Chart of the Month – January 2024
Category: Investing
Does Your Workplace Cultivate a Championship Team?
Category: Investing
I recently listened to a podcast called, “Invest Like the Best, with Patrick O’Shaughnessy”. The podcast is based on an article written by Michael Lewis in the New York Times Magazine back in 2009, about Shane Battier, a professional basketball player who was the ultimate teammate.
Compound the Growth of Your 2024 Plans | Financial Perspectives
Category: Investing
What small, consistent steps are in your control this year that, if you complete them, can result in accumulated progress for years to come? This week, Kent Kramer discusses how financial planning may help us discover these kinds of things.
The “Gift” You Shouldn’t Open: Predictions | Financial Perspectives
Category: Investing
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.
Chart of the Month – December 2023
Category: Investing
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 Gotten Better – Expect it to Continue | Financial Perspectives (In a Minute)
Category: Investing
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.
Have You Come to Terms with the Reality of Your Retirement?
Category: Investing
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.
That’s Not What I Expected | Financial Perspectives
Category: Investing
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.
Past Performance is Not Indicative of Future Results
Category: Foster Group
“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?
Fantasy Football and Financial Planning: What is your strategy?
Making good decisions and ultimately avoiding costly mistakes can be life-changing. Note that it does not start and end with picking the best player or hot stock but rather goals and a plan.
Increasing ROI: Return of the Investor – YOU! | Financial Perspectives (In a Minute)
Category: Investing
What investor wouldn't like to have a little more return? This week, Kent Kramer breaks down the average investor return calculation and the options you may have to be better than average.
What’s Going On With The US Dollar? | Financial Perspectives
Category: Investing
A quick Google search on “US dollar collapse” yields 183 million results. Obviously, there has been plenty to create a stir. This week, Kent Kramer and Michael Westphal have a conversation around what is, or isn't, going on with the US dollar.
Chart of the Month – July 2023
Category: Investing
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.
A Financial Advisor’s Morning Routine: Why I Broke Up With “Breaking News”
Category: Investing
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
Category: Investing
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: 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.
Conventional Wisdom & The Fed | Financial Perspectives (In a Minute)
Category: Investing
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.
Navigating the Course of Retirement Planning
Like in golf, planning for retirement is a game that requires strategy, focus, and a bit of finesse.
ChatGPT & The Big 8 | Financial Perspectives
Category: Investing
With the biggest tech companies regaining stock market leadership, it’s understandable why investors and the media are attracted to these stocks. However, it’s tempting to forget how these same companies’ stock prices performed in 2022. This week, Kent Kramer shares some investment lessons to be learned from this AI/big tech story.
Framing Recent Market Volatility | Financial Perspectives (In a Minute)
Category: Investing
Has this been a worrying or boring month in investment markets? Has it been a volatile last four weeks reflecting the narrative in the news media? This week, Kent Kramer introduces framing theory and how we may apply this to investment markets.
Baseball and Investing: Managing Behavior for Success
Category: Investing
Money is emotional and our “news” cycle is a catalyst. Investors react to what they hear and how they feel, oftentimes to their own detriment.