The certain uncertainty of tax legislation

Tax planning is all about identifying opportunities that arise because of changes to a person’s tax situation from one year to the next. Many people think they do not need to consider tax planning because the information on their tax return does not change much year-to-year. Since the end of 2017, at least six new […]
The American rescue plan act of 2021: understanding the 2021 recovery rebate stimulus payments

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 is now a done deal. Among the items of greatest interest to most Americans is a third round of stimulus checks – or IRS “recovery rebates” – of up to $1,400 for every “eligible individual.” That’s the quick take. But what’s the fine print? How Much Will You […]
Lockheed Martin 401(k) plan fund changes

Lockheed Martin announced a change to their current 401(k) plan lineup. Aside from some funds being renamed, the major changes are: Retiring the Global Real Estate Fund. This eliminates exposure to REIT’s in the plan unless you invest in a Target Date Fund Retiring the Emerging Markets Indexed Equity Fun. This change eliminates exposure to […]
Paycheck protection flexibility act

The Senate just approved the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act. The Bill, which was passed by the House on May 28th, will ease many of the restrictions on how businesses must use PPP funds in order to have their loan forgiven. In addition to extending the deadline to apply for a PPP loan from June 30th […]
You, your investments, and the coronavirus

Although we believe it is reasonable to say that few of us know much (if anything at all) about the Coronavirus, it has quickly grabbed global headlines. As the viral news has spread, so too has financial uncertainty. What’s going to happen next? Will it infect our economy? So far, U.S. markets have remained relatively […]
Changes to retirement rules – implications of the SECURE Act

The SECURE Act was passed last month as part of a larger government spending bill. The new law is wide ranging, affecting retirees, heirs, those with 401(k)s, and 529 holders. The following are the most impactful sections of the new law. New Rules on Inherited IRAs IRAs inherited from people who die after 1/1/2020 can […]
Rockbridge names Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

You may spot the good news in the press sometime soon, but we wanted you to be among the first to hear it, straight from us! Please join us in congratulating Patrick Rohe, CFP® as we name him Chief Executive Officer of Rockbridge Investment Management. Why the change? It’s an opportunity to recognize Patrick for […]
The market fools experts yet again (an interest rate story)

In the last year, interest rates have fallen dramatically. At the end of the 3rd quarter in 2018, the yield on a 10-year note from the U.S. Government was 3.05% and today it stands at 1.68%. This decline in interest rates is unusual, but not unprecedented. Given the vast resources of the world’s largest money […]
Market commentary – october 2019

Stock Markets It was generally an off quarter for stocks, except for Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs). The year-to-date numbers look good. Recent periods show variability among individual markets as well as within various time periods – REITs continue to do well, no doubt reflecting declining interest rates. One theme running throughout the past ten […]
Recessions and investing

The word “recession” makes investors feel uneasy and with good reason; the correlation between a bear market and an economic recession is very high. For anyone with money in the stock market, especially those nearing retirement, this can be scary. The “r” word has been making headlines in recent months as investors worry about trade […]