Wrong Thinking on Election & Markets
Kent Kramer examines the effects of an election season on investors. Drawing on historical data and behavioral economics, he emphasizes the importance of recognizing cognitive biases and staying optimistic.
What Are You Waiting For? | Financial Perspectives
This week, Kent Kramer discusses how the upcoming election is influencing financial decisions, with 63% of Americans deferring choices until after the results. Despite political uncertainty, markets have shown resilience, highlighting the importance of optimism and staying informed for navigating uncertain times.
“My Portfolio is Doing Well / Poor Compared to What?”
Merriam Webster defines a benchmark as “something that serves as a standard by which others may be measured or judged”. For investors, the question to ask is what should be my standard, my benchmark, in determining the success or failure of my overall investment portfolio?
Two Ideas for Year-End Tax Savings | Financial Perspectives
Category: Financial Planning » Charitable Giving
In this special edition of Financial Perspectives, Kent Kramer is joined by Foster Group advisors Marcus Iwig and Caleb Brown as they share essential year-end tax planning tips. Discover how to make tax-efficient charitable donations from your IRA, maximize deductions by combining multiple years of giving, and convert pre-tax retirement accounts to Roth IRAs.
What is “The Good Life?”
Category: Foster Group
I’ve spent forty-plus years thinking and talking about “the good life” question. With clients, fellow advisors, my family and friends. And while definitive answers are not easy to come by, it’s clear that how we answer (or don’t answer) the question will have a significant impact on the life-defining choices we make, day after day, year after year.
The Intersection of Finance & Life Well-Being with Professor Meir Statman | Financial Perspectives
Category: Investing » Financial Science (Academia)
This week, join Kent Kramer for an insightful conversation with best-selling author, Professor Meir Statman, a leading expert in behavioral finance. Discover how financial security, optimism, and resilience contribute to overall life well-being. Professor Statman shares his inspiring personal journey and offers practical advice on balancing financial wealth with life’s other important aspects, such as family, health, and meaningful relationships.
The Gift of You
Category: Foster Group
Time is a unique asset. We can’t save it for the future. We spend it with every minute that goes by. But as with other assets, we can be generous with our time. Here are four examples of people I know personally, who inspire me by their active generosity.
Inflation. Is It Good or Bad and What Can You Do About It?
Inflation has been one of the buzzwords in the news media for the past couple of years. Let's explore if it is good or bad and what can you do about it.
What Moves the Market? A Conversation with Vanguard | Financial Perspectives
Join Kent Kramer for an interview with Vanguard Senior Portfolio Specialist Bill Puggini about Vanguard’s views on what may move markets in 2025 and beyond. 2025 is full of potential risks and rewards. Kent and Bill discuss how inflation, tariffs, interest rates, market valuations, and political policies are all things that could distract investors from focusing on their most important long-term goals.
Why Index Funds Don’t Work for Some People
Category: Investing » Active Management
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.
Iowa Income Tax Changes Have an Impact in 2022
Category: Financial Planning
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.
Navigating the Noise: A Reality Check on Fearful Headlines
Sometimes headlines are right, but remember they are created to get your attention, not necessarily to provide you with helpful information.
Three Fun Budgeting Benefits
I’ve found some fun benefits to budgeting outside of the normal spend less, save more mantra.
Important Updates on IRA Tax Reporting
Category: Financial Planning » Charitable Giving
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.
What Can You Do Before the 2021 Tax Deadline?
Even though the 2020 calendar year ended, it doesn't mean the tax year has completely ended. There are a handful of items to consider before the April, 15th tax filing deadline.
Don’t Leave Your Last Round to Chance
I certainly would argue that building a business is more than just a dice game, but both involve risk. How you fill out your scoresheet in Yahtzee is a good example of what business owners might decide to do with their business profits.
True Wealth Often Appears in the Most Unexpected Places
Category: Foster Group
What is true wealth? That’s a question we ask our clients at Foster Group. It’s a question we ask ourselves. I’d like to share a story that reminded me of what this means to me.
Water Cooler Advice May Be All Watered Down
While executive benefits such as stock options, other equity compensation, and deferred compensation can be powerful accumulation tools, knowing how they fit into your overall financial picture can be challenging.
Barbell Portfolios Can Be Hard To Hold On To
Barbells work great at the gym because they put weight on a bar in such a way that it’s balanced, leaving room in the middle for someone to use it to workout. We often see portfolios that are designed like a barbell at the gym: lots of risk in one account and lots of cash or very short-term securities in another. In aggregate, it might produce some balance, but the reality is that it can create some real challenges.
Spending That Can Wreck Retirement
Category: Financial Planning » Cashflow
In more than a decade of working with clients, I’ve discovered that one thing tends to do more damage to financial plans than any other.
Three Commonly Missed Opportunities by Executives
I’ve had the opportunity to work with a number of executives over the years and have found some commonly missed financial opportunities.