Client Care: Beyond Investing
Although our name is Rockbridge Investment Management, there are many services that we provide to our clients beyond managing investments. We wanted to share just a few of these additional skills with our clients. General Questions We are here for you as an ongoing resource for every financial question, big or small. Please ask! Retirement […]
Brexit Votes and Market Outcomes
Believe me, we get it. After yesterday’s Brexit referendum and its startling outcome, it’s hard to view today’s news without feeling your stomach twist over what in the world is going on. Whenever the markets scream bloody murder, your instincts deliver a sense of unrest ranging from discontent to desperation. Financial author Larry Swedroe has […]
Would You Rather Visit an Estate Attorney or a Dentist?
I will make the argument here: Most people would rather go to the dentist than get their estate documents (Living Will, Power of Attorney and Health Care Proxy) in order. Why? The dentist appointment usually only lasts an hour and does not require any preparation or thought in advance. In contrast, the estate planning process […]
A Look Into The Recent Social Security Changes
Last week, Congress passed their “Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015.” Among the typical budgetary items, there are a few alterations that will impact the Social Security benefit filing system. Anyone who turns 62 in 2016 or later will no longer be able to take advantage of the “file-and-suspend” strategy for the purpose of receiving spousal […]
Is Your Smartphone Making You a Not-So-Smart Investor?
In a recent WSJ article, they talk about the how smart phone “investment apps” are causing investors to react to short-term market swings and abandoning their long-term established financial plans. Behavioral economists call this tendency, “myopic loss aversion”- and it can be incredibly costly. Click on the link above to read the full article!
Changing Your Domicile from NYS
Would you stop being a fan of the Yankees, Mets, Giants, Jets, Bills or the Syracuse Orangemen and root for a team in Florida in order to save on your tax bill? It might help! Many New York State residents planning for retirement expect to maintain a residence in New York, but claim another state […]
Portfolio Versus Benchmark Returns
Measuring investment performance without a benchmark is like judging the results of a football game when you only know one team’s score. To get the real story, there must be a “measuring stick.” Obviously, in football you also need to know the opponent’s score. In the case of investment performance, results should be compared to […]
4 Steps to a Successful Retirement
Many investors nearing retirement are beginning to focus on life after work. Questions arise that can be difficult to answer, such as: How much savings is enough to retire? What sources of income will I have after I stop working? How do I construct a portfolio to fund spending goals? What will I do with […]
SURPRISES AT TAX TIME
As a volunteer tax preparer for the AARP, I often review tax statements from many different brokers and investment companies. The Income Tax preparation process always seems to identify examples of the value of working with a trusted investment advisor. Here are some examples from my experiences as a volunteer tax preparer for AARP from […]
Part 1: A Coach Can Take You Farther!
No matter how good a swimmer Michael Phelps was, he would have never reached his level of success without a patient and willing coach like Bob Bowman. The coach-athlete interaction, which includes accountability, camaraderie and hard work, pays off in all aspect of sports. No one would question that Syracuse University’s basketball success was in […]