The month of January was marked by negative returns for global stock markets. But, as the well-worn phrase, “Is your glass half full or half empty?” implies, our view of, or the way we feel about the state of markets as investors, may be more related to our personal dispositions than what the numbers indicate.
We often get asked by clients about different ideas they heard from a friend, a new exclusive deal they got invited into, or, most frequently, a specific company or stock that a friend gave them the scoop on. The reality is that a lot of the “great ideas and deals” never amount to any real return, and many end up going to zero.
Are you feeling the pain at the pump? What is driving oil prices higher?
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.
Index funds are popular investment tools for good reason. They are low cost, effective ways to capture market return. Choosing to use index funds is only half the battle though; you must use them correctly to truly benefit.
There is just something about the NCAA Men’s and Women’s College Basketball Tournament. There is tremendous excitement in many families and workplaces as tournament brackets are filled in with predictions about the outcomes of 67 games over a three-week period.
As an investor, perspective is important. At the end of the day, a diversified, low cost, properly allocated portfolio based on your financial plan is what matters.
While this year has had its share of negative financial news, there might be one opportunity to pay some taxes now in order to save some money on taxes later. This week, Kent Kramer walks us through Roth IRA conversions.
Over the next few months, both leading up to and immediately following the election, the winners and losers are going to seem omnipresent on the news, social media, even in the “entertainment” industry. So, here are six key ideas to keep in mind as you navigate the remaining months of 2022.
Stock market risk is the primary focus of the financial news. The reason is simple. The scarier the headline, the more eyes are attracted to it.
The past fifteen years have been phenomenal for U.S. stocks. They've outperformed international stocks by close to 200%. Unfortunately, no one can predict when international stocks will outperform U.S. stocks, or vice-versa.
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.
"Everything good in life is just the gap between expectations and reality." - Morgan Housel. This week, Kent Kramer shares his thoughts on market history and setting expectations.
Stay diversified, and stay the course. That’s good advice for both runners and investors.
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?
It's that time of year – what's left on your list for 2022? This week, Kent Kramer discusses three possible ways to save on taxes, one possible way to increase the return on your cash, and one cautionary tale as a reminder as we think about investing in 2023.
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.
