Are you making charitable donations at year's end? If so, you should know about some of the financial "fine print" involved, as the right moves could potentially bring more of a benefit to both you and your chosen charity. Keep...
Read MoreSeptember marks a milestone for two original founding partners at RMR Wealth Builders, Edward Majtenyi and Douglas Roth. On September 7, 1983, Ed and Doug passed the Series 52 Exam, marking their entry into the wealth management...
Read MoreWhether it’s sports, music, or politics, life holds any number of “great debates”– debates that never seem to reach a conclusion. In investments, that great debate asks the question, “Active or Passive...
Read MoreDiversification, patience, and consistency are the key components when reviewing your investment strategy. Reviewing your investment strategy through scenario-based financial planning provides the guidance and clarity needed to make a...
Read MoreRMR Wealth Builders is proud to share that we have been recognized as one of the fastest-growing RIAs in the state of New Jersey by CityWire RIA's annual report, "50 Growers Across America". “RMR’s growth has accelerated...
Read MoreDowngrading U.S. Sovereign Debt Rating On August 1st, Fitch Ratings downgraded long-term sovereign U.S. debt to AA+ from AAA., citing an “expected fiscal deterioration over the next three years”. They also projected a mild...
Read MoreAccording to the Social Security Administration, a 20-year-old has more than a 25% chance of becoming disabled before reaching retirement age.1 Loss of income for such a duration has the potential to cause significant financial...
Read MoreThe cost of long-term care can vary greatly based on the exact services needed and the region where care is being provided. Some national averages, however, might be of interest. According to the Genworth Financial Cost of Care Survey...
Read MoreThe Federal ReserveHas the Federal Reserve finished raising interest rates? On June 14th, the Fed announced they were going to maintain rates as is, keeping the Federal Funds target rate at 5%-5.25%. Wall Street is calling the...
Read MoreWe have some exciting news to share. We are pleased to announce our newest team member, Dominick Lombardi!Dom has joined our growing firm as of June 20th , 2023 and will open a new branch office for RMR in Staten Island, NY. Dominick...
Read MoreWe have some exciting news to share. It’s with pleasure that we announce our newest team member, Sean Sokolowski! Sean has joined our growing firm as of June 20th, 2023 and will join us in our Montclair, NJ...
Read MoreIn a 2022 survey, 35% of all workers reported they were either “not too” or “not at all” confident that they would have enough money to pay for their medical expenses in retirement. Regardless of your confidence...
Read MoreIn a recent survey, 70% of current workers stated they plan to work for pay after retiring.1And that possibility raises an interesting question: how will working affect Social Security benefits?The answer to that question requires an...
Read MoreWe have some exciting news to share. It’s with pleasure that we announce the newest member of our team, Matthew McHale! Matthew has joined our growing firm as of June 1st, 2023, and will be working out of our Montclair...
Read MoreThe U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates the cost of raising a child to the age of 17 for a middle-income family will be about $285,000. That's approaching the median value of a new home in the U.S.1,2Forbes cited, in a 2020...
Read MoreAssess Life Insurance NeedsIf your family relies on your income, it’s critical to consider having enough life insurance to provide for them after you pass away. But too often, life insurance is an overlooked aspect of personal...
Read MoreAccording to industry experts, most people don't have enough life insurance. The American Council of Life Insurers recently reported that average coverage equals $183,780, which is equivalent to approximately 3.5 years in terms of...
Read MoreLife insurance is designed to help protect a household from the financial hardships that may follow the untimely death of a primary wage earner.But how will a death affect a small business?One way of safeguarding a business is to...
Read MoreLife insurance can be an effective tool for estate planning. It can help to provide for your loved ones after you pass away and ensure that they are taken care of financially.One of the main benefits of using life insurance for estate...
Read MoreIn the wake of the recent news about Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, questions about SIPC coverage have come up more frequently. At RMR, we pride ourselves on ensuring that our client’s assets are protected to the fullest...
Read MoreOnly one-third of adults have a will in place, which may not be entirely surprising. No one wants to be reminded of their mortality or spend too much time thinking about what might happen once they’re gone.1But a will is an...
Read MoreDo you have a will?A will enables you to specify to whom you want to inherit your property and other assets. A will also enable you to name a guardian for your minor children.Do you have healthcare documents in place?If you cannot make...
Read MoreRMR Wealth Builders, Inc. (“RMR”) officially announces that Ryan DeGrau has been named as its Chief Executive Officer effective January 2023. Ryan has been the acting Executive Vice President for the firm since 2017 and...
Read MoreHealthcare can be one of retirement's largest expenses. A Health Savings Account (HSA) provides a tax advantaged way to save for health care cost in retirement. You receive a tax deduction when you make the contribution, assets grow...
Read MoreTIPS TO BE PREPARED THIS TAX SEASONTax season can be stressful, and the deadline will be here before you know it. Here are a few tips to make the process easier:Start early: January 23rd was the official start of tax season....
Read MoreRetirement Contribution Limits for 2022With Tax Season in full swing, now is the opportunity to review your retirement accounts and ensure you’ve reached your contribution limits.For 2022, the contribution limit for traditional...
Read MoreRMR Wealth Builders Inc. is pleased to announce that our Director of Financial Planning, Tyler F. Whitehouse, CFP®, has been formally recognized by the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) as a Registered Player...
Read MoreNew Jersey’s 529 Plan Tax DeductionOne of the largest challenges when it comes to education planning is finding a way to appropriately save for future expenses. A 529 college saving plan can help. A 529 plan is a college savings...
Read MoreBudgetingA budget is a tool designed to track where your money goes. It is critical to understand how to reach goals. Using a budget, you can determine how income and assets are used to cover current expenses or fund a future goal. A...
Read MoreThe start of a new year is the perfect time to review and set goals. Whether it’s reducing debt, changing jobs, planning for retirement, or buying a new home, personal finances play a role in meeting your goals. A financial...
Read MoreDecember 27, 2022Secure Act 2.0, through bipartisan support, has passed and has been sent to President Biden’s desk for signature. The passage of this retirement legislation is aimed at expanding a workplace retirement...
Read MoreDecemberThe Stock MarketFinally, when things were beginning to look more favorable for the beaten-down stock market in 2022, Fed Chairman Powell pulled the rug out from underneath the recent stock rally, becoming the Grinch who...
Read MoreAs of October 21st, 2022, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released a notice informing the changes for the 2023 contribution limits. Some numbers to highlight are listed below:Personal Finance:Numerous positive changes are coming in...
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The Stock MarketHow bad has this year been? Awful is the only adjective to describe 2022. Data from Evercore ISI shows that 2022 is the only year on record in which the S&P 500 and the bond market have fallen 10% or more. So far in...
Read MoreHere at RMR Wealth Builders, we are excited about our recent Montclair Office expansion coming to completion. This is an exciting time for us as a company but also symbolic of the growth and potential for new things on the horizon. To...
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Entering the second half of 2022, the stock and bond outlook is quite uncertain. Questions abound: Are we going into recession? Are we already in one? Will the Fed continue to raise rates to slow down inflation? Will the Fed pause...
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Investors have seen equity markets reacting starkly negatively to the Fed’s belated inflation response. Much of this selling pressure is believed to be on the anticipation that the U.S. economy will slip into recession between...
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Not All Bear Markets are Recessions, Not All Recessions are CrisesIn our last piece, The Yield Curve’s April Fool’s Joke | RMR Wealth Builders, Inc., we explained how, despite an inversion of the 2Yr/10Yr yield curve (that...
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For Tier 2 & Tier 3 members of PFRS whose earnings are in excess of the social security wage base, which is $142,800 in 2021, in addition to your regular pension contributions, you also gain access to participate in The Defined...
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As a member of the PFRS, you make regular pension contributions. But there are other opportunities to supplement your retirement income and set aside money on a tax-deferred basis. The first option is the Deferred...
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Welcome to RMR Wealth Builders. We were founded by a group of financial advisors that banded together to create a firm with a culture of delivering quality service and advice through an approach focused on relationships. We stress a...
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NewCo, the sales and marketing subsidiary of a US corporation, was acquired by a foreign entity; the transaction resulted in the loss of domestic oversight of all US workforce management and administration functions. RMR was referred...
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For many Americans, the immediate financial concerns of today outweigh the distant needs of tomorrow. And few things could be truer for the 30-something, New Jersey married couple — Matt and Mary. Let's take a closer look at how...
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While growth stocks have significantly outperformed value stocks over the past decade, value stocks are currently outpacing growth stocks by their widest margin in over 20 years during the first two-and-a-half months of the year. As of...
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Citizens left New Jersey and New York in record numbers last year. According to a research report from The Tax Foundation, the top five states with the highest proportion of outbound migration were New Jersey, New York, Illinois,...
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RMR is excited to officially announce the upcoming move of our company’s headquarters. Since our inception 34 years ago, we have occupied the same office, located at the Glenpointe Centre in Teaneck, New Jersey. The memories...
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Alongside record low interest rates and an unprecedented pandemic induced national shutdown that decimated local and state government revenues, municipal bond issuance for the past year was the highest of all-time. Issuance surged...
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When the time comes to select your company’s group benefit plans, the options can seem overwhelming. Before you can choose the right health insurance plan for your employees, you’ll need to understand the differences...
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Junk bond yields have fallen to their lowest levels ever with the representative Bloomberg Barclays US Corporate High Yield Index sinking to a historical low of 4.56% on November 9th. While nominally remaining “high yield”...
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Over the past 45 years, the S&P 500 has produced average positive returns in 11 of 12 calendar months, with April averaging the best performance and September averaging the worst performance as the lone negative month. The end of the...
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A recent survey commissioned by JP Morgan Chase shows that consumer spending remains somewhat suppressed, down 5.2% through October, as large parts of the country are still hampered by COVID related restrictions. While lifestyle...
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Nine months removed from the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic and with financial markets creating new all-time highs, the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) has recently fallen to its lowest levels since early March, only slightly...
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RMR Wealth Builders Inc. was founded in 1986 by a group of financial advisors that banded together to create a firm with a culture of delivering quality service and advice through an approach focused on relationships. Through...
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At RMR Wealth Builders, we suggest starting the retirement planning process early. Gone are the days when NYPD officers relied on pensions alone. The proper steps must be taken as early as possible to maximize the benefits. The NYPD...
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Risk tolerance and time horizon are two of the most important factors when determining how to invest. Risk tolerance is the volatility one can handle when their investments don't perform as expected. Time horizon is the expected...
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With so much anxiety and concern regarding the upcoming election, investors are more worried than ever about what will happen with the stock market depending on which side wins. As the media can be very sensationalist, the truth is...
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While both housing and non-housing personal debt loads in the US have climbed to their highest levels historically, debt as a proportion of disposable income has decreased significantly over the past decade. In April, the personal...
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Americans continue to own more of their homes as the percentage of household equity continues to rise, with home equity percentages surging 6.6% over last year. The impressive upsurge equates to a rough average of an additional $9800...
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Not all growth companies are created equal. The best companies in the world are those that are consistently generating strong internal cash flows and growing revenues. They possess pristine balance sheets and are well managed with...
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The recent shakeout in tech stocks has lent downward pressure to the major market indices to start the month of September. The increased volatility that has accompanied the sell-off has many investors anxious as to how long the current...
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U.S. economic data is beating forecasts and expectations at record levels. Citigroup’s U.S. Economic Surprise Index rose to new all-time levels this past week, more than tripling the previous high set almost three years ago. The...
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Last Tuesday’s record high close of $3,389.00 for the S&P 500 Index represented a swift end to the shortest bear market in history. From its March 23rd low, the index has rallied over 50%, recouping all its losses in a mere 126...
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The Trepp CMBS delinquency rate registered its largest decline since January 2016, indicating that many commercial tenants who were late on their mortgage payments have caught up and are starting to show signs of recovering. Borrowers...
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The US Dollar suffered its largest losses in over a decade during the month of July. While this may serve as a boon to domestic economic growth and corporate earnings, it may also serve in increasing the odds of inflation. The US...
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Initial unemployment claims rose for the first time in four months as the rising number of coronavirus infections have forced many states to halt or rollback their respective plans for re-opening. While the overall trend toward lower...
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The market volatility index (VIX) saw its sharpest spike in a month last week alongside a significant drop in consumer sentiment. While the S&P 500 Index has risen over 40% from its March lows, the CBOE Volatility Index remains...
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Gold has recorded five straight weekly gains and is up over 19% for the year as the in-favor precious metal continues its surge toward all-time highs. Prices rose close to 2% last week, settling over $1800 per ounce, piercing through a...
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As the total daily number of passengers boarding commercial flights has started to increase from historical lows, airline stocks are looking to move past survival mode and return to profitability. While the numbers are trending in the...
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While their stores have been shut down for business, many retailers have not been paying rent to their landlords. Over 40% percent of major retailers failed to pay rent in full last month due to the coronavirus crisis, according to a...
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Both the US unemployment rate and the amount of initial unemployment claims decreased last week indicating the nation’s economy is recovering faster than expected from the coronavirus pandemic shutdown. The U.S. unemployment rate...
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Although the stock market and consumer confidence appear to be telling two different stories, they are both an integral part of the same narrative regarding the influence of the economy and consumer sentiment upon one another at...
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Is value investing dead? Is value investing still relevant? A quick google search on the topic of value investing returns countless results questioning the efficacy of value investing over the past decade. “The Death of Value...
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It was only weeks ago where the price of a barrel of US oil futures plunged below zero, an unprecedented and unfathomable demonstration of the quickly vanishing capacity to store the worlds vast crude supply amidst a global shutdown...
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Open Enrollment is complicated and with short windows to make important elections that will affect your family budget for the coming year; how do you make educated choices? RMR Wealth Builders, Inc.’s Benefits Review service can...
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The retail apocalypse that began a decade ago with the widespread closing of many traditional brick and mortar retailers throughout North America is likely to pick up steam in the latter half of 2020 as a result of the devastating...
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With interest rates at historic and unprecedented lows, the temptation to “reach for yield”, the propensity to buy riskier assets in order to achieve higher yields, is greater than ever. Unique challenges and constraints...
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Insider Buying Soared in March While Markets Fell Famed investor Peter Lynch was noted as saying that "insiders might sell their shares for any number of reasons, but they buy them for only one: they think the price will rise."...
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The timely expression has long been used to justify the influence of Fed policy on the stock market, suggesting that investors can do well to invest in a way that aligns with current monetary policies of the Federal Reserve Board,...
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With three coronavirus stimulus packages already passed, it may only be a matter of time before we see a fourth. As massive as the most recent $2 trillion package was, it’s possible that the next wave of fiscal stimulus will be...
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Mega Backdoor Roth The elusive Mega Backdoor Roth is no longer a secret only available to retirement planners. Since the IRS released guidance that addressed backdoor Roth IRA conversions and the Mega Backdoor Roth IRA, it has gained...
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The herd mentality in investing, and financial markets or “herd bias” is a common occurrence and one that needs to be avoided by investors at all costs. In this post, we outline some examples of what herd behavior in...
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This correspondence is intended to summarize and share our perspective on how the first three (3) phases of Federal Coronavirus (COVID-19) stimulus measures impacts how RMR Wealth Builders, Inc. administers personal client and business...
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As the coronavirus pandemic has brought the economy to a virtual standstill in forcing many businesses throughout the country to shut down, the number of Americans filing for unemployment claims surged to a record 6.6 million on...
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With oil prices plunging to a 17 year low alongside the coronavirus pandemic, the markets are dealing with the simultaneous emergence of two black swan events, a vicious 1-2 combination that has the global economy reeling. When Russia...
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While history affords us the hindsight to see exactly when and where each bear market ends, trying to do so in the present has usually proven to be inaccurate, unreliable and harmful. The end of the volatility and bottoming process is...
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With two of the most volatile weeks in market history behind us, and with an unclear and uncertain near -term future, it’s important to remember and to understand the greater context of RMR’s long-term investment philosophy...
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Coronavirus fear has raised the risk of a recession and a bear market for stocks according to Ed Yardeni of Yardeni Research, written in Barron’s online article posted on February 27th.1 The market witnessed a brutal two-day...
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We have recently completed a full review of the RMR Pillar Portfolios for the First Quarter of 2020. The Quarterly Investment Notes are attached, detailing our reasoning for any changes and our market outlook. Fixed Income 2019 showed...
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Do you have questions about when to file your 2019 taxes? We break down the 2019 Tax Form delivery calendar below for National Financial Services brokerage accounts. This calendar is helpful for clarifying when your account-specific...
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We have recently completed a full review of the RMR Pillar Portfolios for the Fourth Quarter of 2019. Take a look at our Fourth Quarter Investment Notes below. Fixed Income Amid building evidence that trade wars are stirring up the...
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RMR Wealth Builders is a wealth management organization that understands how complex the personal financial planning process is to most people. We believe our role in retirement planning for high-income earners is to remove the emotion...
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President Trump announced last week that he was imposing an additional 10% tariff on $300 billion of Chinese goods entering the U.S. on September 1st. The news broke right after our Federal Reserve lowered interest rates 25 basis...
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We have recently completed a full review of the RMR Pillar Portfolios for the Third Quarter of 2019. Take a look at our Third Quarter Investment Notes, detailing our reasoning for the changes and our market outlook. Fixed Income The...
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RMR has had a busy summer so far, in and out of the office. Here are some updates around the firm from this quarter! New Hires We had two incredible new hires this quarter. Aiden Wright is a returning Financial Services Intern from...
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As of June 2019 Balance is necessary for a successful financial plan. Unfortunately, many investors aren’t sure where to begin. There are simply so many variables to consider. Stocks, bonds, and rates. Oh my! With trade talks...
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The following are true stories. The names have been changed to protect the guilty. Case #1 Group Benefits Debacle Several years ago, I worked for a firm that advised and provided Executive Carve-out benefits for our corporate clients....
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RMR Investment Committee Every quarter, RMR’s Investment Committee looks at the current market trends and predictions to adjust or affirm our outlook. We look at a variety of factors affecting both fixed income and equity markets...
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Thinking about Retirement early on in your career is something few of us spend any considerable amount of time doing. It seems so far off… Everything will take care of it self. In this day and age, you need to start the process...
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RMR’s first quarter saw many fun changes and family additions. Here, we will update you on the activities we participated, the people who make this organization great and what’s on the horizon for RMR. RMR Family Additions...
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There are many misconceptions surrounding whole life insurance policies. So, the question becomes: is Whole Life Insurance worth it for you? That depends on a host of factors. Here, we’ll explain when it makes sense to get Whole...
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Often times, employers are faced with group healthcare rates that are generally not negotiable. This is typically due to the fact that there is no leverage against an insurance company regarding a group's actual claims performance or...
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We’ve all heard it: your investments should be diversified. But what does that mean, and why is it so necessary as part of a stable financial plan? If your investments are not diversified, you could also over-concentrated in one...
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New York City firemen are one of the few groups of people left in the country that will retire with an employer sponsored monthly pension. However, there are a lot of different avenues for additional savings from an FDNY salary, and...
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Halloween Candy and Costumes RMR celebrated the holidays in style this quarter, spreading spirit and smiles within their community. On Halloween, RMR kept with its tradition and visited St. Frances De Chantal and St. Raymond’s...
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Stuart Simchowitz has been named to the 2018 Financial Times 401 Top Retirement Advisors! He joins financial advisors from 38 states and Washington, D.C. in being selected as one of the nation's 401 top DC plan advisors. It's quite a...
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In an increasingly complex financial environment, several basic financial challenges are constants. These include planning and paying for college, purchasing a home, and planning for retirement. While the average American can expect to...
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A stunning recent report from the Economic Policy Institute indicates that, "nearly half of families have no retirement account savings at all." Adding to this dire outlook for Americans and retirement, a GOBankingRates survey...
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One of the most exciting financial trends over the past few decades has been an increased focus on using corporate and newly created wealth to support worthwhile philanthropic endeavors. Whether these efforts are carried out through an...
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Saying "I do" marks the start of your new life as part of a married couple. But after the hustle and bustle of planning your wedding and honeymoon have faded, you may be left with some questions—and concerns—about...
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Every one of us has a unique set of interests and financial goals. Finding the right balance of investments to help ourselves get the things we want varies from person to person. It is very common that we collect a variety of...
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When it comes to investing, the importance of getting an early start can't be overstated. The time value of money means that $5,000 per year invested from ages 25 to 35 will ultimately compound to more than that same $5,000 per year...
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When you're young and just starting out in life, you can often feel invincible. Few members of the Millennial generation have life insurance outside an employer-provided policy, and even fewer have disability insurance—perhaps...
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The creation of a Financial Plan is an important step in reaching goals or getting to and through retirement. We often find that household financials become a collection of random accounts that lack coordination, are not being used to...
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The Power of Prioritization The textbook definition of prioritization is two-fold. As a principle, it means doing first things first. As a process, it means evaluating a group of items and ranking them in order of importance or urgency...
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