Broker Check
(641) 782-5577
info@cfgiowa.com
Client Login

Blog

Wednesday, September 20, 2023

Have you saved enough? Whether you started late, or have regularly saved throughout your career, you might wish you could stash some additional cash in your retirement fund. Fortunately, if you’re 50 or older, you can. The IRS...

Wednesday, July 19, 2023

In advance of 2023, the recession drum beats were so loud it was deafening. Market pundits warned that as the Fed raised interest rates, it was just a matter of time before the economy entered a recession.But it’s July now, and...

Monday, July 10, 2023

As the Fed continues its fight against inflation, one of the more challenging parts of the economy is gauging what's happening in the jobs market.One July report showed the private sector added nearly 500,000 jobs, double the...

Wednesday, June 28, 2023

The U.S. Department of Education has officially announced that student loan payments will resume in October, ending the three-year-long pause that was implemented due to the pandemic.Starting September 1, interest will begin accruing...

Tuesday, June 13, 2023

Here’s a riddle. “I’m a two-word phrase that we heard almost every day for two years, but it has dropped from almost all economic talk in 2023?”Answer: Supply chain.As you can see from the accompanying chart,...

Show All

Tuesday, June 6, 2023

Now that the debt ceiling negotiations are behind us and President Biden has signed the measure, what will Wall Street's wandering eye focus on next?Inflation? Interest rates? Recession? Artificial intelligence?More than likely,...

Thursday, June 1, 2023

I wanted to take a moment to update you on the potential changes to Social Security benefits for 2024. As I'm sure you know, the Social Security Administration calculates annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) based on the Consumer...

Wednesday, May 24, 2023

Would it surprise you to hear that investors have moved past worrying about inflation? They have, at least for now.Wall Street has shifted its attention to Washington’s budget negotiations and how the debt ceiling will be...

Monday, May 1, 2023

Financial markets can be challenging to understand. And when markets enter a “bad news is good news” cycle, it becomes even more challenging to follow along.Stock prices rallied at the end of April after the Commerce...

Monday, April 10, 2023

Recently, you may have seen reports that the so-called “depletion date” for Social Security was adjusted. This refers to the predicted date when the long-running program will no longer be able to pay full benefits.Barring...

Tuesday, April 4, 2023

We wanted to send a friendly reminder that the stock market is closed on Friday, April 7, for Good Friday. The bond markets will shut down early, at 2 p.m. on April 6, for Holy Thursday, also known as Maundy Thursday.As we head into...

Tuesday, March 14, 2023

By now you may have heard that late last week and yesterday there were 2 sizable bank failures in the United States.  Reactions have varied from serious concern to no concern.  I just wanted to reach out and lend some...

Tuesday, March 7, 2023

March is Women's History Month, a time to recognize the remarkable contributions of women throughout history. This year's theme is "Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories," We're honored to share a few examples of women who continue to...

Tuesday, February 28, 2023

One of my favorite Warren Buffett quotes is, “Remember that the stock market is a manic depressive.”What he’s suggesting is that stock prices can sometimes swing wildly from day to day in response to even minor news....

Tuesday, February 14, 2023

Would it surprise you that the U.K. stock market is hitting new all-time highs and several other European markets are either at new highs or approaching new all-time highs?It seems like only a few months ago, European economies...

Monday, February 6, 2023

The stock market can provide some head-scratching moments, which is why I like Warren Buffet’s quote, “...don’t watch the market closely.”Stocks have been strong this year, and they rallied sharply before...

Tuesday, January 31, 2023

January 30 to February 3, 2023, is Identity Theft Awareness Week. Anytime is a good time to tighten up your identity security, but if you haven’t been as careful as you intended, consider this your annual reminder. Here are a few...

Monday, January 23, 2023

National Financial Wellness Month comes each January. It's a time to remind people to either establish a financial strategy or take some time to sit down and review it with their trusted financial professional.For me, it's time for me...

Tuesday, January 10, 2023

In the final days of 2022, Congress passed a new set of retirement rules designed to make it easier to contribute to retirement plans and access those funds earmarked for retirement.The law is called SECURE 2.0, and it's a follow-up to...

Tuesday, December 20, 2022

It appears that America’s corporate leaders are preparing for the worst while hoping for the best.Almost half of S&P 500 CEOs in second-quarter conference calls pointed to “recession” as a potential headwind in 2023....

Tuesday, December 13, 2022

The financial markets are complex systems. They can move from one event to the next so quickly that it's hard to know what’s driving prices.For example, look at the roundtrip oil prices in the chart below.Oil prices surged to...

Wednesday, November 23, 2022

It is time for Thanksgiving – a moment to appreciate all that we have, and a day to appreciate the family and friends that enrich our lives. We look forward to the coming year with anticipation and a holiday season that offers us...

Monday, November 7, 2022

On November 11, we honor the bravery and sacrifice of the men and women who have served America in the armed forces. This federal holiday – Veterans Day – is a time to reflect on their courage.Please take a moment this...

Friday, November 4, 2022

The midterm elections are underway. In many states, ballots have been delivered and, in several cases, already returned by Americans exercising one of the most sacred of their Constitutional rights.Election Day is always the Tuesday...

Tuesday, November 1, 2022

The Internal Revenue Service has released new limits for the coming year. After months of high inflation and financial uncertainty, some of these cost-of-living-based adjustments have reached near-record levels.Individual Retirement...

Monday, October 24, 2022

Stubborn doesn’t seem like a strong enough word, but that’s how Fed officials are describing inflation.Inflation's “stubbornness” has been on full display in recent weeks: First, the Producer Price Index (PPI)...

Monday, October 10, 2022

Traditionally, I’ve been a little cautious when people say, “it’s different this time.” After all, the past few years have seen more financial “firsts” than most.But despite that skepticism, this...

Wednesday, September 21, 2022

Have you heard? The Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law on Tuesday, August 16. While the $430 billion package includes many provisions, I thought I’d highlight three key areas where you may benefit the most.Tax credits...

Wednesday, September 14, 2022

September is Life Insurance Awareness Month. If you haven’t reviewed your insurance profile in a while, you may be surprised that what made sense in the past no longer fits your life.Here are some ways to quickly evaluate your...

Tuesday, August 30, 2022

Schools across the nation are getting back to business. For students, it’s a return to education after vacations, summer jobs, and other activities.For parents, grandparents, and guardians, “back to school” often...

Tuesday, August 16, 2022

Have you ever heard the expression, "What's the smart money doing?""Smart money" is an expression that often refers to experts and suggests that well-informed people have a better perspective on current events and what actions to take....

Monday, August 1, 2022

In the financial world, some weeks are more important than others, and we just lived through a big one. Let's unpack each of the four key stats:The Fed. As expected, the Fed bumped up short-term rates again at its July meeting. But the...

Monday, July 25, 2022

Stop me if you heard this already—roughly half the population wasn’t alive last time inflation was at this level.It’s true. According to IMDb.com, Raiders of the Lost Ark was the #1 movie at the box office the last...

Monday, July 11, 2022

The SECURE Act of 2019 represented the biggest update to retirement law in over a decade. Now, Congress is deliberating on what “SECURE 2.0” legislation might entail.In March, the House passed the Securing a Strong...

Tuesday, June 28, 2022

In case you didn’t know, June is National Internet Safety Month. With nearly 4 billion people on social media worldwide, plus the risks of using online brokerage and bank accounts, the need for digital security has never been...

Wednesday, June 8, 2022

You may have heard the saying, “inflation hurts savers and benefits borrowers.” The expression suggests that borrowers benefit from inflation because they pay back lenders with dollars worth less than when the money...

Tuesday, May 24, 2022

When markets cycle lower like they have been lately, perspective is critical. If you’re not connected to someone with experience, it can be easy to miss the big picture.If you zoom out a bit in history, most investors haven't...

Monday, May 9, 2022

Monday, May 2, 2022

Tuesday, April 19, 2022

Wednesday, April 6, 2022

Wednesday, March 23, 2022

Monday, March 14, 2022

Monday, March 7, 2022

Thursday, March 3, 2022

Monday, February 14, 2022

Tuesday, February 1, 2022

Tuesday, January 18, 2022

Monday, December 13, 2021

Friday, November 12, 2021

Preparing for retirement just got a little more financial wiggle room. This week, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced new contribution limits for 2022.Staying put for 2022 are traditional Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs)...

Monday, November 8, 2021

While it’s still too early to draw any final conclusions, Congress is getting closer to outlining what tax law changes are under consideration to pay for the proposed $1.75 trillion Build Back Better Plan.1For now, it appears...

Monday, October 25, 2021

To help raise revenue to pay for President Biden’s Build Back Better Plan, Congress is considering a number of tax law changes, including adjusting estate taxes. One of the proposals would reduce the estate tax exemption to...

Tuesday, October 19, 2021

There are a lot of questions about President Biden’s Build Back Better plan and potential tax law changes, including an adjustment to capital gains taxes.One of the proposals Congress is considering sets the top rate for taxing...

Wednesday, October 13, 2021

Medicare’s annual open enrollment period begins October 15 and ends December 7. During this time, current Medicare beneficiaries have the option to adjust their coverage for the coming year. Any changes to your plan will go into...

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

How long has it been since you’ve reviewed your Medicare policy? With open enrollment fast approaching, there are a few questions you may want to ask yourself before you renew, add, drop, or switch coverage.Have you switched...

Tuesday, September 14, 2021

If you are feeling a bit confused about the direction of inflation, you’re in good company. Some of the best and brightest economists in the country are having a tough time getting their arms around the current inflation trends...

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

The economic impact of COVID-19 has been felt from coast to coast. And, unfortunately for many pre-retirees, it could potentially impact Social Security benefits as well.A new report indicates that if Congress doesn’t take...

Thursday, September 2, 2021

The first Labor Day was celebrated over 100 years ago, created by the labor movement as a day to honor the achievements and contributions (both social and economic) of American workers.I’ve always found the way we celebrate to...

Wednesday, August 25, 2021

If you have a secret, don’t tell anyone at the Federal Reserve Bank. They may leak the story before you’d like.In early August, multiple regional Federal Reserve Bank presidents hit the speaking tour. They made headlines...

Thursday, August 12, 2021

Have you ever heard the Wall Street expression, "markets climb a wall of worry?"It's the idea that financial markets are constantly on edge. Traders fret about how long a market rally can continue before it runs into trouble. Worry...

Monday, August 2, 2021

With overseas investments, we remind people that, “international markets carry additional risks, which include differences in financial reporting standards, currency exchange rates, political risk, foreign taxes and regulations...

Tuesday, July 27, 2021

With all the attention given to inflation, stock prices, and job reports, it’s been easy to overlook the remarkable move in the bond market during the past few months.The yield on the 10-year treasury closed at 1.37% on Friday,...

Tuesday, July 20, 2021

The news keeps getting better for Social Security recipients.It's now projected that benefits will increase 6.1% in 2022, up from the 4.7% forecast just two months ago. That would be the most significant increase since 1983.1...

Wednesday, July 14, 2021

On July 6, oil prices reached a six-year high of $76.98 a barrel. This benchmark came as the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allies failed to reach an agreement regarding an increase in production.1This...

Tuesday, July 6, 2021

Summertime rouses our desire to hit the road (or the airport) and travel. Here are a few things you’ll want to consider before you take off.Employment Issues for Airlines: Airlines have canceled hundreds of flights due to...

Tuesday, June 29, 2021

Inflation is defined as the general upward price movement of goods and services in an economy. The key word is “general.” Inflation tends to be uneven and affects the price of some items more than others.If you’ve...

Tuesday, June 15, 2021

Recently, you may have seen headlines regarding the Securing a Strong Retirement Act, also referred to as the second version of the SECURE Act, or SECURE Act 2.0.As the bill moves from the House of Representatives to the Senate, many...

Tuesday, June 8, 2021

Over Memorial Day weekend, gasoline prices hit the highest for this holiday weekend since 2014.1With the Colonial Pipeline outage in the rear-view mirror and an ever-increasing number of adults vaccinated, formerly cooped-up motorists...

Tuesday, June 1, 2021

The San Diego Padres signed infielder Fernando Tatis, Jr., to a 14-year, $340 million contract roughly one year after the Los Angeles Dodgers inked outfielder Mookie Betts to a 12-year, $365 million deal. That brings the total to 8...

Tuesday, May 25, 2021

The talk is of tapering, and it’s making investors nervous.The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) released the minutes of its April meeting last week. The report suggested that should the economy continue to make progress, it...

Tuesday, May 18, 2021

A cyberattack shut down a major gas and energy pipeline supplying the East Coast of the United States for several days. The actual pipelines themselves are still functional and have since started running again, but it’s led to...

Tuesday, May 11, 2021

What does it mean when two of the most powerful voices in American financial life seem to be saying two different things?In one corner, we have the “Oracle of Omaha,” investor Warren Buffett. As one of the nation’s...

Tuesday, April 27, 2021

Now and again, the price action on Wall Street can surprise even the most seasoned investors.Look no further than when President Biden in late April proposed an increase in the tax on capital gains to 39.6% from 20% for those...

Friday, April 9, 2021

President Joe Biden introduced the much-anticipated American Jobs Plan, which outlines an approach to spend roughly $2.2 trillion on the nation's infrastructure and other projects.As part of the legislative process, the Biden...

Thursday, April 1, 2021

Previously, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced that the federal income tax filing due date for individuals for the 2020 tax year had been automatically extended from April 15, 2021, to May 17, 2021.1More time for allHowever,...

Wednesday, March 24, 2021

Less than one month ahead of the traditional date, the I.R.S. has delayed the deadline for filing and paying taxes. The new deadline is May 17, 2021.1,2,3The delay follows continued disruption from the COVID-19 pandemic and a late...

Wednesday, March 10, 2021

I’m sure you’ve heard that the House recently passed the Senate another round of stimulus to try and counteract the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The new stimulus package could narrow income eligibility to...

Tuesday, March 2, 2021

On Monday, Feb. 22, the White House announced several changes to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) that went into effect on Wednesday, Feb. 24. These changes are intended to further target “the smallest businesses and those...

Wednesday, February 24, 2021

The acronym “SPAC” is showing up more often these days because there is some big money behind the revitalized investment approach.SPAC stands for Special Purpose Acquisition Company, and they are sometimes referred to as...

Monday, February 15, 2021

While many in the United States are beginning to receive vaccinations and people are starting to foresee a life after COVID-19, it remains clear that things aren’t yet back to normal. As a result, there has been a great deal of...

Monday, February 8, 2021

Recently, the world has watched with great interest as a few companies have seen surprising rallies in their stock prices. You may have read stories of individual investors gaining massive returns on their investments, thanks to this...

Thursday, February 4, 2021

You may have heard the news about stocks for certain companies suddenly ballooning, quickly going from lunch money prices to several hundred dollars a share. In one case, the shares rose over 1700% since December 2020.1 So, what...

Friday, January 29, 2021

The personal savings rate in the United States, which is the amount of income left after taxes and household spending, has reached some significant milestones.In April, when much of the country stayed home to avoid the COVID-19...

Wednesday, January 27, 2021

Recently, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced that tax season will start a little later than usual. This year the IRS will begin accepting and processing 2020 tax returns on Friday, February 12, 2021.1In light of the December...

Wednesday, January 6, 2021

After a bit of political posturing in December, the $900 billion Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (2021 CAA) was signed into law by President Trump as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact employers and employees...

Wednesday, December 9, 2020

As Wall Street pushes higher, a pandemic-weary Main Street is relearning how to manage cash flow with the hope of keeping its retirement dreams alive.Self-employed Americans, and the people working for them, account for roughly 30...

Wednesday, December 2, 2020

As an investor, it can be tempting to get caught up in daily news headlines. Consider how news about the election and COVID-19 vaccines have moved the markets over the past several weeks. But having a financial strategy can help you...

Wednesday, November 18, 2020

On October 13, 2020, the Social Security Administration (SSA) officially announced that Social Security recipients will receive a 1.3 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2021. This adjustment will begin with benefits payable...

Wednesday, November 11, 2020

With all the election chatter and stock market volatility, it may have been easy to miss the ongoing uptrend in long-term interest rates.The yield on the 10-year Treasury bond is sitting just below 1%. Just a few short months ago, the...

Wednesday, November 4, 2020

On October 26, the Treasury Department released the 2021 adjusted figures for retirement account savings. Although these adjustments won’t bring any major changes, there are some minor elements to note.401(k)sThe salary deferral...

Wednesday, October 21, 2020

Applications for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) are now open for the academic year 2021-22. Applying for the FAFSA allows you to qualify for grants, scholarships, and other federally-sourced aid, such as...

Wednesday, October 14, 2020

It should come as no surprise to hear the economy is the top issue for voters in the 2020 election. Nearly 8 in ten voters say that the economy will be very important to them when they cast their votes.1But when voters say...

Wednesday, September 30, 2020

A U.S. drug company recently said that it’s in late-stage trials for its coronavirus vaccine and reported that it could be given to Americans as early as the end of the year.1Great news. But it seems like every few days...

Wednesday, September 16, 2020

Football is back, which means Summer is coming to a close, days will get shorter, and sweaters will soon be in play.This year, there was no pre-season, so professional football started in September, which coincidentally, is a...

Wednesday, September 2, 2020

As many of you know, the Federal Reserve's Open Market Committee has eight scheduled meetings each year when the seven board members review the nation's economic activity and set the federal funds rate's target rate.In this...

Monday, August 24, 2020

Right now, many Americans are worried about their financial health due to the impact COVID-19 has had on the country. Adding to these concerns were July's consumer prices— excluding food and energy—which rose at the...

Wednesday, August 5, 2020

With all of the storm and stress of the year 2020, you’d be forgiven if you momentarily forgot that we’re due for another national election in November. Many states will be selecting governors, representatives, and...

Wednesday, July 29, 2020

Lately, it can feel like each day brings a new headline about fluctuating market behavior. But amid the ups and downs of 2020, there may be some potential good news on the horizon. On July 16, 2020, the interest rate for a 30-year...

Tuesday, July 14, 2020

This year has had no shortage of changes to the normal course of business.In March, the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service announced that they extended the federal income tax filing and payment deadline until July 15...

Wednesday, July 8, 2020

With the economy and financial markets flashing mixed signals, it’s no wonder that lawmakers are deadlocked on whether to pass a Phase 4 of the CARES Act.More than $3 trillion in stimulus has been pushed into the economy since...

Wednesday, July 1, 2020

Americans who have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic may now be able to access retirement accounts to help cover daily expenses, penalty-free.Now, in addition to those who have lost their jobs during the COVID-19...

Wednesday, June 24, 2020

An “eye-popping” $2 trillion in cash has been stashed in deposit accounts at U.S. banks since the COVID-19 pandemic first hit the country in January.1 This surge of money into banks has no precedent in history. Several...

Wednesday, June 10, 2020

As states cautiously begin the process of relaxing their COVID-19 restrictions, some are wondering, “Why is the stock market doing so well when the economy is doing so poorly?” It’s a great question, and fortunately,...

Tuesday, May 19, 2020

As I’m sure you know, the $2 trillion “Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security” (“CARES”) Act was recently signed into law. The CARES Act is designed to help those most impacted by the COVID-19...

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

Even in “normal” times, the news can be depressing. But these days, it can seem like there’s an awful lot to worry about. Here’s a sampling of the types of headlines I’ve seen recently: Why US hospitals...

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Thanks to COVID-19, flying is down, driving is down, and the price of fuel is way, way down. On April 20, U.S. crude oil dropped to its lowest level in more than 30 years, due to a slump in demand. That day, West Texas Intermediate...

Wednesday, April 29, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has shaken up nearly every aspect of American life. To say it’s been a difficult time would be an understatement. However, difficult times may open doors to new possibilities. Businesses are changing their...

Monday, April 13, 2020

February and March were certainly months that most of us will never forget. Almost no one living today was alive during the 1918 Flu Pandemic (Spanish Flu), which was one of the worst pandemics from a mortality standpoint in our...

Friday, April 10, 2020

May your day be filled with peace and gratitude. Sincerely, Cornerstone Financial Group

Friday, April 3, 2020

These are difficult times, not only from an economic and investment standpoint, but a community one as well. This societal strains and uncertainty over depth and timeframe of the current pandemic adds to the volatility in financial...

Monday, March 30, 2020

Cornerstone Financial Group is pleased to welcome Klaus Steinke to the firm. Klaus, a Certified Financial Planner™ - CFP® has come on board as part of the growth and evolution of our financial services practice. He has been...

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

The beginning of 2020 has been quite a ride so far. I wanted to let you know that I’m still here for you during this difficult time. Even if my office is closed for a while, I’ll still be working from my home and just as...

Friday, March 20, 2020

As the markets attempt to find sense in what’s going on with the COVID-19 virus and what it means for the economy, investors are understandably concerned and often unsure what to do. Earlier this week, many of our models made...

Friday, March 6, 2020

This week marks the 11th anniversary of the S&P 500’s SPX bottom during the global financial crisis (GFC), which seems like quite the coincidence as we currently find ourselves in the midst of one of the most volatile periods the...

Friday, February 28, 2020

I’m always a little amazed when we see large market pullbacks at how calm our clients are during those drops. Although I know there are concerns – that’s human nature – we’ve not fielded one call from a...

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

We are excited to announce the launch of our newly designed website. We welcome you to visit us at www.cfgiowa.com This new website offers you many new visual features and easy access to information designed to enhance your financial...

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

How much do you know about the different coverage options? Medicare's open enrollment period runs through December 7. If you are enrolling in Medicare for the first time, you will discover that it is much more complex than an...

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Protecting yourself from potential calamity. Cybercrime affects both large corporations and private individuals. You've likely read about the large data breaches in the business world. These crimes are both expensive and on the rise....

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

How to check for problems. Americans aged 45 to 54, who have credit card balances, carry an average debt of $9,096 per individual.1 The wise use of credit is a critical skill in today's world. Used unwisely, however, credit can rapidly...