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.
Social Security Administration
WBC-Client Portfolio Management Portal
Finding Yield in a Low-Yield Environment (April 2020)
Growth Investing vs. Value Investing – What’s the Difference? (Part 1 of 2, April 2020)
Value Investors: Don’t Give Up! (Part 2 of 2, April 2020)
Remember to use two-factor authorization on your custodian accounts for added security.
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.
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, inheritances, etc. Another benefit to clients is the use of our wealth management portal at no cost. 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.
An integral part of the financial planning process is preparing a “Financial Caretaking Plan” which 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. To get started, fill out the information on the first page of the Financial Caretaking Plan and then click the “Next” button. As always, contact our office if you have any questions about this.
Retirement
Starting in 2020, participants who turn age 72 are required to begin taking minimum distributions (“RMDs”) from retirement accounts annually, per the United States tax code. This age was previously 70.5—read about it in our “Insights” article here.
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.
