Tag Archives: AssetAllocation

A Conversation About Senior Care With Tony Luckhardt, MBA, CFP®, CRPC®, and Amy Thomas, CPA



There comes a time in your life when you may not welcome being another year older. But if you plan ahead, it can make the difference between a senior lifestyle you choose and the one that someone else chooses for you.

In this episode, Tony Luckhardt, MBA, CFP®, CRPC®, and Amy Thomas, CPA, discuss some of  the tough decisions that come with senior care. They also provide some advice on how to evaluate the options.

Tony and Amy share more about:

  • What senior care means
  • Why thinking about it before you need it makes the most sense
  • Questions to ask as you consider different senior care facilities
  • Ways to help you prepare for a lifestyle change
  • And more

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A Conversation About Executor Expectations with Zach Binzer, CFP® and Zach Horn, MBA, CFP®, CMFC®



Losing a loved one is an emotional time. One way you can make dealing with it a little easier for your loved ones, is to have a strong estate plan and family letter in place. Your appointed executor is there to make your final wishes come to pass, but they need to know what you wanted.

In this episode, Zach Binzer, CFP® and Zach Horn, MBA, CFP®, CMFC®, discuss this important role of being an executor.

Zach and Zach share more about:

  • What being an executor entails
  • How both parties can prepare for this role
  • What a executor is expected to do at the time of death
  • And more

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A Conversation About Buying or Renting A Second Home with Joe Patterson, CFP® and Rachel Rasmussen, MBA, CFA, CDFA®



Maybe it’s your goal to own a lake house or a second home. But have you thought about what buying versus renting might look like for your scenario?

In this episode, Joe Patterson, CFP® and Rachel Rasmussen, MBA, CFA, CDFA® discuss the pros and cons of owning versus renting and what might make sense for your unique situation. 

Joe and Rachel share more about:

  • What to consider when owning a second home
  • Considerations for renting a second property
  • How research can help you determine if you should buy or rent a home
  • And more

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A Chat About Cash Flow with Luke Hail, MBA, CFP®



Cash flow is what comes and goes out of your household, and defines what you are doing in the world in many ways. 

In this episode, Luke Hail, MBA, CFP®, will help give you a clear understanding of why understanding your cash flow matters. 

Luke shares more about:

  • The concept of cash flow
  • How to evaluate your cash flow
  • Three stages to financial freedom
  • And more

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A Chat About The Yield Curve with Ryan English, CFA, CPA, CFP® and Sarah Conwell, MFE



As an investor, it is helpful to understand the yield curve. Its movements are tied to economic growth, monetary policy, and inflation which impact investment portfolios.  

In this episode, Ryan English, CFA, CPA, CFP®, talks with Sarah Conwell, MFE, to explain the significance of two separate points on the curve and the ways investors interpret its shape, slopes, and steepness during economic cycles.

Sarah shares more about:

  • The concept of a yield curve
  • What the yield curve can tell you
  • The shape of the yield curve during economic cycles
  • And more

Resources:

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About Our Guest:

As a fixed income investment professional, Sarah possesses over nine years of experience, and her greatest skills lie in investment research, portfolio management, and macroeconomic analysis. Sarah is a dedicated investment professional with expertise in fixed income securities, financial reporting and analysis, risk mitigation, statistical analysis, financial systems implementation, and revenue generation for overall company growth. Also, she is known for thorough, accurate, and profitable securities recommendations based on analytical processes and data-driven decision-making, and she possesses strong market knowledge in multiple sectors. Additionally, she is consistently relied upon to spearhead projects requiring analysis and collaborative problem solving while working in a fast-paced environment.




A Market Update for the Second Quarter of 2022 with Mark Motley, CFA



The first half of 2022 was the worst first half of a year for stocks in over 50 years, with the fear that inflation was right around the corner. 

In this episode, Mark Motley, CFA, shares a brief market update from the second quarter of the year, outlining the impact of inflation, the prospect of a recession, and what all these key changes mean for you.

Mark shares more about:

  • Why the federal reserve changed its posture from accommodating to restrictive
  • A glimpse into the effects of inflation
  • What market changes you are expected to see this month 
  • And more

To read this market update: Click Here

Excerpts from prior Updates as mentioned in the episode:

1/4/2021 Market Update

Another near-term concern is the possibility of rising inflation. The money supply has risen nearly 25% over the past year … that’s a significant concern as we move later into 2021. It’s well known that the Federal Reserve has committed to an accommodative monetary policy for an extended period. We think that characterization is inaccurate. Instead, we think the Fed intends to remain in an accommodative mode essentially forever to the extent tame inflation allows, and that it will do so until inflation increases … the reason higher inflation is likely to have severe consequences for markets is that it would be the catalyst to change the Fed’s posture. 

2/1/2021 Market Update

Inflation:  We’ve written of this danger before … we note the most common measure of the money supply has expanded nearly 27% in the past twelve months … [we] are entirely confident a higher inflation scenario, should it occur, would greatly upset markets since it would force the Federal Reserve to reverse its easy money policy.

4/2/2021 Market Update

Many think the … $1.9T stimulus bill may be over-stimulus, eventually leading to inflation and a need for the Fed to tighten.  And close on the heels of the last give-away comes talk of much, much more and perhaps too soon, as some are beginning to fear this porridge may too soon become “too hot”.   If a rude discovery is made that free money isn’t free, that may not sit well with either the economy or markets. 

7/1/2021 Market Update

That inflation turned up significantly was no surprise.  The question is whether higher inflation will be transitory or persistent.  … We’ll have to see.  What we do know is this is the most urgent unanswered investment question of the hour … The reason is any moderation in accommodative Federal Reserve policy will be dictated by future inflation, Fed policy in turn defines liquidity, and liquidity drives markets …

10/4/2021 Market Update

If higher inflation is not transient, the Fed will be unable to remain accommodative and markets would likely retrench.  We don’t know how this will play out, but we recognize danger to markets from inflation that may be stickier than markets currently expect, and this may not be sufficiently appreciated …

 … conditions remain positive for markets, but it’s a fragile positive, and inflation appears to be the thing with the best chance of upsetting it.  The world is awash in created money that has bid up stock and home prices.  That’s nice, of course, but underlying, intrinsic values have not risen as much and inflation may test that, particularly if it forces the Fed to a tight money mode. 

1/3/2022 Market Update

Economic growth is booming.  However, inflation remains a looming question, and the Federal Reserve, which had formerly labeled the price surge “transitory,” recently removed that word from its communication, implying more concern about inflation as a longer-lasting problem.  “Owner’s equivalent rent” represents nearly a fourth of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the … lags built into the convoluted calculation of this part of consumer inflation mean home price jumps which have already occurred are likely to boost inflation readings for several months to come. 

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A Chat About Balance Sheets with Joe Patterson, CFP®



A balance sheet can be  a useful tool in personal finance to inventory your assets and track growth over time.

In this episode, Joe Patterson, CFP®, explains the benefits of using a balance sheet and some actionable next steps for creating a personal balance sheet.

Joe shares more about:

  • A definition of a balance sheet
  • Why the balance sheet is one of our core client reports
  • How your balance sheet connects to your estate plans
  • And more

Resources:

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A Conversation About Value Investing with Thom Guidi, CFA and Mark Motley, CFA



There is not a simple or succinct definition of value investing.  Generally put, it is a style of investing that is in contrast to growth investing and considers valuation measures when determining stock selection. 

In this episode of the Foster & Motley podcast, Thom Guidi, CFA, and Mark Motley, CFA, discuss the ins and outs of value investing and why it’s an important piece of Foster & Motley investment approach. 

Thom and Mark share more about:

  • The father and grandfather of value investing
  • A definition of value investing
  • The history of value investing
  • Pitfalls to this strategy of value investing 
  • And more

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A Chat About Private Investments with Rachel Rasmussen, CFA, CDFA®



Private investments are different from publicly traded investments like stocks  and bonds. They’re limited to a certain type of investor and have a unique set of considerations. 

In this episode, Rachel Rasmussen, CFA, CDFA®, discusses the lesser known topic of private investments. She references specific examples of private investments and explains how some investors can target a wider range of opportunities than the public markets.

Rachel shares more about:

  • A definition of private investments
  • Types of private investments
  • Why private investments are a good fit for some portfolios
  • And more

Resources:

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A Chat About Alternative Bonds with Zach Horn, MBA, CFP®, CMFC®



As you approach retirement, bonds are likely to become a more significant part of your asset allocation. Typically, bonds, traditional or alternative,  are a more stable way to generate cash flow to replace the paycheck that is lost moving into retirement. 

In this episode, Zach Horn, MBA, CFP, CMFC®, discusses why alternative bonds are a rising trend in the current environment of rapidly rising interest rates. He references specific examples of alternative bonds to help diversify your portfolio.

Zach also shares:

  • A definition of what bonds are
  • What an alternative bond is 
  • The benefits of alternative bonds
  • And more

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