Welcome to the Blue Rock Blog

Investors’ enthusiasm for artificial intelligence (AI) has propelled U.S. equity markets to multiple all-time highs as of June 2024. The strong outperformance of AI-related stocks, especially mega-caps, has some market-watchers asking if this could be like the dot-com bubble that burst in the early 2000s. AI is being viewed as one of the most revolutionary technological advancements in recent history,...

Where we are and have been: It is hard to believe we are in another election year. It feels like this election cycle is presenting the greatest level of uncertainty than ever before, so we wanted to provide insight regarding the largest factors that influence performance. Before we delve into that, we wanted to share the recent and long-term performance...

Cash is back and an important asset class to consider as part of your overall financial plan! After more than a decade of record low and near zero interest rates in the aftermath of the 2007-2009 Global Financial Crisis and the COVID-19 Pandemic, monetary policy since March 2022 has shifted dramatically as the Federal Reserve has turned hawkish in a...

There’s been quite a bit of talk about the debt ceiling in the news of late. The federal debt ceiling is the total amount of money the U.S. government is authorized to borrow to meet its existing obligations, such as Social Security Payments, tax refunds, interest on the national debt, and our national defense. Congress had free rein over the...

Blue Rock Financial Group is excited to announce that James Whalen has successfully completed the requirements for the CIMA® certification, Certified Investment Management Analyst® through the Investment & Wealth Institute®. James attended The University of Chicago Booth School of Business to complete the CIMA® certification, which identifies individuals who have met extensive experience and ethical requirements and successfully completed advanced...

There are many things you can avoid in life such as cavities if you brush and floss your teeth. On the other hand, paying taxes is an unavoidable responsibility, yet you can reduce the amount owed by keeping yourself informed of recent tax laws and utilizing the provisions in the tax code. The US House of Representatives passed the Consolidated...

A significant part of many people’s compensation comes in the form of benefits on top of their salary. Many of these benefits come with options that the employee must select, or the benefits work in conjunction with other financial products that are purchased outside of the workplace. It is important to maximize these benefits and understanding all of the nuances...

On 08/24/22, the Biden administration announced they are forgiving up to $10,000 in federal student loans for those making less than $125,000 a year for individuals, $250,000 for married couples, and $200,000 for Head of Households. Private Loan holders are not included in the plan. In addition, they extended the pause on student loan payments to 12/31/22. It was set...

From the start, a 1031 exchange can sound like a property investor’s dream. Deferring capital gains when you sell an investment property is enticing. However, it’s important to understand all the components of a 1031 exchange to help determine if it’s the best option for you.  What is a 1031 exchange? A 1031 exchange is a method of exchanging like-kind...

Environmental, social, and governance, or ESG investing, is a way to build a more ethical portfolio based on your beliefs to make the world a better place. How this is accomplished is to eliminate certain companies or practices from a portfolio (such as oil/energy) and favoring environmentally friendly companies (such as renewable energy/solar). Funds may also underweight companies with a...