Are You Prepared? New York State Estate Tax
Now that we are halfway through 2013 and the federal estate tax debate is far behind us, it is a good time to remember that as New York State residents, we are still subject to the state estate tax. A common phrase is, “Estate tax, I’m not wealthy enough to have to worry about that!” […]
Auto Insurance: When Was The Last Time You Got A New Quote?
This is a topic that has been relevant in my life and also a recently asked question by a family member. Am I paying too much for auto insurance? If you haven’t received a new quote online recently, the answer is probably YES. When I moved down to Texas, I found out auto insurance rates […]
Golf and Investing
I know this might be hard to imagine for most of us golfers, but which of the following scenarios would you rather choose: 1. Shooting par every time you go out and play a round of golf. 2. Shooting below par 25% of the time you play and failing to reach par the remaining 75% […]
How Bad Was This Quarter for Bond Investors?
The benchmark bond index that we follow, Barclays U.S. Government/Credit Index, lost 2.5%, the worst quarter since 1994. In fact the quarterly result has only been worse 8 times in the past 40+ years (162 quarters). The Barclays U.S. TIPS Index had its worst quarter ever losing 7.1% (data only goes back to 1997). Markets […]
A Dozen Benefits of Financial Planners
Recently, I read a blog article by a Bob Seawright titled, “Financial Advice: A Top Ten List”. The article describes how financial planners provide clients with a far greater benefit than just investment returns. Bob provided an excellent list of ancillary benefits. His list is spot-on and a worthy read by anyone considering a financial […]
Control Costs: They Matter!
You get what you pay for, right? Actually, when it comes to investing, it’s what you don’t pay for that really counts. Vanguard’s latest ad’s have all revolved around “at-cost” investing for this very reason. Check out the link below where Vanguard explains “at-cost” investing and how it can help investors reach financial success over time. Vanguard’s At-Cost […]
Home Buying Season – What You Should Know!
At Rockbridge, we take a holistic approach to personal wealth, and home buying is the single biggest transaction most of us will ever make. We have simplified the process through an easy to understand white paper on what to expect when purchasing or refinancing a home. The paper provides valuable information on the major considerations and […]
Gambling with Retirement? It’s Time You Take Control!
Over the years there has been a shift of burden in retirement savings from the employer to the employee. The era of company pension plans is fading, leaving Americans on their own to save for retirement; primarily through company-sponsored 401(k) plans. Frontline recently aired The Retirement Gamble, where it highlights some of the downfalls of […]
Hindsight is 20/20, But the Future is Unpredictable
How many times have you heard someone say, “In 2008 I knew the market was going to crash…” – or some similar statement of prescience? That would be an example of how hindsight creates an illusion of understanding, as described by psychologist Daniel Kahneman, who won a Nobel Prize in economics for his work […]
Market Madness
During this time of the year office brackets and friendly wagers are seen everywhere, luring in even the faintest of sports fans. This epidemic, also known as March Madness, has gotten ahold of everybody and is the craze of the nation for almost a full month! So besides edge of your seat excitement filled games, […]
