Blind Spots
Category: Financial Planning » Behavioral Finance
Breaking Down the Banking Headlines: Part One | Financial Perspectives
Category: Investing » Equity / Stocks
With the banking industry and markets continuing to be leading topics in the news, many investors are asking, “What is going on? Is this something to be worried about? Should I be taking action?” In this special edition of Financial Perspectives, Matt Abels and Michael Westphal provide context and insights to those questions. Tune in next week for part two, where we’ll be joined by Jim Plagge, President and CEO of Bank Iowa.
Breaking Down the Banking Headlines: Part Two | Financial Perspectives
Category: Investing
With the banking industry and markets continuing to be leading topics in the news, many investors are asking, “What is going on? Is this something to be worried about? Should I be taking action?” In this special edition of Financial Perspectives, Matt Abels and Jim Plagge, President & CEO of Bank Iowa, provide context and insights to those questions.
Brock Purdy and the Importance of Inconsequential Decisions
Category: Financial Planning
One seemingly small decision that no one thought would matter made a significant difference for the Bay Area team and its fans...
Building a Framework for Family and Charitable Gifts
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?”
Business Owners, Beware of the “Missing Middle”
For many family businesses, the lack of clear succession plans is the most significant challenge.
Can You Ever Have Enough?
Category: Financial Planning » Retirement Planning
There is always more stuff to do or buy. There are always more “what if’s” for which to account. It’s a rare creature who has found contentment in what they already have, a person who no longer searches for the next thing or feels empty because of what they do not have.
Can Your Lifeboat Stay Afloat
Category: Investing » Asset Allocation
Chart of the Month – July 2024
Category: Investing » Asset Allocation
International Stocks – Are they necessary?
Chart of the Month – June 2022
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.
Chart of the Month – June 2023
This year’s stock market narrative is a tale of two markets. On one side, a handful of prominent technology companies is flourishing while on the other side, everything else is struggling to keep up. Here we will assess the data.
Chart of the Month – June 2024
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.
Chart of the Month – June 2025
Asset Class Returns – Can We Just Pick the Winners?
Chart of the Month – Mar 2022
Are you feeling the pain at the pump? What is driving oil prices higher?
Chart of the Month – Mar 2023
Category: Investing » Diversification
Is there conclusive evidence that one sector is better than another when it comes to returns?
Chart of the Month – March 2024
Many people are apprehensive about the markets, whether we’re in a bear market or a bull market. The fear of a market correction is always present.
Chart of the Month – March 2025
Category: Investing
Selecting a top-performing fund or manager is easier said than done, no matter the asset class. Let's look at why.
Chart of the Month – May 2022
Since the beginning of 2020, checkable deposits have quadrupled, giving consumers the ability to continue spending and withstand increased prices. What does this mean for inflation and prices in the future?
Chart of the Month – May 2023
In investing, a key consideration is the time horizon. There is a general perception that investing is a risky proposition, but this risk can be mitigated by holding investments for longer periods.
Chart of the Month – May 2024
While cash may offer stability and security in the short term, the DFA Returns Web chart from 1926 through February 2024 suggests that the growth potential in stocks offers a higher rewarding investment opportunity in the long run.