Walt Mozdzer
CFP®, CAP®, CEPA
Foster Group
Lead Financial Advisor
Walt Mozdzer
CFP®, CAP®, CEPA
Foster Group
Lead Financial Advisor
I am a financial planner and investment advisor in West Des Moines, Iowa. I speak clearly and concisely on subjects like cash management, retirement planning, tax planning, estate planning, and more. With over 20 years in the business, you can rely on sound, time-tested advice without any of the normal strings attached. - Walt Mozdzer, CFP®, CAP®, CEPA
Fee-Only financial planner located in West Des Moines, IA, serving clients locally and across the country

Since Foster Group's founding in 1989, it's been our fiduciary responsibility that lets you know you're truly cared for. As an independent, fee-only firm with an integrated approach to financial planning and investment management, we work hard so you can rest easy. Straightforward, evidence-based financial solutions form the foundation of your ongoing success.
Walt Mozdzer joined Foster Group in February 2018, and is a Lead Advisor. Before joining Foster Group, he spent 18 years as a Senior Financial Planner. During the 1990’s, Walt worked in accounting and the retirement plan industry, gaining experience with investments and administration.
Walt graduated from Duke University in 1987, with a degree in Political Science and then spent four years in San Diego as a commissioned Navy Officer. There, he deployed to the Indian Ocean on two ships, first as Communications Officer and later as the ship’s Navigator.
Walt became a Certified Financial PlannerTM in 2001, and a member of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) in 2005. He is also a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP) which allows him to help people achieve their financial, estate, and charitable giving goals simultaneously. Walt is also a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) which focuses on helping business owners maximize the value of their business--likely their largest asset. In serving the community, he has held leadership roles in a local Toastmasters Club and Rotary Club.
Personal
I grew up in Boca Raton, Florida, in a family that emphasized education. My dad was a beneficiary of the GI Bill following WWII, and he wanted a better life for his two boys. Consequently, my parents sacrificed their lifestyle to put my brother and me through parochial schools for grades 1-12.
I have always tried to do the right thing for others, particularly clients, and that’s what drew me to Foster Group. The culture here is one of empowerment and enlightenment. I love the problem-solving aspects of financial planning and knowing I can make an impact on others, hopefully to drive better decisions and stronger outcomes.
My wife, Janna, and I live in Altoona, with our collie, parrots, and other animals too varied and numerous to mention. An ideal Saturday at home includes a small home or yard improvement project, prepping a great meal, walking my dog, and settling in for a good movie or some pre-recorded binge TV.
I have a tight circle of friends, avoid snap decisions, love learning new things, and believe that presenting yourself well begins with a strong sense of identity and an ability to articulate. I enjoy writing and actively seek ways to improve. I appreciate well-executed alliteration and my favorite word is ‘onomatopoeia’ for obvious reasons.
Walt Mozdzer is a Member of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors

The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) is a leading professional association of Fee-Only financial advisors - highly trained professionals who are committed to working in the best interests of those they serve.
NAPFA members live by three important values:
- To be the beacon for independent, objective financial advice for individuals and families.
- To be the champion of financial services delivered in the public interest.
- To be the standard bearer for the emerging profession of financial planning.
Since 1989, the team at Foster Group has been committed to helping you feel Truly Cared For®. Spanning our ownership over 3 generations of employees to help ensure relationship continuity is just the start. Being an SEC-regulated fiduciary and our belief in fee-only compensation structures with our clients also ensures that we put your best interests first.
We believe in clients having full-access to the collective abilities of all our team members, rather than being served by just a single advisor. And, perhaps most importantly, we are committed to going beyond the portfolio, to understand the hearts and purposes of our clients.
We display our values-driven approach not just in what we say, but in how we serve our clients, our communities, and our fellow team members. By advancing our advice with science and getting the right people in the right positions, we are in constant pursuit of a better client experience.
We offer clients a full complement of financial services, including investment management for individuals and institutions, qualified retirement plan consulting and design, and advanced financial planning services.
We invite you to enter into a conversation, into our world of expertise, and into a long-lasting relationship in which we do everything within our power to live up to our promises.
Fee-Only, Fiduciary, Independent: Three Important Criteria to Consider When Choosing a Financial Advisor.
Specialties
- Comprehensive Financial Planning
- Retirement Income Planning
- Investment Management
- College Education Planning
- Tax Planning
Ideal Clients
- Retirees and Near Retirees
- Growing Families
- Business Owners and Executives
- Doctors, Dentists, and Healthcare Professionals
- Accounts, Attorneys and Legal Professionals
Working Together
- In-Office Meetings
- Virtual Meetings
- Clearly Defined Fees
- No Product Sales
- Complimentary Initial Consultation
Professional Designations & Affiliations
-
Walt Mozdzer is a NAPFA-Registered Financial Advisor
The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) is a leading professional association of Fee-Only financial advisors—highly trained professionals who are committed to working in the best interests of those they serve.
-
Walt Mozdzer is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional - Click for Verification
CFP® professionals are held to strict ethical standards to ensure financial planning recommendations are in your best interest. What’s more, a CFP® professional must acquire several years of experience related to delivering financial planning services to clients and pass the comprehensive CFP® Certification Exam before they can use the CFP® designation.
-
Walt Mozdzer is a Certified Exit Planning Advisor® (CEPA®)
The Certified Exit Planning Advisor® (CEPA®) designation is obtained by financial professionals upon completion of a five-day in-person credentialing program. Advisors who earn this credential are specially trained to help business owners create an exit plan for selling their company for maximum benefit. The CEPA Program integrates exit strategy into business, personal, and financial goals of the business owner. Using this holistic approach, Certified Exit Planning Advisors® guide business owners to decide when’s the best time to sell their business and how to minimize taxes from the sale.
-
Walt Mozdzer Holds the Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy® (CAP®) Designation
The Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy® (CAP®) provides qualified financial professionals with the knowledge and tools needed to help clients articulate and advance their highest aspirations for self, family, and society. CAP® holders are part of a growing network of top planners who are working to make our towns and cities better places to live for generations to come.
-
Walt Mozdzer is a member of The Financial Planning Association® (FPA®)
FPA® is the largest membership organization for CFP® professionals in the U.S. and supports high standards of professional competence, ethical conduct, and clear, complete disclosure when serving clients.
-
Foster Group has earned the Centre for Fiduciary Excellence (CEFEX) Investment Advisor certification.
The independent CEFEX Investment Advisor certification demonstrates adherence to a best-practice standard.
CEFEX advisory firms adhere to the Global Fiduciary Standard of Excellence. This means they act in the best interest of investors. This is in contrast with a firm that lacks a fiduciary process. The fiduciary standard offers a consistency of interpretation and implementation, which facilitates the transfer of knowledge between the advisor, clients, vendors and regulators.
The objective is simple: to protect investors.
-
Foster Group is a Member Firm of the Zero Alpha Group (ZAG)
-
Walt Mozdzer Writes for FiGuide
-
Walt Mozdzer is a Member of the FPA of Iowa
-
Walt Mozdzer is Contributes to Financial Advisor Magazine
-
Foster Group Named to Best Financial Advisors in Iowa 2019 List by AdvisoryHQ
-
Foster Group Earns Spot on Financial Times 300 list: the top US registered investment advisers in 2019
-
Foster Group was Voted “Best Wealth Management Company” in the Business Record’s 2019 Best of Des Moines Survey
-
Compreshensive Listing of Awards and Recognitions Earned by Foster Group
-
Walt Mozdzer is Quoted on Credit.com: "How to Budget for Obamacare"
-
Walt Mozdzer is Quoted in the Progressive Farmer: "Senior Partners: Give and You Shall Receive"
-
Walt Mozdzer is Quoted in Financial Planning Magazine: "Software Tools for Sophisticated Charitable Planning"
-
Walt Mozdzer is Quoted on Human Good: "Understanding the Costs of Moving Mom In With You"
-
Walt Mozdzer Presents a Webinar: Retirement Planning Through a Crisis through Midland University
-
Walt Mozdzer is Quoted in the Wall Street Journal: "Balancing Do-Good Desire, Need for Income"
Contact Walt Mozdzer
Office Locations:
-
6601 Westown Parkway
Suite 100
West Des Moines, IA 50266 -
8901 Indian Hills Drive
Suite 300A
Omaha, NE 68114