Webinar: Elections & Your Money
How will the election affect your financial life? In this webinar, learn how financial markets might react and how you might be tempted to respond.
Webinar Replay: Prediction, Expectation, Speculation, & Preparation
Category: Investing
Foster Group's Chief Investment Officer, Kent Kramer, explains how to position both your investments and your thinking to better avoid predictable disappointments.
War in Israel: Market Meltdown?
Category: Investing
Does war in Israel mean a big market meltdown? It’s hard to escape the war news. One way to think about the future is by looking at the past for similar circumstances.
Value vs Growth – What does that Mean?
Category: Investing
Have you heard the words, “value” and “growth,” when it comes to investing? Let’s face it: These words are often misunderstood and poorly utilized.
Vaccine for Physician Pocketbooks
Category: Investing » Asset Allocation
While many in the healthcare profession are working tirelessly to meet the demands the COVID-19 virus has placed on the system, others have seen their hours cut and sources of income dwindle. Here are some options for those of you whose financial situation has changed dramatically in the past few months.
Understanding Mortgage Rates: A Conversation with Todd Smith of Bank Iowa | Financial Perspectives
Category: Investing
This week, Matt Moklestad has a conversation with Todd Smith, the Mortgage Director at Bank Iowa, as he breaks down the complexities of mortgage rates. With nearly 30 years of experience in the banking and mortgage industry, Todd shares insights on how mortgage rates are determined, the factors that influence them, and tips for securing the best rates.
Understanding ETFs and Factor Investing with Blackrock’s Bob Hum | Financial Perspectives
Category: Investing
This week, Kent Kramer sits down with BlackRock’s Bob Hum to explore the intricacies of ETFs and factor investing. Gain valuable insights and practical tips on how these strategies may enhance your investment portfolio and help you navigate today’s market complexities.
Two Dimensional Mutual Funds Will Be Converted to Exchange Traded Funds on September 10th
Category: Investing
Two Dimensional Fund Advisors (DFA) mutual funds that are held in after-tax accounts managed by Foster Group at Charles Schwab and TD Ameritrade will be converted by DFA to Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) on Friday, September 10th.
Two Dimensional Mutual Funds Will Be Converted to Exchange Traded Funds on September 10th
Category: Investing
Two Dimensional Fund Advisors (DFA) mutual funds that are held in after-tax accounts managed by Foster Group at Charles Schwab and TD Ameritrade will be converted by DFA to Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) on Friday, September 10th.
Time to Revisit Your Cash Reserve Fund
Category: Financial Planning » Cashflow
Nearly four out of ten Americans lack enough money to cover an unexpected $400 expense? The statistics on this have remained consistent over the years. One of the first steps in building a strong financial foundation is creating an emergency fund. The idea is to prepare for the unexpected expenses of life.
Three Categories of Risk for Retirement Income
Risks can often feel much different to retirees. The overarching risk for retirees is that something takes place that results in a permanently lower standard of living. Retirement researcher, Wade Pfau, has identified three major categories of risk for one’s income in retirement.
Thinking About Stock Market Volatility
Category: Investing
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?
Things to Ponder This Holiday Season
Category: Foster Group
At Foster Group, the most important thing we do is help our clients have peace of mind. The planning, investing and conversations that lead to peace of mind vary from client to client. The benefits, however, are similar.
The War in Ukraine | Financial Perspectives
Category: Investing
There’s likely no more important news in the world right now than what is happening in Ukraine as Russia invades their smaller neighbor. Economic impacts are being felt across the globe and there is certainly a humanitarian crisis developing in Europe. Let’s take a look at the impact the Ukraine/Russia crisis has on the US and global economy.
The Troubles with Tariffs | Financial Perspectives
Category: Investing
How do tariffs impact your investment portfolio? This month, Kent Kramer discusses the latest tariff policies, market volatility, and why diversification is key to managing uncertainty.
The Seesaw of Finance
Category: Investing
There are parallels between concepts in finance and concepts in physics. Let's take a look.
The Once a Year Approach to Looking at Investments
Last year was a very up and down year in the market. That’s not abnormal. In fact, it’s what happens most years. December 12 was the only time last year that I looked at the numbers. In not looking at the numbers throughout the year, I not only minimized worry, but also created the opportunity for a happy surprise.
The Older & Wiser AI: The Market’s Aggregate Intelligence
Category: Investing
Has Artificial Intelligence been causing you anxiety, or made you wonder about the trustworthiness of investment markets? Be reminded that “educated optimism is an antidote for anxious uncertainty”.
The Market: The Original AI | Financial Perspectives
Category: Investing
The acronym “AI” has become synonymous with Artificial Intelligence. But what is Aggregate Intelligence -- "AI"? This week, Kent Kramer explains how trusting markets and harnessing their power and prices is a fundamentally sound way to invest.
The Intersection of Finance & Life Well-Being with Professor Meir Statman | Financial Perspectives
Category: Investing
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 Influence of Trust
Category: Financial Planning » Behavioral Finance
A good relationship with our clients comes down to a handful of things. One of those things is whether a client trusts that we know more than they do about the type of investing we do at Foster Group.