clients comes down to a handful of things. One of those things is whether a client trusts that we know more than they do about the type of investing we do at Foster Group.
Tailoring Your Financial Plan to Match Your Goals
Category: Financial Planning
If you are a client of Foster Group and have met with your advisor recently, you may have discussed what’s important to you, what we are planning for as it relates to your goals, and what you hope to achieve.
Stuff I’ve Learned
Category: Financial Planning
Random, interesting stuff (at least to me!) I’ve learned since joining Foster Group.
Strengthening Marital Bonds with Orange Juice
Category: Financial Planning
In buying Janna Orange Juice, both of us are getting what we want financially… let me explain.
Stop Doing That!
Category: Financial Planning » Behavioral Finance
We all need people in our lives who have the courage to let us know when we've done something we shouldn't. It's equally wise to have an Advisor who can speak truth to you when it comes to your finances.
Steps to Take When a Loved One Dies
Category: Financial Planning
The death of a loved one is often met with a period of grief and adjustment. Determining what must be done to close out a decedent’s financial affairs can be overwhelming, especially during this time.
Starting Off on the Right Foot
Category: Financial Planning
Starting off life after school on the right foot financially is important. A good financial advisor can make all the difference.
Spring Training Thoughts for Your Portfolio
While the impact of each may not be dramatic on their own, collectively they add up and represent the things we do to incrementally add value to our clients.
Spring Clean Your Financial Plan
Category: Financial Planning
You can’t have spring without spring cleaning. As you tackle your home, yard, and other spaces this year, your financial plan might also need to be spruced up. Here are a few tips to clean up your financial plan this spring.
Spending That Can Wreck Retirement
Category: Financial Planning
In more than a decade of working with clients, I’ve discovered that one thing tends to do more damage to financial plans than any other.
Speeding Tickets & Investing
Recently, I received a gift from the Iowa State Patrol in the form of a speeding ticket. In reflecting on this experience, it occurred to me that I took an unnecessary risk to attain something I didn’t need and ended up sacrificing money I didn’t have to lose.
Six Key Benefits to A Close Advisor-Client Relationship
Category: Financial Planning » Behavioral Finance
What are Key Benefits to A Close Advisor-Client Relationship? Let's look at a few that rise to the top.
Single Stock- Too Much of a Good Thing
Category: Financial Planning
Executives often have a significant portion of their wealth in their company stock. For retiring or retired executives, or those who have more than their holding requirements, we work to determine how much, if any, they should continue to hold and how to tax-efficiently decrease their exposure as needed.