News & Views
August 25, 2021
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A Brownie Story
Here is a picture of our break room, complete with a pan of almost-finished brownies on the counter. The story behind this particular pan is that they were devoured in less than 24 hours!
This delicious pan of brownies, brought in by Tim Roemmich, Senior Associate Financial Planner, was made by his wife, Maribeth. Over the course of the nearly 18 years Tim has been an employee here, Maribeth has regularly supplied our team with all kinds of mouthwatering treats including her famous cinnamon rolls, chocolate chip cookies, and chocolate ice cream dessert. Thanks, Maribeth!
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Syverson Strege Employee Golf Outing
There’s nothing like a team-building outing on a beautiful August day at Willow Creek golf course! Syverson Strege employees used their wide variety of skill levels and had a fantastic time!
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Recap of Financial Foundations |
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Syverson Strege’s first-ever Financial Foundations courses are complete. 25 young adults (children and grandchildren of clients), attended. Eager to be coached on finances, they learned about the purpose of money, spending, investing, savings, income taxes, insurance, estate planning, and charitable giving.
Cofounder David Strege, Chief Planning Officer Matt Roberts, Associate Planners Jennifer Scheck and Jerin Young, all did a great job of presenting the material and coaching the students.
When discussing the purpose of money, one student said, “My parents valued experiences over things, which I try to do as well.” With attitudes like that, we think these young people are primed for success not only in finances, but in all areas of their lives.
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Client Appreciation Event |
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The Client Appreciation Event is 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, prizes, and appreciation for you, our clients! Come and go as your schedule allows.
Masks will be available (but not required). The venue provides both outside and inside gathering areas to accommodate your comfort and safety.
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Next month is the long-awaited Shred-It event, so 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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Game for Good - You are Invited! |
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You and your family are invited to join the Syverson Strege team for the “Game for Good” where Central Iowa players and celebrities compete in a charity slow-pitch softball game to support Can Play Sports youth development, mentorship, health, and community building through athletics.
Adam Steen, former employee and former professional baseball player, will represent Syverson Strege in the Game for Good. Admission is free so just show up and join us!
Free Admission | Family-friendly Activities | Silent Auction | Ballpark Food
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Client Orientation Workshop
We are offering an in-person (and virtual) Client Orientation Workshop for new and established clients. The workshop will be held at the Syverson Strege office or via Zoom on Thursday, September 23 at 1:30 PM.
The workshop will cover the following areas:
- How to read your statements
- Tax forms
- Client portal/online access
- APS (Annual Planning Session) process
- Recordkeeping/shredding documents
- Handling charitable gifts from your IRA
If you come in-person, please bring your devices so you can practice logging in to your client portal. If you join virtually, you will have ample opportunity to ask questions and interact with the financial planners.
Click here to register for the Thursday, September 23 workshop at 1:30 PM.
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*********Client Contest Results********* |
6310 hours (262.9 days)!!!
That’s the number of collective hours (days) that 11 of our credentialed employees studied or attended classes to receive their various credentials and designations.
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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 is a video we released this past month. |
Collaborative Team
Chief Planning Officer Matt Roberts explains how collaboration with a team can help clients with their financial strategies.
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To see all of ten of our FIT videos, click here.
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Community Involvement/Philanthropy |
Charity Discovery
Their mission statement is “to provide food for Iowa children, families, and seniors to lead full and active lives, strengthening the communities where they live.” Their vision is a hunger-free Iowa.
The Food Bank of Iowa gathers and distributes nutritious food, builds partnerships with community organizations, and tells the story of food insecurity. They have built a system that provides vital food to pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, schools, and others. They strive each day to ensure that no child, senior, or family in Iowa has to struggle to find food.
Watch their short video to learn about the programs offering hunger relief 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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Military Tribute Concert
Our Director of Finance and Administration, Meri Grogan, is on the board of the Military Tribute Concert and has been actively volunteering, along with Deb Longseth, to prepare for the Iowa State Fair concert.
The Military Tribute Concert is organized for the purpose to honor all who have served in the United States military through music, fellowship, and recognition as well as supporting military members and their families through fundraising and community awareness. To learn more, click here.
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FPA of Iowa Golf Outing
Syverson Strege was well represented at the Financial Planning Association of Iowa golf outing on August 16 at Hyperion Field Club! Financial Planner Tyler Conley was the former president of FPA of Iowa.
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Book Lover's Day/Operation Paperback
To recognize Book Lovers Day (August 9), Syverson Strege employees bought and/or donated gently used books to send to military personnel--domestic and overseas--through a partnership with Operation Paperback.
Operation Paperback is a national, non-profit organization, whose volunteers collect gently-used books and send them to American troops overseas, as well as veterans and military families here at home. It was a privilege to show support to our troops!
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Chief Planning Officer Matt Roberts will be a featured instructor at a workshop called The DIRTT Project Live! on December 1-3 in West Des Moines. Syverson Strege is also a corporate sponsor for the event.
The DIRTT Project LIVE! is a hands-on intensive workshop taught by professionals in farm succession planning. It was created by our friend and colleague, Rena Striegel, president of Transition Point Business Advisors.
The DIRTT Project Live! is a program for families who own and operate farms, ranches, and agribusinesses in transition. Transitioning owners and their successors will receive guidance whether they are just beginning to think about succession planning or have already begun and need support.
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Syverson Strege employees will be off for observance of Labor Day on Monday, September 6, and resume work on Tuesday, September 7. |
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What’s the difference between net worth and net wealth? Associate Financial Planner Lance Knaack explains in our new Finance Moment mini-podcast.
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Articles
In case you missed these articles on social media...
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Death…it’s something that no one wants, but everyone experiences. Find out how the death of a client affects our team emotionally and what happens once we learn the news of his or her passing.
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Do you want to save taxes? To save for your child’s education? Read this article to learn more about the tax savings of a College Savings Iowa 529 Plan.
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Have you or someone you know received a check from the IRS in July? It might be for a child tax credit, which can be a complicated issue due to income limits. Read this article for an explanation of the credit, an online calculator, and info to help eliminate surprises when you file your 2021 taxes.
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To read our August market update article, click here.
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