Just as the McCallisters left Kevin behind in their rush to the airport, without a Will, Trust, or Powers of Attorney in place, you risk leaving your loved ones unprotected and unprepared when you don't have an estate plan. Don’t delay—make your estate plan today!
This week, Kent Kramer discusses how the upcoming election is influencing financial decisions, with 63% of Americans deferring choices until after the results. Despite political uncertainty, markets have shown resilience, highlighting the importance of optimism and staying informed for navigating uncertain times.
Is stock market growth a thing of the past? Headlines making predictions about this have come and gone, some turning out to be spectacularly wrong. Let’s take a look.
We continually hear that women are statistically likely to live longer than men. While there is not a one size fits all financial plan, there are a few things you can think about as a woman.
Being proactive with your estate plan helps to ensure that it will continue to serve your needs and wishes, providing clarity and security for you and your loved ones. Let's look at some examples of events and situations that typically require updates to your estate plan.
This week, Matt Moklestad has a conversation with Todd Smith, the Mortgage Director at Bank Iowa, as he breaks down the complexities of mortgage rates. With nearly 30 years of experience in the banking and mortgage industry, Todd shares insights on how mortgage rates are determined, the factors that influence them, and tips for securing the best rates.
Kent Kramer examines the effects of an election season on investors. Drawing on historical data and behavioral economics, he emphasizes the importance of recognizing cognitive biases and staying optimistic.
Executive compensation at the C-suite level typically involves much more than receiving a salary and bonus. Let’s explore three types of executive benefits: deferred compensation, restricted stock, and stock options.
I’ve spent forty-plus years thinking and talking about “the good life” question. With clients, fellow advisors, my family and friends. And while definitive answers are not easy to come by, it’s clear that how we answer (or don’t answer) the question will have a significant impact on the life-defining choices we make, day after day, year after year.
Successfully playing jazz starts with fundamentals. The same is true of our personal finances.
International Stocks – Are they necessary?
Let's look at the Monte Carlo analysis and what it has in common with your financial plan.
We believe that investors increase their chances of success by avoiding predictable mistakes -- those practices that sound like they should work but have been shown time and time again to have very low probabilities of success. This week, Kent Kramer examines different studies to help inform our fifth investment principle.
An emergency fund is not merely about setting money aside; it's about cultivating peace of mind and stability when life throws unexpected challenges your way.
How the magic of writing a letter could help convey your intentions to a beneficiary.
Investors have been puzzled this year, maybe even disappointed, that the bond market broadly has seen negative returns. How can this be when many money markets and bonds have stated yields of more than 5%? This week, Kent Kramer explains why.
No one can time the market and determine when those best months will occur. The best months are surprisingly random. More important than timing the market is time in the market.
Retirement. It’s something everyone thinks about at some point in their lives. When I see or hear about the people who have retired most effectively, three themes stick out to me. Let’s dive into them.
There are often complicated timing and tax issues associated with executive benefits — and deadlines you don’t want to miss. Learn how to avoid the top mistakes we see executives make, and how to make the most of your hard-earned money!
529 plans can be a great way to save for future education costs for your loved ones. The State of Iowa recently made a few improvements to the College Savings 529 plan.
