Do Simple Better
Category: Investing
A focus on the fundamentals is not just good advice for the sports world. It applies to many areas of our lives and certainly our finances.
Do I Have Portfolio Exposure to China?
Category: Investing
In recent weeks, China has been a part of US financial headlines for a number of reasons. At Foster Group, we believe in globally diversified model portfolios. We invest our equity portfolios across domestic markets, international markets, and emerging markets. Our models have equity exposure to over 51 countries.
Do Headlines Cause You to Take Action?
Takeaways from a smattering of the headlines across a wide range of news sources in 2022 and early 2023.
Diversifying Away the Troubles with Tariffs
Category: Investing
How do tariffs impact your investment portfolio? Kent Kramer takes a look at the latest tariff policies, market volatility, and why diversification is key to managing uncertainty.
Diversification: Preparing for the Next Surprise
Category: Investing
Probably only one thing is certain: The world is still full of surprises yet to be revealed. Is your portfolio diversified in preparation for the next one?
Cryptocurrency: Not for the Faint of Heart
Category: Investing
Will cryptocurrency replace the $20 bill in your pocket? Will the decentralization/digitization of currency end up solving anything? Will it be of long-term value? Or will it end up being only a place for speculators to try and capitalize on the sentiment of others? Anyone wanting to allocate to cryptocurrency should understand the inherent uncertainty and volatility of this relatively new digital commodity.
Coronavirus Worries Drive Economic Uncertainty and Stock Market Declines
Category: Investing
Investment markets around the world have been declining sharply this week in response to the Coronavirus outbreak.
Consider This
Category: Investing
Cloudy Markets Still Have a Silver (Tax) Lining
Category: Investing » Diversification
During negative market cycles, there are some planning and investment strategies that might strengthen your financial plans. One such opportunity is tax-loss harvesting
Chart of the Month – December 2023
Category: Investing
This year, we have seen a runup in several large names, mostly in the technology space. They have been dubbed the “Magnificent Seven” by financial news publications. Why might this matter to an investor?
Chart of the Month – Dec 2022
Category: Investing
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.
Chart of the Month – August 2024
Category: Investing
Chart of the Month – Aug 2023
Category: Investing
Increasing interest rates have many effects, not only on the economy, but also on stocks. Given the recent rally, we wanted to highlight that rising rates do not always mean that stocks will go down. While the stock market is not making new all-time highs just yet, the market has been resilient to a regime thought to be a drag on the markets.
Chart of the Month – Aug 2022
Category: Investing
The housing market has been hot since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Prices have soared and the interest rate to borrow money for those homes has been at historically low levels. But what is happening now?
Chart of the Month – April 2025
Category: Investing
Are bonds an income generator—or just dead weight? Let’s find out.
Chart of the Month – April 2024
Category: Investing
Trying to time the market and choosing to sell in reaction to headlines tends to be a predictable mistake. There always seems to be a reason to sell.
Chart of the Month – Apr 2023
Category: Investing
"Why would anyone buy a 5-year bond at 3.5% when you could get a 1-year bond at 4%?"
"Why don't I put all my money in a 4-month T-bill and make 4.9%?"
Chart of the Month – Apr 2022
Category: Investing
Housing affordability is trending in the wrong direction. Take a look at our chart of the month showing housing affordability over the last 50 years.
Changing with My Aging
At age 30, I have time to recover from an extended market correction. But, what about when I approach retirement? How might my plan and asset allocation need to change?
Celebrating Saying Goodbye Day
In our family, we have a tradition in which, the night before our kids’ birthdays, we pause for a moment to recap the last year by reminiscing about their successes and failures. It dawned on me that these are the same feelings investors experience and learn from on their financial journeys.
Can Your Lifeboat Stay Afloat
Category: Investing