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The 5-year Countdown to Retirement

By Claire Kobylanski|2018-08-16T19:04:38+00:00August 16th, 2018|All, Retirement|

While you should think about retirement planning as early as possible, the five years leading up to retirement are critical. If you believe you are 5 years or less away from retirement, now is the time to seriously take a look at your finances and get a plan in place. The New York Times recently shared an article called “Countdown to Retirement: A Five Year Plan.” The article provides a list of key items you should be concentrating on in […]

Market Commentary – July 2018

By Robert Ryan|2018-07-24T18:19:22+00:00July 24th, 2018|All, Investing, News|

Stock Markets Returns from various stock market indices over several periods ending June 30, 2018 are shown to the right. Here are a few highlights: Domestic stocks continue to lead the way. REITs were up nicely for the quarter, but non-domestic stocks were down. Due to political turmoil and the specter of a trade war, stocks traded in developed international markets are reflecting uncertainty. Emerging markets gave back much of their positive result of recent periods. This is driven by […]

The Least Prepared in Decades

By Craig Buckhout|2018-07-18T18:24:34+00:00July 18th, 2018|All, Retirement|

A recent headline in the Wall Street Journal declared, “A Generation of Americans Is Entering Old Age the Least Prepared in Decades.” The article starts out by stating, “Americans are reaching retirement age in worse financial shape than the prior generation, for the first time since Harry Truman was president.” It is a familiar story with some updated, and alarming, statistics. Consider the following statements from the article: In total, more than 40% of households headed by people aged 55 […]

Investment Committee Thoughts from Friday 4/27/18

By Ethan Gilbert|2018-05-08T19:39:46+00:00May 8th, 2018|All, Investing, Investment Committee|

Last week, we introduced you to our weekly Investment Committee meetings. When we met for class on 4/27/18, we began our discussion on the subject of an “optimal portfolio.” The centerpiece of investment management is portfolio construction. Alongside financial planning, the manner in which one’s money is invested is critical to meeting one’s financial goals. Before attempting to construct the best portfolio possible, it is important to identify some core beliefs when it comes to investing. There are many, but […]

Investment Committee Thoughts from Friday 4/20/18

By David Carroll|2018-05-04T15:31:42+00:00May 4th, 2018|All, Investing, Investment Committee|

Introduction People from all across the world look forward to Friday. Friday marks the end of a (usually long) work week and the start of what is supposed to be a relaxing weekend. At Rockbridge, we look forward to Friday’s, particularly Friday mornings, for a different reason. Friday mornings have become a tradition, some say a “tradition unlike any other” (not the masters), where great minds (some) sit around our conference room table and discuss the core principles of our […]

Market Commentary – April 2018

By Robert Ryan|2018-04-23T18:54:41+00:00April 23rd, 2018|All, Investing, News|

Stock Markets Returns from various stock market indices over several periods ending March 31, 2018 are shown to the right. Here are a few highlights: While not observed in these graphs, volatility seems to have come back, which is normally how stock markets work. Except for emerging markets, stocks were down over the past quarter – REITs continue to lag. Even with the off quarter (with the exception of REITs), stocks were up nicely over the past twelve months. Note […]

Tax Scams: What to Look For and How to Avoid Them

By Mike Antonacci|2018-04-19T21:06:16+00:00April 19th, 2018|All, News|

As another tax season comes to a close, we wanted to draw attention to a number of scams and schemes to defraud unsuspecting taxpayers. We think it is important that our clients be aware of how these scams work, and what precautions you can take to protect yourself. How the Scams Work: One popular method for defrauding taxpayers is to steal their identity using “phishing” techniques, or malware to obtain their victim’s personal information. Phishing scams use fake emails or […]

The Value of a Financial Plan

By Ethan Gilbert|2018-04-17T13:23:55+00:00April 17th, 2018|All, Family Finances, Investing, Retirement|

It’s common for investors to feel nervous when looking at investments by themselves. Are you saving enough? Are you saving in the right place? Are you holding the right mix of investments? Should you own individual stocks or funds? Are you paying too much in fees? What are you actually paying in fees? For the average investor, this is enough uncertainty to make someone feel uncomfortable, and this isn’t even the whole picture. Dealing with a pension can seem daunting […]

Tuning Out the Noise

By Rockbridge Team|2018-04-06T14:31:14+00:00April 6th, 2018|All, Investing|

The markets have seen several ups and downs over the years, but remember – Volatility is normal. At Rockbridge, we believe financial advisors play a vital role in helping you understand what you can control while providing expertise, perspective and encouragement to keep you focused on your long-term goal. We are here to help you tune out the noise. Check out this insightful video that our friends at Dimensional Funds Advisors put together!

Understanding Your Heirs and Knowing Your Beneficiaries

By Kevin Sullivan|2018-03-20T13:26:39+00:00March 20th, 2018|All, Family Finances|

Estate planning has often had an air of mystery to some people. The terms used and bantered about by lawyers or planning professionals are not words we use in everyday conversations. Do you have heirs? Answer: No you don’t – it is a trick question. If you are reading this article, it’s presumed you are alive and breathing. So, only individuals who have died have heirs … but only if they don’t have a last will. Confused? You are not […]