Useful guides, calculators, and more

Resources

We’ve collected our favorite calculators and guides for your reference. Find answers to our most common questions below.

FAQs

Our most frequent questions and answers.

General Questions

West Branch Capital offers investment management and financial planning services. We are a fee-only, SEC registered Investment Adviser acting in a fiduciary capacity providing holistic Wealth Management Services, Investment Management, Financial Planning, Estate Planning and Tax Strategies.

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West Branch Capital is a fee-only adviser. We do not sell any products or earn commissions, and we have a fiduciary responsibility to work in the best interests of our clients. Fee-Only is the most objective and transparent model of compensation. Fee-Only advisers are compensated directly by clients to advise, implement, and manage assets, never accepting commissions and always disclosing potential conflicts of interest.

If you would like to hear more about our services, contact us to schedule an introductory meeting. We do not charge for this meeting and it’s a perfect time for you to ask questions and see if we are a good fit for you, as you navigate your financial future.

West Branch Capital does have a minimum requirement for investment management services. Minimum account value may be waived at the discretion of the Adviser.

Upon your request, West Branch Capital will work with your tax professional, estate planning attorney and other specialists as required.

The Massachusetts Homestead Act is a law under which a homeowner is protected by an Estate of Homestead. It protects the value of your residence against unsecured creditor claims.

Financial Planning

It’s never too early to begin thinking about planning for your future, especially as you near retirement age. West Branch Capital clients receive comprehensive financial planning services as a no-cost benefit. Many clients return to update plans as life changes occur, such as college expenses, retirement, and inheritances. Please read more in our ADV brochure.

West Branch Capital can assist as you make decisions about how to handle income and expense changes that occur throughout your life.

West Branch Capital typically recommends that clients establish brokerage accounts at Charles Schwab & Co. or Fidelity Institutional Wealth Services. The recommended custodians are independent and unaffiliated SEC-registered broker-dealers and FINRA members.

Retirement

Starting in 2023, participants who turn age 73 are required to begin taking minimum distributions (“RMDs”) from retirement accounts annually, per the SECURE Act 2.0 passed by Congress in 2022. You can find all the details about SECURE Act 2.0 in our recent blog post.

West Branch Capital does have a minimum requirement for investment management services. Minimum account value may be waived at the discretion of the Adviser.

West Branch Capital provides Social Security analysis as part of the financial planning process. We have a few articles on the subject and you can also visit the Social Security Administration.

College

It is never too early to begin planning. Please see our March, 2021 blog post, “Investing for a Child”, to learn about the differences between 529 accounts and UTMA/UGMA accounts.  You can also review this article for some college savings tips.

Where our name comes from
Where our name comes from

Good things come to those who plan for them

Download our free 401(k) primer

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We can help you plan for healthcare in retirement

Download our primer on retirement healthcare options and expenses

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Get Started Saving for College

From opening 529 account to calculating how much to save, we’ll help you create a college saving plan with our free guide.

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Consider a Financial Caretaking Plan

A Financial Caretaking Plan outlines the steps you take to transfer bill paying, investment management, estate planning, and tasks you need to complete to prepare for the day you can no longer manage finances on your own. 

This enables us to help you prepare for transition of financial management to your financial caretaker(s). If portions of the questionnaire are not applicable, that’s ok! We can work on this report together to reflect your plans.

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Do You Need a Trust?

Download our guide which provides a broad overview of some of the most commonly used trusts FAQ. We collaborate with estate planners and can explore with you if a trust could benefit you and your family.

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We're here to help.

Download our guide to understanding long term care expenses and options.

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