Chart of the Month – July 2023
The latest consumer price index report has brought some positive news regarding inflation in the United States. Several factors played a role in the moderation of inflation.
Doctors Overlook These Five Contract Areas at Their Own Peril
Category: Financial Planning
Five key areas doctors need to carefully evaluate in their contract. Overlooking “The Big Five” can have major financial and professional consequences.
A Financial Advisor’s Morning Routine: Why I Broke Up With “Breaking News”
Being informed without getting drawn into every breaking news story that touches the economy, markets, or business. Doing well with money isn't necessarily about what you know but rather, how you behave.
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.
Media Drama: Facts or Fiction?
Category: Financial Planning » Behavioral Finance
The dramatic nature and slant that the media add to their stories to get us interested in reading the page. Do a quick self-check to see through the production and into the facts.
Conventional Wisdom & The Fed | Financial Perspectives (In a Minute)
Conventional wisdom is quoted often in news reporting about everything from the economy and markets to sports and politics. This week, Kent Kramer looks at current conventional wisdom regarding markets and the economy.
Do You Have a Financial Caddy?
Category: Financial Planning
A professional golfer would be incomplete without his or her Caddy. The same is true for you and your finances. I believe a good financial plan is incomplete without a Caddy, aka a Financial Advisor, to help you navigate life.
Navigating the Course of Retirement Planning
Like in golf, planning for retirement is a game that requires strategy, focus, and a bit of finesse.
The Advantages of 529 Plan Educational Funding
A common financial goal of young families is funding their children’s future education expenses. In this blog we address many of the "what-if's" that clients are asking.
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.
Individual Pricing Schedules
Category: Foster Group
View Foster Group's pricing schedule for individual clients.
Chart of the Month – Dec 2022
Category: Investing » Foster Group Investment Principles
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.
Year-End Opportunities & Cautions | Financial Perspectives
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.
How to Plan Your Digital Legacy
Category: Financial Planning » Estate & Transfer Planning
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.
Every Investor’s Real Question: “Am I Going to Be Okay?”
Category: Financial Planning » Behavioral Finance
In my time working with clients, there is one question asked more than any other, “Am I going to be okay?”
How to Construct a Good Investment Policy Statement
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?
Running to Retirement
Stay diversified, and stay the course. That’s good advice for both runners and investors.
What Did You Expect? | Financial Perspectives (In a Minute)
"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.
Things to Ponder This Holiday Season
Category: Foster Group
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.
Let’s Make 2023 a Year of Savings Inflation
Category: Financial Planning
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.
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?”