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 […]
Are You A Casually Competent Investor?
Steven Grey and Advisor Propsectives recently published a stellar article titled “The Myth of the Casually Competent Investor”. Not only was he spot on with his analysis, he gave some great analogies about how everyone considers themselves qualified to beat the market. A small snippet of the article shows two great examples of how silly […]
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, […]
Market Commentary- April 2013
Market Commentary Stocks wrapped up a stellar first quarter with the S&P 500 finishing at an all-time high, besting its last high in October 2007. For the quarter, large-cap stocks (represented by the S&P 500) were up 10.6%. Small-cap stocks also did quite well, returning 12.4% in the first quarter. International markets had a positive […]
The Million Dollar Question: Pension Lump-Sum or an Annuity?
If you are fortunate enough to have a defined benefits pension plan at work, you may have a very important upcoming decision to make. The task of deciding between a lifetime monthly payment or a 7 figure one-time payment can be daunting, To compound the complexities, there are various different annuity options factoring in […]
A Decade Lost?
The holiday season is a great time to see friends of old who are back in town and catch up with family you don’t get to see as often as you would like. While getting caught up on each other’s lives, and amidst the small talk, most people these days bring up their dissatisfaction with […]
2011 Review and 2012 Plans
Over the holidays, many of our clients and friends asked how business is going. I thought it would be a good time to provide an update on Rockbridge Investment Management and what we are looking forward to in the New Year. Financial Results As a firm, Rockbridge continues to grow steadily. Over the past two […]
Medicare: How do I evaluate additional coverage?
Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement, Medigap. Let’s get specific about which coverage to choose. Medical insurance is not like any other insurance you have. Some common insurances, like home owners and auto, may be required by lenders and or state authorities, but you hope you never have to use it. You really have little choice on […]
Schwab Index Fund Changes
Many of our clients will be receiving a notice from Charles Schwab regarding a recent change in investment policy for two funds that we use in portfolios. The Schwab Small Cap Index Fund (SWSSX) and the Schwab International Index Fund (SWISX) are affected. Here is the communication from Schwab to advisors: We want to make […]
Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff . . . Well Maybe Sometimes
In the world we live in today, we are constantly reminded not to sweat the small stuff. We are told to not let the little things get in the way of living our lives and pursuing our dreams! That is so true and why we shouldn’t worry about the gossip being spread around at work, […]