Index vs. Active – Tracking the Costs
Category: Investing
Foster Group Chief Investment Officer, Kent Kramer, discusses the various costs associated with Active and Index Investing.
Inflation – How High & How Long? | Financial Perspectives
Category: Investing
While the war in Ukraine is in day 25, leaders around the world are looking to not only stem that two-nation conflict, but also to tame the higher-than-expected global inflation which threatens to slow or derail the post-pandemic economic recovery that had been underway.
Inflation Aware Investing
Category: Investing
You know the old saying, “What goes up must come down.” Currently everything seems to be going up at the same time.
Investment Policy Statement – Why Is It Important?
Category: Investing
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.
Investments Are Long-Term; Brackets Are Short-Term.
Category: Investing
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.
Investors Must Be Present to Win
Category: Investing
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.
Is a Bitcoin ETF a Fit for Your Plan? | Financial Perspectives
Category: Investing » Foster Group Investment Principles
Anytime there is something new that gets a lot of media attention, investors should ask themselves, "Is this an opportunity for me or a distraction for what really matters?" This week, Kent Kramer introduces the first of five investment principles for purposeful investors.
Is a Recession Around the Curve?
Category: Investing
Is ESG Investing Right for You? | Financial Perspectives
Category: Investing
What is ESG Investing and what could you expect over the long term?
May 7, 2020 Financial Perspectives
Category: Investing
2:03 - Recap of the News this Week
4:17 - Market Results for the Week
4:45 - Largest US Companies in the NASDAQ Index
9:15 - A Historical Look at NASDAQ Returns
4:17 - Market Results for the Week
4:45 - Largest US Companies in the NASDAQ Index
9:15 - A Historical Look at NASDAQ Returns
Media Drama: Facts or Fiction?
Category: Investing
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.
Meta Does Not Equal Value | Financial Perspectives
Category: Investing
The headlines last week included “Faceplant”, and “Metaflop” following Meta’s disappointing earnings and new users numbers. As interesting as the metaverse may be, it turns out investors still want real world results when it comes to their investments.
Minor Decisions, Major Effect
Category: Investing
Mutual Funds and ETFs: What’s the Difference?
Category: Investing
There are structural differences between an Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) and a mutual fund that can create advantages to using one over the other.
My Favorite Blog Posts and Podcast Episodes from 2020
Category: Investing
Many of my favorite content pieces from 2020 reflect on the themes of uncertainty, risk, change, and remaining optimistic in the face of unsettling circumstances.
My Top 9 + 1 from Morgan Housel’s The Psychology of Money
Category: Investing
Morgan Housel, author of The Psychology of Money, spent some time with us last month. Here are my takeaways.
Navigating the Course of Retirement Planning
Like in golf, planning for retirement is a game that requires strategy, focus, and a bit of finesse.
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.
Nervous About the Market? Maybe You Need a Lifeboat.
Category: Investing
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.
New Year – Rates are Rising | Financial Perspectives
Category: Investing
Welcome to 2022 where the news seem to focus, again, on rising rates –for COVID infections due to Omicron, inflation, and interest rates. The markets seem to be most concerned about interest rates. This week Kent Kramer looks at why that might be the case and what may be in store for interest rates in 2022.