News & Views
July 25, 2021
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The “Dog Days of Summer”
The “dog days of summer” (the 40 days from July 3-August 11 when the sun occupies the same region of the sky as Sirius, a bright star that is part of the constellation Canis Major, the Greater Dog) are the perfect time to highlight the beloved pet dogs of Syverson Strege employees. Enjoy these sweet pictures of some of our employees’ best companions!
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Name: Coda
Breed: Maltipoo
Owner: Jerin Young
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Name: Zena and Pickles (under the chair)
Breed: Zena is a Mastador which is a cross between a Labrador and Mastiff, and Pickles is a long-haired Dachshund
Owner: David Strege
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Name: Jaxon
Breed: Shih Tzu
Owner: Deb Longseth
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Name: Kirby
Breed: Bernedoodle
Owner: Tim Roemmich
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Name: Franklin
Breed: Yorkshire Terrier
Owner: Megan Geary
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Name: Winston
Breed: Golden Retriever
Owner: TC Conley
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Name: Lambeau
Breed: Miniature Goldendoodle
Owner: Ben Geiger
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Name: Anna
Breed: Jack Russell Terrier
Owner: Jason Gunkel
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Lunch n' Learn
Syverson Strege offers its employees opportunities several times throughout the year to attend Lunch n’ Learn sessions at the office. Employees spend their lunch hours learning about a variety of topics. Our July Lunch ‘n Learn featured a representative, Jen Cross, from the Great Outdoors Foundation. She gave specific info on the Central Iowa Water Trails project.
Based in Des Moines, Iowa, the Great Outdoors Foundation is a regional conservation leader and a catalyst for high impact environmental projects. Their priority initiatives expand and restore natural spaces, foster outdoor recreation, promote conservation, and build passion for nature.
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An Important Message on Syverson Strege’s Cybersecurity
By Matt Roberts, MFM, CFP®, CAP®, Chief Planning Officer
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Did you know that a business falls victim to ransomware every 14 seconds according to Cybercrime Magazine, and that global ransomware damage costs are predicted to reach $20 billion by the end of 2021?
With all the cybersecurity breaches in the news lately, it is important for you to know the steps that Syverson Strege takes to ensure your information is secure. Here are a few critical security measures we have in place:
- We require passwords to be updated every 90 days for all employees.
- For software that contains sensitive information, we require Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). This means that in addition to a password, it is required to get a unique code sent via text to gain access to the system.
- We use email encryption to send sensitive information to you and your professional team (accountants, attorneys, insurance agents, etc.). If you see an email that references “Zix,” that means it has been sent securely.
- Our network and server are protected by using a firewall, Virtual Private Network (VPN), and the latest security software. In addition, we hire an IT consultant to do an annual security audit to expose and fix any system vulnerabilities.
- We will not act on any email requests to trade or make distributions from your accounts. If we receive an email request, we will follow up with a call to verify your request.
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Our most critical partner, TD Ameritrade, takes many steps to ensure your assets are safe and secure. Click here to view their security procedures.
We feel we are doing everything we can to ensure the safety of your information. It is also important that you take similar steps to protect your personal data. Be on the lookout for more information in the coming months about how to ensure you are protected online.
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A New Milestone - 500 Clients |
Thanks to you and all the clients you have referred to us, Syverson Strege has reached a new milestone…500 clients! The Syverson Strege team gathered after hours at Gilroy’s Kitchen Pub & Patio in West Des Moines to commemorate this moment in Syverson Strege’s history.
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Save the date for the long-awaited Shred-It event and mark your calendar for September 22-24!
For new clients who have not heard about our Shred-It event, it’s a service we provide as a way to help you keep your information private, secure, and confidential. The shredding service is provided to safely and effectively destroy your unwanted or unneeded documents.
Take advantage of this great added-value service by stopping by our office on September 22-24 from 9AM-3PM each day to get rid of documents that have piled up during the pandemic. We’ll have refreshments too!
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Mark your calendars and SAVE THE DATE for our Client Appreciation Event on September 9 from 2:00-5:00 PM at the Raccoon River Park Nature Lodge in West Des Moines, Iowa.
Join us for an afternoon of fun, activities, ice cream, and appreciation for you, our clients! Come and go as your schedule allows.
More details and an invitation will be coming your way. We hope to see you there!
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Financial Foundations…financial coaching for the next generation.
We’re offering two free courses for 25 of your children and/or grandchildren ages 20-40. They will learn about the purpose of money, spending, investing, savings, income taxes, insurance, estate planning, and charitable giving.
Registration is closed, but we will make sure to report on how the event goes on August 5 and 12.
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What is Educate to Give?
Educate to Give is a two-part gift of education from a nonprofit to its donors that teaches effective philanthropic, planned giving, and tax-avoidance strategies. A nonprofit hires Syverson Strege to make an educational presentation at a meeting with their donors about a variety of charitable giving tools.
What are the goals of Educate to Give?
- Educate donors on effective philanthropic and tax-avoidance strategies
- Multiply results of a nonprofit’s planned giving program
- Engage major donors at a higher level without requiring additional monetary gifts
- Create planned giving conversations that lead to more legacy gifts
- Provide a pathway for endowment funding
- Allow nonprofits to cost effectively mine their donor base, attract new donors, and re-energize donors
If you are on the board of a nonprofit and have more questions about how this could benefit your organization, call Julie Summa at 515-669-9000.
Click here to learn more about Educate to Give.
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*********Client Contest Alert********* |
Syverson Strege is blessed that all of our financial planners and the majority of our associate financial planners have one or more credentials. Each credential represents a dedicated effort of studying for exams and/or attending classes to achieve the level of knowledge required to achieve the designation.
Eleven of our employees have one or more of the following credentials:
CFP® - CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner
CFA® - Chartered Financial Analyst
CAP® - Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy
CEPA® - Certified Exit Planning Advisor
CASL® - Chartered Advisor for Senior Living
AEP® - Accredited Estate Planner
CKA® - Certified Kingdom Advisor
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Contest
Guess the total number of collective hours that 11 of our credentialed employees studied or attended classes to receive their various credentials and designations. The three closest guesses will receive a Syverson Strege journal!
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Earlier this year, Syverson Strege introduced the new FIT Video Series…Financial Instruction and Teaching designed to help provide peace of mind and clarity on a variety of financial planning and investment topics. Here are two new videos we released this past month. |
Retirement Plan Options
Are you saving enough for retirement? What kind of retirement plan is best for you? Only slightly more than half of workers aged 25-64 have an employer-sponsored retirement plan according to the IRS. Watch Jason and Lance help clear up any confusion you might have and learn about solutions for your retirement plan.
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Cash Flow
What do you value in life? How does that relate to your spending habits? Watch Matt and Jennifer break it down in this FIT video on cash flow and budgeting.
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To see all of ten of our FIT videos, click here.
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Community Involvement/Philanthropy |
The mission of the Y is to put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind, and body for all.
The Y is the leading nonprofit committed to strengthening community by connecting people to their potential, purpose, and each other. With seven locations, the YMCA of Greater Des Moines provides spaces to play, to learn, to be healthy, to eat well, and to give back. Everything the Y does is in service of making sure people and communities thrive.
Watch their short video to learn about local youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility programs offering care and support to Iowans.
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If you’d like to donate, click here.
To view previous nonprofits highlighted in Charity Discovery, click here.
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Employee Outing
The Syverson Strege staff experienced a team-building afternoon at Smash Park in West Des Moines complete with lunch, pickleball tournament, cornhole competition, giant Jenga, and fellowship. Jason Gunkel and TC Conley were the doubles champions of the pickleball tournament!
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Senior Financial Planner and Cofounder David Strege attended a PIMCO webcast entitled “A Fireside Chat - The Biden Tax Plan and Implications for RIAs.” PIMCO manages investments in many asset classes such as fixed income, equities, commodities, asset allocation, ETFs, hedge funds, and private equity. |
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In case you missed the 2nd Quarter Newsletter, click here. Find out Lance Gunkel’s perspective on the 2021 Olympics, paused plans, and new adventures along with Jerin Young’s inside look at the day in the life of an associate financial planner. Also featured is a guest blog article from our friend Rena Striegel, president of Transition Point Business Advisors.
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Q2 Market Update Video
Why has the 2nd quarter economy been so strong? Jason Gunkel explains in the 2nd Quarter Market Update video. You’ll learn about:
- inflation concerns and why it’s not like the 1970s
- the cause of rapid national and global economic growth
- the performance of growth vs. value stocks
- how much the S&P 500 index is up for the quarter and year
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