Market Commentary – October 2016
Stock Markets It was a pretty good quarter for stocks, with the riskier small-cap and emerging market stocks leading the way. REIT’s gave back some of their robust returns of prior periods. The year-to-date numbers for stocks are solid as well. The riskier markets have done better this quarter, which is consistent with an increased […]
The Road to Retirement
Managing clients’ financial assets is at the heart of what we do here at Rockbridge. However, having a well thought out investment portfolio will only get you so far if every facet of your financial life is not addressed correctly or on time. Rockbridge is here to help you answer all these tough questions and […]
Can Index Funds Become Too Popular?
Once Upon a Time… When we started an investment advisory firm in 1991, it seemed obvious to Bob Ryan and me that structuring portfolios by focusing on asset allocation was superior to the stock picking culture of the day. The ability to implement the strategy with low-cost index funds was still a new innovation, and […]
Elections and the Stock Market
With less than a month to go before the Presidential election, many clients and friends have asked me how the markets will respond to the voters’ choice. While there will be no shortage of prognostications in the media, investors would be well served to avoid speculating. Trying to outguess the market is often a losing […]
New Step to Protecting Your Online Social Security Account
Back in August, the Social Security Administration added a new step in order to protect the privacy of those who use my Social Security, the online platform to view personal Social Security information. When you sign in at www.ssa.gov/myaccount, you will now be asked to add your text-enabled cell phone number. You will then receive a […]
Presidents, Politics and Your Portfolio: Thinking Beyond Stage One
It’s no surprise that this year’s U.S. presidential race has become a subject of conversation around the globe. In “Why Our Social Feeds are Full of Politics,” Canadian digital marketing executive Tara Hunt observes, “American politics, it seems, makes for high-intensity emotions far and wide.” The intensity will probably only increase as the November 8 […]
Before You Retire, Make a Leisure Plan with Purpose
We all know the importance of getting your finances in order and creating a financial plan when you are on the brink of retirement. However, creating a “leisure plan” can be just as important to a successful retirement. This recent USA Today article discusses the significance of planning how you may want to spend your […]
Market Commentary July 2016
Stock Markets Just look at the short-term variability in the various equity indices shown in the accompanying chart. It shows how markets behave through time – some markets are up substantially while others are down. Of course, this variability is reduced by holding a commitment to each, but it means periodically enduring down markets while […]
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 […]
Another Surprise – Yet Again!
The recent vote in Britain to exit the European Union is yet another reminder of how markets often react negatively to surprises. We cannot help but ask ourselves, “Is it different this time? Maybe this is the event that upends markets as we know them, and I would be stupid not to react!” As it […]