As you peek into the future – hopefully one with greater discretionary time and money – do you envision yourself increasing or decreasing your investment in the well-being of the people close to you and the world in general? Do you see yourself sticking close to the mess of the world or investing in ways that escape it?
Sooner or later, we're likely going to see demand cool off. The big question is how quickly inflation alters consumer spending and how quickly that pulls back inflation.
Market volatility tends to unnerve even the calmest of investors. How do we know what to hold and how much to hold at any particular time? That’s a crucial question, but the answer does not need to be complicated.
For the person who is currently contributing to a portfolio and does not need to take distributions anytime soon, this is a gift. That’s right, a bear market is a gift to those investors. If you are contributing to an investment account right now, you are already in the Bear Market Buyer’s Club.
What caused the stock market to rise by over 20% in the second quarter of 2020 even as the COVID pandemic was out of control? How about the over 11% rise in the fourth quarter of 2021 as inflation ticked up and the Fed was warning of rate increases? It seems a little more obvious why the US stock market has fallen in the first 6 months of 2022, but should it have fallen more…or less?
When the going is good, we’re not all that concerned with asking or answering the question. It is when the going gets tough, like right now, that we find ourselves more interested in asking. So, “What should we do?”
With the US stock market in bear market territory as we go into the second half of 2022, you might feel like we're in a bit of a storm. If you've been feeling under prepared, Matt Moklestad walks us through six considerations for times like these.
With the US stock market in bear market territory as we go into the second half of 2022, you might feel like we're in a bit of a storm. If you've been feeling under prepared, Matt Moklestad walks us through six considerations for times like these.
Since becoming a pilot about 6 years ago, I’m often asked about plane crashes. If you are an investor, the odds of enduring a market crash are almost 100%. Just as I have to do when flying, at Foster Group, we plan ahead for a market correction by using sound planning and investing.
What does generosity mean to you? Foster Group Founder Jerry Foster and his wife, Nancy, share stories about starting small and finding causes they believed in. Hear how you can discover and develop your unique generosity framework.
How Do Treasuries Lose Money? US Treasury bonds are generally regarded as safe. Sometimes they’re referred to as “risk-free” assets. This is a bit of a misnomer.
“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?
Oftentimes, you don't know what your expectations are until they aren't met. This week, Kent Kramer looks at how relative risk and comparison within investing may impact your investment experience.
For most of us, it’s that time of the year when we make benefits elections for next year. These are important decisions.
People come to terms with the fact they will one day retire. Maybe not in the next year or two but sometime in the next five. Often, it’s a reality they’ve been denying.
Coming off the Thanksgiving holiday, are you feeling optimistic? If you are an investor, you've likely answered the question with a "yes." This week, Kent Kramer explains why long-term optimism is justifiable in a world filled with bad news.
“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.
We’ve all heard the adage, “Money can’t buy happiness,” but the truth is more nuanced. Let's dig into the research.
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?
It's that time of year -- news outlets are gathering up nicely wrapped predictions and estimates on what the markets will do in 2024. This week, Kent Kramer analyzes how accurate, or inaccurate, these predictions actually have been in the past.
The word, budget, can induce fear and anxiety for some people. But I would argue that creating a budget and being disciplined in the process creates more freedom and flexibility than the alternative.
