Chart of the Month – Jan 2023
It's natural to sit down at the end of the year and reflect on what happened. Here is a short recap of what happened in the markets and the world in 2022.
It's natural to sit down at the end of the year and reflect on what happened. Here is a short recap of what happened in the markets and the world in 2022.
Those of you who keep up with the financial news are likely familiar with the three most quoted indices, the S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average, and the NASDAQ. Sometimes, the returns for all of them are similar, but sometimes they are not.
It's that time of year – what's left on your list for 2022? This week, Kent Kramer discusses three possible ways to save on taxes, one possible way to increase the return on your cash, and one cautionary tale as a reminder as we think about investing in 2023.
I wrote in a previous blog about the importance of having a well-written Investment Policy Statement (IPS). What should be in a well-written document?
Stay diversified, and stay the course. That’s good advice for both runners and investors.
"Everything good in life is just the gap between expectations and reality." - Morgan Housel. This week, Kent Kramer shares his thoughts on market history and setting expectations.
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 past fifteen years have been phenomenal for U.S. stocks. They've outperformed international stocks by close to 200%. Unfortunately, no one can predict when international stocks will outperform U.S. stocks, or vice-versa.
Many people like the idea of higher expected returns that stocks may produce, but the higher return potential comes with more risk. This week, Kent Kramer walks us through a possible approach to understanding how much of your portfolio could be invested in stocks.
Many people like the idea of higher expected returns that stocks may produce, but the higher return potential comes with more risk. This week, Kent Kramer walks us through a possible approach to understanding how much of your portfolio could be invested in stocks.
Market volatility can sometimes be downright scary. The other day, I read that the quarter ending June 30th was the 16th worst quarter in the history of the stock market. Even worse, the first quarter was bad too, making it one of the very worst six-month periods in nearly a century. How does an investor respond?
A popular question investors often ask is whether NOW is a good time to invest. This week, Kent Kramer talks about what is happening in markets now, and in the past, and what investors may want to know.
A popular question investors often ask is whether NOW is a good time to invest. This week, Kent Kramer talks about what is happening in markets now, and in the past, and what investors may want to know.
The housing market has been hot since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Prices have soared and the interest rate to borrow money for those homes has been at historically low levels. But what is happening now?
Plenty of arguments exist as to why we will be and/or already are in a recession. However, there is good news out there that isn’t readily reported.
For anyone invested right now, it feels like we’re sinking. But just as boats have lifejackets to keep you afloat, your financial life should have its own lifejackets in place to help keep you from sinking in bear market times like these.
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.