Running to Retirement
Stay diversified, and stay the course. That’s good advice for both runners and investors.
Satisfying Your Tastes and Preferences for Investing and Dining
If you were asked to describe what you liked about your favorite food, where would you start? If you were asked to describe what you would like in your investment portfolio, what would you emphasize?
Saving for a Rainy Day
Category: Financial Planning » Cashflow
According to a 2020 Federal Reserve study, 36% of American adults do not have enough cash to cover a $400 unexpected expense1. While the opposite 64% say they DO have enough, that still leaves around 90 million American adults unable to handle a modest money disruption in their lives.
Saving More Is Easy If You Eliminate Obstacles
Category: Financial Planning » Behavioral Finance
I listened to a great show on the Hidden Brain podcast a couple months ago: Work 2.0 – The Obstacles You Don’t See. The big takeaway was that often the path to success is not about more motivation but removing obstacles. I think the podcast has had a big impact on my life already. Let me explain.
Savings Ho!
Category: Financial Planning » Cashflow
It has been eight years, but the memories are still fresh! My wife and I loaded our four daughters into our Dodge Grand Caravan and headed west for our long-anticipated “Westward Ho!” journey. As we crossed the great plains into the Rockies and traversed the high desert of New Mexico into the arid Arizona desert, we laughed, fought, slept, played games, and created incredible memories.
Secure Act 2.0 Offers a New Retirement “Lost & Found”
Category: Financial Planning
A few weeks ago, my colleague, Matt Moklestad, shared a blog about 8 changes from the SECURE Act 2.0. While many of the changes in this legislation are beneficial for employers, there is a lot in this act that is also going to be very beneficial for plan participants.
SECURE Act Signed Into Law. How Will This Impact Your Plan?
Category: Financial Planning » Estate & Transfer Planning
In December 2019, President Trump signed the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act into law. Will it affect you?
Seeing the Plan Through
Category: Financial Planning
Selecting the Best Ingredients for Your Portfolio
In this third piece of our series on building a better portfolio by thinking of it in terms of tastes, recipes, and ingredients, we’ll focus on the benefits of selecting better ingredients.
What’s Your Best Buy: Firm Foundation or Castle In the Air?
If an investor could discover the true worth of a company, a piece of real estate or even an idea, where “true worth” equated to the future value or price that others would pay, success would be almost certain to follow. Those opportunities that were priced significantly lower than the future value would be automatic buys. The one’s with higher prices today than the future price would be ones to avoid. If only it were that simple!
When Fraudsters Strike
Category: Foster Group
If you are a victim of fraudulent activity, securing your compromised identity can be overwhelming. Here are a few critical steps to this process.
When It’s Time to Call in a Pro
Category: Foster Group
Hiring a pro is never a cut and dried decision but when it’s necessary, I’ve found that I gain time, peace of mind, and often better results than what I could have achieved on my own. While I’m still a DYI’er at heart, I have learned to recognize when it’s time to call in a pro!
When Lightning Strikes
Category: Financial Planning
Is your financial plan ready to weather a storm? Will you be caught off guard, as we were just weeks ago, or are you prepared? One of the advantages of working with a Financial Advisor is that he or she will build a plan that takes into account the inevitability of future storms.
When Market Volatility Creates Opportunity
Category: Financial Planning » Behavioral Finance
The first half of 2022 has proven to be challenging for investors. Being an investor during volatile markets isn’t easy, but there are a few strategies to consider in order to make the best of a difficult situation.
When Was the Last Time You Reviewed Your 401(k) Plan?
Do you run a small business that provides a 401(k) plan benefit for your employees? Do you ever wonder if you are following all the right steps to ensure that you are meeting your fiduciary responsibilities as a plan sponsor?
While You Were Sleeping
Imagine that you fell asleep at the beginning of the year and woke up at the end of 2020. When you wake up, there are some things that would immediately feel different.
Who Can Benefit from a 529 Plan
While the tax advantages and financial benefits are well-known aspects of a 529 plan, what are some lesser known features of the program?
Who Is Your Team’s Financial General Manager
No matter what the circumstances, during the good and the difficult times, it is in our best interest to seek guidance on the most important aspects of our lives. Consider hiring a "General Manager" to help you with your finances.