How to Plan a Business Exit
Do I keep or do I sell? Business owners planning an exit should examine this question every 90 days. Here are five stages to building value in a business.
Do I keep or do I sell? Business owners planning an exit should examine this question every 90 days. Here are five stages to building value in a business.
Those of you who keep up with the financial news are likely familiar with the three most quoted indices, the S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average, and the NASDAQ. Sometimes, the returns for all of them are similar, but sometimes they are not.
Currently, a single solution to preserve or pass on ownership of digital assets doesn’t exist. This is where it becomes important to think about all of your digital assets and develop a plan for each. Here’s how to go about it.
In my time working with clients, there is one question asked more than any other, “Am I going to be okay?”
I wrote in a previous blog about the importance of having a well-written Investment Policy Statement (IPS). What should be in a well-written document?
Stay diversified, and stay the course. That’s good advice for both runners and investors.
At Foster Group, the most important thing we do is help our clients have peace of mind. The planning, investing and conversations that lead to peace of mind vary from client to client. The benefits, however, are similar.
The rising cost of living recently has led the IRS to raise the 2023 contribution limits for employees with 401(k), 403(b), most 457 plans, and the federal government's Thrift Savings Plan.
Recently, a colleague and I sat down with a married couple who is on the cusp of making significant wealth transfer and philanthropic decisions that will impact their family for generations to come. Naturally, their first question was, “Where do we start?”
Since becoming a pilot about 6 years ago, I’m often asked about plane crashes. If you are an investor, the odds of enduring a market crash are almost 100%. Just as I have to do when flying, at Foster Group, we plan ahead for a market correction by using sound planning and investing.
What caused the stock market to rise by over 20% in the second quarter of 2020 even as the COVID pandemic was out of control? How about the over 11% rise in the fourth quarter of 2021 as inflation ticked up and the Fed was warning of rate increases? It seems a little more obvious why the US stock market has fallen in the first 6 months of 2022, but should it have fallen more…or less?
When the going is good, we’re not all that concerned with asking or answering the question. It is when the going gets tough, like right now, that we find ourselves more interested in asking. So, “What should we do?”
Market volatility tends to unnerve even the calmest of investors. How do we know what to hold and how much to hold at any particular time? That’s a crucial question, but the answer does not need to be complicated.
For the person who is currently contributing to a portfolio and does not need to take distributions anytime soon, this is a gift. That’s right, a bear market is a gift to those investors. If you are contributing to an investment account right now, you are already in the Bear Market Buyer’s Club.
Sooner or later, we're likely going to see demand cool off. The big question is how quickly inflation alters consumer spending and how quickly that pulls back inflation.
As you peek into the future – hopefully one with greater discretionary time and money – do you envision yourself increasing or decreasing your investment in the well-being of the people close to you and the world in general? Do you see yourself sticking close to the mess of the world or investing in ways that escape it?
Almost everyone has a few of their favorite things. One of my top questions to ask friends and clients is, “What are some of your most treasured memories and keepsakes?”
The first half of 2022 has proven to be challenging for investors. Being an investor during volatile markets isn’t easy, but there are a few strategies to consider in order to make the best of a difficult situation.
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.
There are nearly two job openings for every unemployed worker with labor statistics showing 11.4 million job openings compared to 5.9 unemployed workers as of April 30, 2022. This mismatch between jobs and workers means that workers have options, including leverage to ask for more pay.
If you or someone you know is going through the divorce process, make sure they have the right team in place to guide them throughout with the entire process. As a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA), I can help walk through the complexities.