The Tradeoff: Preserving Capital or Preserving Purchasing Power
Many aspects of life require careful consideration and balancing of the tradeoffs that arise from competing demands. For example, a common lifestyle tradeoff is working longer hours versus spending more time with your family. The competing demands within this decision are the income necessary to provide a suitable quality of life for your family versus the immeasurable […]
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 […]
Lessons From 2011
ONE– Stock market returns are seldom what we expect. The S&P 500 index was up 2% for the year, after being up 8% at the end of April and down 12% at the beginning of October. Large stocks did better (Dow up 7%); small stocks did worse (Russell 2000 down 4%); and international stocks did […]
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, […]
Planning for Medicare – Part Deux
The new 2012 Medicare & You booklets have been mailed and Medicare eligibles are receiving mailings from insurers daily about their products. This booklet contains over 150 pages of details about Medicare and the related Medigap and Medicare Advantage plans. Here are some of the key things to consider when choosing coverage for 2012: Medicare […]
Social Security and Medicare Decisions on the Horizon for Baby Boomers
Two of the biggest concerns for aging baby boomers are longevity risk (i.e., not outliving your money) and rising healthcare costs. Social Security and Medicare are programs that we all pay into and expect to partially address these concerns. Social Security is often a cornerstone of a well thought-out retirement plan. It is adjusted for […]
Five Reasons You Should Not Panic in the Face of Market Volatility
1. It is not really “different this time.” Vanguard, in a recent study entitled “Stock Market Volatility: Extraordinary or ‘Ordinary’?”, concludes that recent volatility appears extraordinary compared to the relative calm of the markets in 2010, but is in fact “ordinary” when compared to similar periods characterized by major global macro events – they cite […]