Podcast

The Wake You Leave Behind

While on a Disney cruise with his family, Associate Financial Planner Damian Beard had an unexpected moment of reflection that led to deeper questions about legacy, family, imagination, and what we leave behind beyond money. In this episode of Finance Moment, he explores why planning isn’t just about finances, it’s about the life you’re building. Listen here. 

Blog

How High Earners Build Roth Assets: Three Smart Strategies

Ryan Simpson, CFP®, Associate Financial Planner

Pre-tax IRA and 401(k) contributions are a powerful tax planning tool for high earners, allowing you to defer income during your peak earning years and potentially pay taxes at a lower rate in retirement. However, relying solely on pre-tax savings can become a burden later in life and may have unintended tax consequences for both you and your heirs.

Helping Aging Parents Avoid Financial Mistakes Without Taking Away Their Independence

Lance Gunkel, CFP®, CFA, Managing Director

For many families, one of the hardest transitions isn’t retirement; it’s watching our parents age while trying to respect their independence. Money often sits right at the center of that tension. The goal isn’t to “take over” a parent’s finances. It’s to help protect them from costly mistakes, scams, or oversights while preserving dignity, autonomy, and trust. Here’s how families can strike that balance.

Events

March 11: Estate Planning Workshop @ Syverson Strege Office, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. (lunch will be provided). Syverson Strege’s Chief Planning Officer Matt Roberts and Noah Ridgway, attorney at Hagenow Gustoff Karas & Ridgway LLP, will lead this free workshop. If you are looking for guidance on how to get started on your estate plan or already have an estate plan and want to easily educate your family or estate executor about what you have in place, then this workshop is for you. Learn more and register here, or RSVP to Deb Longseth at (515) 225-6000 or dlongseth@syversonstrege.com.

March 19: NCAA Tournament Client Bracket Begins – stay tuned for details on how to participate.

March 28: Easter Egg Hunt @ Syverson Strege Office (green space near the northeast corner of the building); 2-4 p.m. Bring your children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews to our stress-free Easter Egg hunt. Children will be given an egg carton; they will collect 12 eggs and then redeem them for a prize. We will also have spring-themed activities and photo opportunities with the Easter Bunny. Please RSVP here so we know how many children to plan for. 

April 1: Power of Connection Women's Series - "Filing Single: The Joys and Challenges of the Seasons of Single Life," 4:30-6:30 p.m., Middlebrook Mercantile, 4125 Cumming Ave., Cumming, IA 50061. Whether starting their first job, facing divorce, navigating the loss of a spouse, or having an empty nest, women will likely face a season of singleness more than once in their lives. Join us for a panel and interactive small group discussion as we embrace our Power of Connection and empower women with shared experiences to thrive financially and emotionally in these seasons of life. Heavy appetizers and drinks will be provided. Learn more and register here.

Financial Update

SEI and Schwab 1099 Documents

The 1099 tax forms for your investment accounts will be available soon. Both Schwab and SEI have started sending the tax documents, and they plan to send all of them by the end of February. If your accounts were moved to SEI during 2025, you will receive 1099's from both Schwab and SEI for accounts that had taxable activity at both companies. Read the complete letter we sent via email earlier this week here. If you have questions, please contact your planner team at (515) 225-6000. 

Inside Look

New Team Member

We’re excited to welcome Teresa Baumann to Syverson Strege as our newest Associate Financial Planner!

With more than 15 years of experience in financial services and insurance, Teresa brings a strong mix of technical knowledge and a heart for helping others. She holds a finance degree from Iowa State University, is an Accredited Financial Counselor®, and is working toward her CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® certification.

Teresa’s experience as a compliance manager, financial educator, and coach fuels her calling to support clients as they work toward financial confidence and success.

To learn more about Teresa, click here. 

Spotlight: Lance Gunkel, Managing Director

What do you enjoy most about your work at Syverson Strege?

The people (clients and colleagues)! Also, watching our company grow (in number of clients and employees), thereby growing our impact on the community.

What inspired you to get into financial planning?

My dad enjoyed investing as a hobby. He helped me open my first investment accounts and shared investment strategy books. At a similar time, my Grandpa Bill gave me the book “The Millionaire Next Door.” These early experiences showed me how much I enjoyed investment research, and the idea that you can put your money to work.

What’s one piece of financial wisdom you often share with clients or live by yourself?

Money is a tool, and it’s how the tool is used that turns it into something of value. I try to align my spending with my values, which makes my resources tremendously valuable to me. Family and the curiosity of travel are important to me, so our family is quick to plan for and spend money on travel experiences with one another. We’re able to spend quality time together exploring new places, meeting new people, and experiencing new cultures.

What’s been one of your most rewarding experiences working with clients or your team?

I’ve helped several clients sell businesses inside of a charitable trust. It was obvious to me how much joy and pride this brought to the clients, knowing that they turned their business into a resource that will help them and their community for years to come.

In the News

Dream It. Plan It. Do It. Repeat.

Sometimes the biggest progress starts with one clear step forward. In her Des Moines Business Record Fearless guest column, Syverson Strege Financial Planner Jennifer Scheck reminds us that growth comes from dreaming big, making a plan, and taking action again and again. Read the full article here. 

Out and About

Kingdom Advisors Conference

Chief Investment Officer Jason Gunkel recently attended the Kingdom Advisors’ “Redeeming Money” conference in Orlando with more than 3,000 financial professionals. “The conference has grown to be one of my favorites because of its breadth of topics on helping serve clients in the different financial areas and stages of their lives. We learned how we can best help and walk with clients through career changes, losing a spouse, selling a business, adjusting to life in retirement, caring for elderly parents, and managing their own care while aging to name a few,” Gunkel shared. At Syverson Strege, we’re proud to bring these insights to help our clients achieve their financial goals.