Blog

The Lure of Envy

The color green is attributed to many positive things in life. Green is often used as a symbol of prosperity and even represents life itself. But not all green is good. Being green with envy is a characteristic we should avoid like...

It's Never as Bad as You Think

Many people love surprises. A surprise party. A surprise gift. A surprise visitor at the front door. These are often viewed as joyous and memorable events. However, not all surprises are positive. Many negative surprises occur in life,...

Intentional Gratitude

Tis the season of gratitude. Thanksgiving is perhaps one of the most underappreciated holidays, but most needed. Given the year we have endured it may be difficult to be naturally thankful. This year may require us to purposefully and...

Investor Election Survivor Checklist

Investment performance over the short term, including during election season, is largely driven by emotions and randomness The economy is much larger and influences markets much more than a certain political party in power Political...

The Allure of Pessimism

As we enter emotionally charged presidential campaigns, we should prepare ourselves for an onslaught of pessimism. Election talking points tend to be more slinging mud about the other candidate than a candidate’s outline for...

Focus on Truth

As we face increased uncertainty about our lives, work and the markets, it can be easy to become anxious and fearful. We may face more surprises as we learn to live with the pandemic and figure out how to manage the economy through...

Beware of the Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing

The Holy Grail in investing, if there was one, is an investment that provides equity-like returns without the discipline and stomach often required to achieve such returns. This is what every investor hopes for. We want the short cut....

History doesn’t Repeat Itself, but it sure does Rhyme

Last week I summarized how past buying opportunities emerged after previous VIX levels reached various extreme levels. This week, I am sharing a chart I built back in 2011. Over the last eight years I have used this chart to kept track...

Preserving Your Mental Health

The challenges we face today are unique and significant. The Coronavirus has unleashed uncertainty, economic pain and shelter-in-place for much of the population. Any one of those alone can impact our mental health; the combination of...

Is Now the Time to Buy (or at least Rebalance)?

What is the one belief that both a buyer and a seller have in common? This is a question that I love to ask new and seasoned investors we work with. Take a minute and think about that question, I’ll circle back to it a bit later....

Tough Decision Checklist - Top 10

Top 10 1. Am I being critical enough of my “gut” instinct? (Availability/Confirmation Bias) Questioning your intuition will help avoid overestimating the perceived skill from other. 2. What can I control about this...

The Coronavirus: A Healthy Perspective

We have our first surprise of the year: The Coronavirus. Just last month I wrote in my annual forecast that we will be surprised by something this year. This is likely the first of several unexpected, unpredicted events we will...

A Reliable Forecast for 2020

If you read my forecast for 2019, you will notice it was spot on. This is because it was not a forecast of the economy or markets (which is like trying to predict a casino game). No matter how much we wish, no one can predict the...

Achieving Success

Oftentimes we look at others’ success and see some circumstance that may have contributed to said success. While circumstances may make it easier or more difficult to achieve success, they do not create success on their own....

Practicing Gratitude

Tis the season of gratitude. Thanksgiving is perhaps one of the most underappreciated holidays, but most needed. Because Thanksgiving is not marketable, there is not publicity on it. Instead, it’s all about consumerism. The...

The Happy Tree

Growing a Happy Tree People aren’t born happy. There is no known gene for happiness. Happiness is often the result of small, daily activities compounded over time. Imagine your happiness is a sapling and you want it to grow into...

Just Tell Me the Rules

Humans are very good at adapting to our changing world. Adaptation is a change in behavior that allows us to be better suited for our current environment. Anticipation of change is often more powerful than the long-term effect of the...

The Power of an Orderly Life

Order is a powerful and underappreciated aspect of life. Without order, we may experience increased uncertainty, anxiety and frustration. Order requires deliberate effort. It is not a “natural” state. When we leave things...

3 Tips to Stay Calm When Markets Aren't

Whenever markets move drastically and the media is promoting fear, it is best for investors to take a step back and ask themselves a few reflective questions. Reflective questions are a powerful antidote to making knee-jerk, hasty...

The Virtue of Slowing Down

Time is an interesting dimension. It is a fixed measurement, yet our perception of time varies greatly depending on what we are doing. It has been said that the longest eight seconds in life is riding a bull. I never rode a bull and...

Sometimes We Just Get Lucky

Last month, a single bet on Tiger Woods winning the Masters resulted in a $1.2 million payout. This was not a bet made by a wealthy individual or professional gambler. Rather, the bettor was a self-employed day trader saddled with a...

What's Your Number?

What’s Your Number? In the financial world someone may ask you, “What’s your number?” Odds are they aren’t trying to pick you up. Rather, they are referring to the amount of money in which you achieve...

Warning: A LTC tsunami wave is coming!

The Financial Advisor as Personal CFO for Small Business Owners

I’m from Iowa, a heavily agricultural state. I myself grew up on a farm, helping my Dad raise corn and beans, and we had a cattle operation. And still today I’m still involved with ownership and management of that farm. A...

Scam via Mail

Below you will see a copy of a letter and the envelope I recently received in the mail. At first glance, I saw it was from “Aviva” which is a known insurance company located in the Des Moines area, however quickly I saw the...

Simple, Yet Difficult

It’s common practice for the president or CEO of a company to include a letter to shareholders in the annual report. Berkshire Hathaway’s chairman and CEO, Warren Buffett, doesn’t buck the trend. His annual letter...

5 Money Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Have you ever heard someone say that experience is the best teacher? Well, I would like to take a slightly different tack. Experience isn’t the best teacher. Someone else’s experience is. Learn from other peoples’...

What's Not Going to Change

Change. We spend much of our time thinking about, predicting and anticipating it. Several years ago, the founder and CEO of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, turned the question of change on its head. He said it is more important to consider what...

A Reliable Forecast

Before I get into my market forecast for 2019, I want you to consider why forecasts are so alluring to investors like ourselves. What is the force that influences us to make decisions based on forecasts? There is ample evidence that...

It's About the Chop and How We Handle It

I was on an airplane yesterday and want to share an experience I had that reminded me of my value to you, our clients. My family and I took off and within 20 minutes the pilot came over the intercom and told us to expect some air...

The Mirror of Fears

Happy October Everyone, October is National Financial Planning Month and this month I wanted to share some insight and generate awareness into a something that I have occasionally observed while consulting with clients. Catoptrophobia...

These are the Facts, Everything Else is a Scare Tactic

The month of August 2018 marked an important milestone for the long-running bull market. It was 10 years ago this month, that the worst financial recession since the great depression reared its ugly head. Fast forward to this past...

Experience Isn't the Best Teacher - Someone Else's Is

Have you ever embarked on any kind of improvement project? You are confident you can complete the task, but you are unfamiliar with the details. If any of you are like me, a “how to” clip is usually available on YouTube,...

Six Step Financial Advice: Beyond the High School and College Years!

Congratulations! I know you’ve already heard that from family and friends, but after four years of high school or college – or more if you have obtained an advanced degree, you deserve it. And the well-wishing cheers go...

Volatility Questions 2018

Last year, stocks marched higher with only minor pullbacks. When the year ended, the largest peak to trough decline for the S&P 500 Index was just under 3% (St. Louis Federal Reserve data on the S&P 500).

Market Month: February 2018

Market Month: February 2018 The Markets (as of market close February 28, 2018) Despite some positive economic signs, rising consumer confidence, and favorable corporate earnings reports, February marked the end of the 10-month winning...

Caution...It's Forecast Season!

Well, here we are. We are into the final lap of 2017, and it has been quite a year for stocks not just in the U.S. but around the world. But of course, it is also FORECAST SEASON! You see, this is the time of year when all of the...

The Bridge between "Good" and "Great" - 5 Retirement Questions You Should Ask Yourself

I have had the pleasure of assisting many of you for years. Others are newer clients. Our paths crossed via referrals, or we met through various professional organizations. There are many reasons why you’ve reached out to me for...

529 Plans and Financial Aid Eligibility

If you're thinking about joining a 529 plan, or if you've already opened an account, you might be concerned about how 529 fundswill affect your child's chances of receiving financial aid. Of all the areas related to 529 plans,...

2017, the Second 90 Days of Distraction Action

The steady diet of headlines pouring out of the Trump administration has been unsettling for most Americans, regardless of where they sit on the political spectrum. We know equity markets loathe heightened uncertainty. Yes, what is...

A Better Retirement Mentality - 6 Ways to a Happier Retirement

Picture this—it’s Friday afternoon, your work is done, and you have the weekend ahead of you. But what makes this weekend different than any other weekend is that two-week vacation following it. You wish your colleagues...

Sudden Wealth Syndrome

We’ve all heard the stories. If not first hand, at least in various news reports and anecdotes.  Some “lucky” person picks the winning numbers, prances before the cameras in what can only be described as a media lovef

Taxation of Investments

It's nice to own stocks, bonds, and other investments. Nice, that is, until it's time to fill out your federal income tax return. At that point, you may be left scratching your head. Just how do you report your investments and how a

2017, the First 90 Days and the Stock Market

How has the ambitious agenda of the new presidency influenced the market? 

The Tale of the Investment Unicorn

When it comes to successful investing, what is critical and what is not?  We believe there are really only two reasons people invest.

It Is My Future! So Easy, A 6th Grader Can Do It.

I recently had a great volunteer experience with Junior Achievement of Central Iowa.  The career path lessons I shared with the middle school students can also be applied to the creation of a long-term retirement plan. &

Five Questions and Answers about New Social Security Claiming Rules

When Congress unexpectedly eliminated two Social Security claiming strategies as part of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, retirement planning got a little more complicated for people who expected to use those strategies to boost their ret

Till Death Do Us Part

Peace of mind is knowing that you have a limited number of cards to play when planning or rebuilding your financial future after a spouses death and that you are playing those cards the best you can giving any situation.

529 Plans and Financial Aid Eligibility

If you're thinking about joining a 529 plan, or if you've already opened an account, you might be concerned about how 529 funds will affect your child's chances of receiving financial aid. Of all the areas related to 529 plans, financial ai

The Gift that Keeps on Giving

Many parents or grandparents struggle to find that “perfect” gift for a hard to please youth or young adult.  What if there was gift that did not require you to know their size, favorite color, music tastes, doesn’t require batteries, gasol

The Basics of Charitable Giving

Charitable giving can play an important role in many estate plans. Philanthropy cannot only give you great personal satisfaction, it can also give you a current income tax deduction, let you avoid capital gains tax, and reduce the amount of

Growing and Harvesting Gold from Your Business

When I was young and growing up I would watch my Dad crisscross the field in the Spring in his tractor planting corn and soybeans. Long days of back and forth work only stopping to refill the planter with seed or to refuel the tractor, he

Everyone Has an Aunt Lillian

Gladbrook, Iowa is a charming, small Midwestern community.  I can recall as a child taking the long drive with my family to visit my Great Aunt Lillian at her home.  Her modest brick home had a warm charm to it, much like she did.  Aunt Lil