Planning and Puppies 101
I bought a puppy back in April, and it has been one of the most challenging things of my adult life. Training a new puppy is hard work and takes a lot of intentionality and thought. The same can be said about building a financial plan. I have a few tips that might help others avoid my mistakes.
Physicians: Debt vs Savings, Which Comes First?
Young physicians often ask, “Should I focus more aggressively on paying down my debt, or should I just do the minimum and try to save as much as possible?” That’s an excellent question, with lots of variables and layers.
Permanent Life Insurance Policies Need Reviews Too!
Is your life insurance policy performing as well as it could be? Guest blogger Eryka Morehead explains some factors that could be undermining your policy’s performance.
Perhaps It’s Not About What You Want From Life, But What Life Wants From You
Past Performance is Not Indicative of Future Results
“Past performance is not indicative of future results.” Most people think of investing when they hear or read the sentence above, the ultimate statement of caution. What do you think of this statement when it comes to baseball?
Passing on the Spirit of Generosity in a Tax Smart Manner
If you are giving to charities now or plan to in the future, you may possess the “Spirit of Generosity.” How do you pass that “Spirit of Generosity” on to your children and/or grandchildren?
Party of 4 – Estate Planning Basics to Celebrate
Break out the cake, ice cream, and party hats because it’s time to celebrate National Estate Planning Week!
Our Favorite Book & Podcasts of 2023
“What books would you recommend?” “What podcasts do you listen to?” At Foster Group we often get asked questions like these. Here’s a short list of some recent responses from our team.
Is the Stock Market a Glass Half Full?
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.
Is Leasing Right for You?
October was the worst month for new car sales at his dealership in over ten years. In fact, only about 10% of car buyers that month were electing to lease new vehicles and typically, leasing is less expensive than buying. What’s going on here?
IRS Allows for Reversal of 2020 RMDs
In late June, the IRS announced RMDs would be able to be reversed from any account requiring them through August 31st. Since the IRS is allowing this, it presents a potential tax planning opportunity.
Iowa Income Tax Changes Have an Impact in 2022
One of the significant changes in the tax reform bill signed by Governor Reynolds on March 1, is the eventual elimination of federal tax deductibility for determining taxable income. Iowa was one of the few remaining states that allowed taxpayers to deduct federal taxes to determine their state income taxes.
Investors Must Be Present to Win
For weeks, the major indices had been declining but in mid-March, we saw a very abrupt reversal. I’m often reminded of the familiar saying “Investors must be present to win.” In other words, the price (or cost) of admission to the investment experience is market volatility.
Investments Are Long-Term; Brackets Are Short-Term.
As the NCAA tournament wraps up, many sports fans are reflecting on their brackets, winning their office pools, and bragging rights with friends. Similarly, others focus on their investments and trying to predict which stocks will perform the best. We may think of these as two separate worlds, but there are numerous similarities between the two.
Investment Policy Statement – Why Is It Important?
It is important for all investors, whether an individual, family, retirement plan, or nonprofit, to plan their investment approach around their goals and objectives. Investment Policy Statements (IPS) often document these items. Here are four reasons why it is important to have a clearly articulated IPS.
Inflation Aware Investing
You know the old saying, “What goes up must come down.” Currently everything seems to be going up at the same time.
Important Updates on IRA Tax Reporting
It is the taxpayer’s responsibility to keep records of distributions made to charity and contributions to their IRA and account for those on their tax return.