If you watch CNBC, listen to the radio, or follow financial news, you’ve probably noticed more advisors discussing Roth conversions. So, why is everyone suddenly talking about Roth conversions?
Well, there are two major reasons:
If you watch CNBC, listen to the radio, or follow financial news, you’ve probably noticed more advisors discussing Roth conversions. So, why is everyone suddenly talking about Roth conversions?
Well, there are two major reasons:
Markets have rallied since the April 8th, 2025 low, even as front‑page stories warn of soaring prices and empty shelves.
The market’s volatility so far this year doesn’t feel great, but remember: every dip creates opportunities. Two of the most valuable are tax loss harvesting and buying quality closed-end funds when they trade at larger discounts, and we’ve already been executing both on our clients’ behalf.
As markets grapple with the Trump administration’s latest tariffs, a familiar unease has emerged among investors. The parallels between today’s economic landscape and the turmoil of 2018 are striking. While the future remains uncertain, market volatility has historically presented opportunities for disciplined investors. At Blue Bell Private Wealth Management, we believe understanding these cycles empowers us to make more informed decisions amid uncertainty.
As we move through the year, we want to take a moment to remind you of the importance of maximizing your retirement savings. Contributing to your IRA, Roth IRA, and workplace retirement plans is a crucial step in securing your financial future.
Earning a high income is a great advantage, but it doesn’t automatically translate to long-term financial success. Many high earners fall into costly financial planning mistakes that can jeopardize their wealth-building potential. If you’re a high earning professional with disposable income, it’s crucial to avoid these common pitfalls to secure your financial future.
If you between the ages of 60-63 in 2025 you may be eligible for a “super catch-up contribution” this year.
Here is a list of the big Wall Street banks “predictions” for where the S&P 500 ends up in 2025. As always, take it with a grain of salt as you have seen from out previous posts they can be quite wrong.
As we head into 2025, this serves as a crucial reminder: No one can reliably predict the market’s performance, for better or for worse. This is where the expertise of a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) like Blue Bell PWM becomes invaluable.
Looking to make a difference on Giving Tuesday? Learn how to maximize your donations with these charitable giving strategies.
As the season of gratitude approaches, I find myself reflecting on the many blessings in my life, and I am profoundly thankful for the trust and relationships we have built with each of you. For some of you, our connection together spans decades—up to 50 years—and it has been an incredible honor to serve as your trusted advisor.
For years, financial advisors have touted their ability to help clients maximize their wealth. Through vigilant economic analysis, careful investment selection, and timely allocation shifts, advisors looked to add value to their clients’ portfolios and generate excess returns. Traditionally, advisors were money managers first and financial counselors second. A recent study conducted by Morningstar confirms what many of us in the industry already know to be true, clients value personalized advice much higher than portfolio return.
In the world of finance, every letter can symbolize a story, a strategy, or a key player. When my nephew was born, one of the first books I bought for him was the “ABCs of Economics.” A book that simplifies complex concepts for young children. Inspired by this, I wondered how AI could create something similar for clients of Blue Bell Private Wealth Management. In this article, I’ll walk through some of the most important ABCs —activism, alpha, Boaz Weinstein, BlackRock, Closed-end Funds, and tender offers — illustrating how they intersect to create opportunities in the market.
This morning, I spent some time reflecting on the recent spike in volatility in the investment markets and wanted to share some insights that I hope will be helpful for anyone getting nervous about their portfolios. The first thing to note is that this is completely normal market behavior. In fact, a lot of professionals would say that this pullback is actually a sign of a healthy market!
In the landscape of retirement planning, the Roth IRA stands out as a powerful tool for building wealth. Millennials, with their unique financial challenges and opportunities, can particularly benefit from the strategic use of Roth IRAs. This blog explores what a Roth IRA is, why it’s advantageous, and how millennials can maximize its potential.
Tax planning is an essential part of financial management that can significantly impact your financial health. In this article, I will cover the basics of tax planning as well as discuss strategies to minimize your tax liability and maximize your savings. I will also link a few case studies showing how our advisors utilize tax planning with our clients. This ultimate guide to tax planning will help you navigate the complexities of the tax system and make informed decisions.
Planning for your financial future can be daunting. Many people wonder if hiring a financial advisor is worth the investment. This comprehensive guide explores the ROI of working with a financial advisor, including case studies, market challenges, and the unique benefits they bring to the table.
As financial planners, it’s important for us to understand economic conditions and their effect on the investment markets to properly position our clients’ portfolios. An equally important and often overlooked part of our job is managing investor’s emotions. Behavioral Finance is the study of psychological influences and how they affect investor behavior. In this five-part series, we will examine some of the most prevalent biases that we see and how understanding them can help us manage not only our client’s portfolios, but their emotions as well. The first bias that we will examine is Loss Aversion. Loss Aversion is the tendency to prioritize avoid losses over achieving gains.
Big shoutout to Glanzmann Subaru for celebrating FPS Community member Jon Sobotkin as a Subaru of America Love Playmaker at the Philadelphia Union game!
Investing can be a powerful tool for building wealth over time. One key concept every investor should understand is capital gains. This term frequently appears in discussions about investments, taxes, and financial planning, but what exactly are capital gains, and how can they impact your financial strategy?
Discover the benefits and eligibility criteria of Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) in this comprehensive guide! Whether you’re a philanthropist, looking to optimize your charitable giving, or seeking tax advantages, DAFs offer flexible solutions. Learn how individuals, families, and corporations can use DAFs to manage their donations efficiently.
In this video, we break down everything you need to know about Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) – a powerful tool for charitable giving. Whether you’re a seasoned philanthropist or just starting your journey in charitable contributions, this guide will help you understand how DAFs work, their benefits, and how they can maximize your impact.
What You’ll Learn: What is a Donor Advised Fund? – Understanding the basics of DAFs and how they operate. Benefits of DAFs – Exploring the tax advantages, flexibility, and simplicity that come with using a DAF.
How to Set Up a DAF – Step-by-step guidance on starting your own Donor Advised Fund. Making Contributions – Insights on how to contribute to your DAF and the types of assets you can donate.
Grantmaking – How to recommend grants from your DAF to support your favorite charities.
In the high-stakes world of finance, the story of David vs. Goliath finds a modern parallel in Boaz Weinstein’s Saba Capital. Unlike the noble David of biblical lore, Weinstein’s motives are firmly rooted in profit. This aggressive activism, while financially beneficial for him and his investors, also has significant implications for shareholders in closed-end funds (CEFs), including our clients at Blue Bell Wealth Management.
If you’re a high-income earner looking for ways to save more for retirement and reduce your tax bill, you might be interested in a little-known benefit of SOME 401ks: the ability to make mega backdoor Roth contributions.
As we approach the tax filing deadline, we want to remind you of the opportunity to maximize your retirement savings through contributions to your Individual Retirement Account (IRA) or Roth IRA.
As tax season approaches, I wanted to share some valuable tips to help you navigate the filing process with ease and confidence. Whether you’re a seasoned taxpayer or filing for the first time, these suggestions can make a significant difference in streamlining your experience and potentially maximizing your refund or minimizing your tax liability.
We are excited to announce that Blue Bell Private Wealth Management has been honored as a 2023 Top 10 Financial Risk Management Services Provider by Financial Services Review!
The “great wealth transfer” is underway, with an estimated $70 trillion worth of assets expected to pass from the older generation to the younger over the next two decades. However, despite the anticipation of receiving an inheritance, a staggering 58% of adults feel ill-equipped to handle newfound wealth. In this blog, we provide essential financial tips to help you effectively manage inherited assets and turn this significant windfall into a lasting legacy.
In the near future, Schwab is set to introduce Solo Roth 401(k)s. This exciting development prompted us to delve into solo 401(k)s and shed light on the specific advantages associated with the Roth option.
Ebenezer Scrooge’s transformation in “A Christmas Carol” not only illustrates personal redemption but also mirrors the journey of an investor who discovers the profound impact of philanthropy through sophisticated financial planning. This journey can be paralleled with strategic charitable giving methods like Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) and Charitable Remainder Trusts (CRTs).
Every year, the top strategists from Wall Street’s biggest banks make their predictions for the S&P 500. We like to compile these predictions along with some commentary and share them with you. Please take these with a grain of salt as many of them are wrong as often as they are right. This is purely educational and not meant to be portrayed as a “market call”.
Discover eight smart financial decisions to safeguard your future. Set goals, automate savings, review estate plans, consolidate accounts, and more
Looking to make a difference on Giving Tuesday? Learn how to maximize your donations with these charitable giving strategies.
To my valued clients,
As I sit down to write this Thanksgiving letter, which I’ve done for over 40 years, my heart is filled with gratitude, and I want to kick things off by wishing all of you a joyous and healthy Thanksgiving overflowing with happiness. You see, I consider myself one of the luckiest individuals in the world. From a very young age, I chose a career that has not only been immensely fulfilling but has also been a source of unending happiness.
Looking for tax management services? Discover tax-efficient wealth management strategies to minimize your tax liability and protect your wealth.
Are you ready to take charge of your financial future and plan for a comfortable retirement? One of the most effective ways to secure your retirement is by understanding and making use of a 401(k) plan.
Retirement – a phase of your life that everyone looks forward to, with expected relaxation, adventure, and the freedom to fully pursue your passions. Yet, getting there demands thoughtful planning and informed decisions to ensure a financially secure retirement.
Investing your money is an essential step in reaching your future financial goals. However, navigating the complexities of the financial market can be overwhelming, especially for individuals without investment expertise or those with numerous assets to manage.
In the world of personal finance, there is a phenomenon that holds the power to turn small investments into substantial wealth over time. It’s called compounding growth, and it’s the secret ingredient that can supercharge your financial future. The key to unlocking this magic lies in starting to invest early in life. In this short blog, we’ll explore the wonders of compounding growth and why getting started sooner rather than later is crucial for building a solid financial foundation.
Hiring a fiduciary financial advisor offers personalized financial planning, expert wealth and investment management, and time-saving convenience. They help navigate financial complexities, optimize returns, and ensure your long-term financial success. Find out if a fiduciary advisor is right for you.
Are you a high-income earner who wants to take advantage of the benefits of a Roth IRA? If so, the backdoor Roth IRA may be the perfect option for you.
Are you a doctor struggling with student loan debt? Despite being a high-income earner, it can be challenging to make ends meet when a significant portion of your paycheck goes towards student loan payments.
The end of the year is quickly approaching, but there is still plenty of time for financial “cleanup”. Here are a few things you can do to better positions yourself for 2023 and beyond.
As you may have seen, the Social Security Administration (SSA) recently announced a historic cost of living adjustment (COLA) for 2023.
One question I get all the time when markets are as volatile as they have been this year is what should I be doing?
Giving to charity not only makes a positive philanthropic impact, but it can also have a positive impact on your taxes. It’s a rare win-win situation in today’s world.
Risk management plays a significant role in investing. Proper risk management should lead to portfolio construction that is based on the investor’s unique personal profile.
Learn about the new world of Social Security and the major factors that determine your lifetime benefits.
Economic research has long assumed that human beings are rational decision makers who optimize their resources based on the information available to them. However, new research continues to uncover evidence that is in fact not the case.
The Pension Protection Act of 2006 single-handedly created target date funds as a global asset class, one which now commands a 20% to 25% share among public and corporate pension plans. In the United States, more than $2.5 trillion is invested in these types of funds by approximately 40 million people.
Last week, we discussed the two different types of employee stock options (NSO’s and ISO’s), which if you missed you can read here.
Volatility has certainly increased as investors weigh a strong economy and record earnings versus inflation that is rising faster than anyone would like.
Stock options are a popular way to attract and retain employees by giving them a sense of ownership in the company.
Every year, Wall Streets’s top strategist make a call of where they think the S&P 500 will finish. We wanted to share a summary of some of these target prices for 2022 and the strategist reasoning for it.
Over the past 120 years, the stock market has historically trended upwards, except 1929-1939, during the Great Depression. But throughout a given year, significant drawdowns are standard.
While 2022 is quickly approaching there is still time to sit down and ensure that you are making the most of your 2021 planning opportunities.
After the severe impact of the 2008 Financial Crisis began to resolve over the follow decade, I began to anecdotally feel that something felt different about the market’s overall behavior.
Getting started in investing can be a slow and painful grind. It the beginning, it doesn’t even really matter how good at investing you are because the truly hard part is saving the excess cash to invest.
September has lived up to its reputation as the worst month for the stock market. The S&P finished down -4.65% for the month. Since 1945, the S&P 500 has averaged a -.56% decline.
Typically, financial advisors recommend deferring income to a later date as a strategy to mitigate taxes.
So far this year there has been a lot to be positive about from an economic perspective. Record amounts of monetary and fiscal stimulus has led to record consumer savings and wealth.
The first Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) was listed on the American Stock Exchange (Amex) in 1993 creating a new investor revolution and a big win for all investors.
Financial planning can be complex and data intensive. At Blue Bell Private Wealth Management, our business model is simple. We offer two main services: financial planning and investment management on a fee-only basis.
I wanted to blog about this topic because of a recent discussion I had with one of our clients. The client wished to make a large donation to a charitable organization.
Whatever stage of life you are in or however old you are, if you want to be financially independent and enjoy one of the greatest phases of modern life,
With vaccine rollouts having such great success in the US, it is time to start thinking about going back to life as it was, as we regain a sense of normalcy.
Fascinating and surreal. This is how I would describe the recent social distortions of long-standing economic principles
Fairness and honesty…I think these are things that most of us want in our daily dealings.
A market correction is defined as a drop in stock prices of 10% or more from their most recent peaks. If prices drop 20% or more then it is referred to as a bear market.
The 7-day moving average number of U.S. COVID-19 cases has fallen below 49,000 while the 7-day moving average number of deaths has fallen below 700 per day.
This is a question that we try to ask all our clients who are gearing up for retirement. You would be surprised how many times we hear an answer along the lines of “I haven’t really thought about it”.
With the first quarter of 2021 already in the books, positive economic data points to a sustained recovery for the remainder of the year.
This blog may be my favorite one to write during our “age specific” financial advice blogs.
In mid-February a positive retail sales report showed a full recovery back above pre-pandemic levels and an all-time high in notional terms.
If you are like most Americans, your 60’s will be spent transitioning from work-life to retirement.
For the fourth quarter of 2020 GDP grew at an annual rate of 4%, which was a touch lower than most projections.
Each year, the Journal for Financial Planning prepares a compilation of important events and statistics revolving around the topic of personal finance.
Every year we like to compile the S&P 500 predictions from various Wall Street analysts. Below is a chart with each strategist’s prediction for 2021 as well as their prediction from 2020.
While we transition from the current administration to the next, we continue to urge clients to “plan”
2020 will certainly be a year to remember (or forget). On the tax and retirement planning side of things it has presented us with some unique opportunities.
It is not uncommon for us to work with people who have accumulated more than enough assets to retire, but do not even possess a simple will.
The main purpose of saving and investing is to accumulate enough assets that will both supplement your income and allow you to maintain a comfortable lifestyle in retirement.
A Roth IRA conversion is when you convert traditional IRA assets (paying the taxes now)
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) was approved by the U.S. Senate and is expected to be approved by House and signed into law.
It is no secret that news of the coronavirus has created mass uncertainly through the stock market.
Mutual funds are often the main component of an advisor’s asset allocation because of their instant diversification.
Global economic uncertainty continues to drive markets as we enter the 4th quarter
Your workplace retirement plan is often the largest part of your nest egg for retirement. Yet, some of the biggest mistakes are made in these accounts every year.
Roth IRAs are typically off limits for many higher-income earners, due to strict income caps on contributions.
A new craze is sweeping across the U.S. following the introduction of new plant-based burgers from both Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods.
The IRS has released 2019 cost-of-living adjustments, resulting in increases to annual deferral limits for retirement accounts.
Your online account value may appear lower than reality because of accrued (earned) but unpaid distributions. This does not affect values on your monthly statements because accrued but unpaid distributions are accounted for on them.
If you watch the news or view your investment accounts daily, you will be aware that yesterday was a tough day for U.S. equity markets.
Your online account value may appear lower than reality because of accrued (earned) but unpaid distributions.
Finding a trusted advisor to partner with in managing your savings can be a daunting task
On October 14, 2016, Governor Chris Christie enacted a new law that will dramatically change the role of “death taxes” in New Jersey.
Amazon, Inc. had its initial public offering (IPO) 20 years ago this past Monday on May 15, 1997 and has grown to become arguably the most disruptive force in the retail and technology space today.
Closed-end funds (CEFs) are one of the core investments utilized at Blue Bell Private Wealth Management and we think it is necessary to educate people about the mistakes that are often made when purchasing closed-end funds.
This past weekend, Philly.com published two articles discussing fixed-index annuities and the potential harm they pose to elderly people and savers in genera
Blue Bell Private Wealth Management always has and always will be a fiduciary.
As we approach the end of the year there are a few financial moves you can make that will help you manage your savings accounts to ensure you are on the path to retirement.
Tis the start of the holiday season and along with Thanksgiving, Chanukah and Christmas comes year end Closed-End Fund distributions.
In continuation of our discussion regarding certain money mistakes to avoid at the various stages of your investment life, we will continue with those who are in their 30s.
When it comes to money, everyone makes mistakes. Luckily, if you are in your 20s you have plenty of time to recover.
In continuation of our discussion about which investment vehicles investors should avoid, we will now focus our attention to alternative investments.
Last week, we discussed the importance of avoiding Equity-Indexed Annuities which give the illusion of principal protection and growth.
Most millennials, people aged 18 to 34, are unprepared and under educated on the importance of saving for retirement.
Would you ever buy something worth $1 for $1.01 or more?
In 2015 Congress voted to make Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCD) a permanent part of the tax code.
Sending you into the weekend, here are some of the interesting articles the team at Blue Bell has been reading this week.
Ignoring your past employer’s 401(k) can be easy but rolling it over to an IRA could be just as easy and more beneficial in the long run.
You may have seen estate planning mentioned a lot recently in the news regarding the late musician Prince who passed away without his estate in order.
The question we pose to you may seem too good to be true. You may say, “No one would give me $1 for 85 cents.”
Are your retirement savings invested in the best type of account for you?
As we approach the end of the year, many investors consider making charitable gifts to their favorite charities.
We are often asked by our clients how their property will be taxed upon their deaths.
Tis the start of the holiday season, and along with Thanksgiving, Chanukah and Christmas comes year end closed-end fund distributions.
Last month, Philip, a client, called our office about his mother Sarah. She had suffered a stroke and was incapable of speaking.
The closed-end funds H&Q Healthcare Investors (HQH) and H&Q Lift Sciences Investors (HQL) recently announced non-transferable rights offerings to each respective fund.
Access your personal financial planning home page. Your homepage allows you to organize, store, and monitor all your personal financial information, including access to all of your accounts, credit cards, mortgages, insurance, and investments from a wide range of sources.
As a client of Blue Bell Private Wealth Management, LLC (“Company”), by selecting the “I Agree” button, I elect to participate in the password-protected access portion of Company Internet web site. I understand that my participation will allow me to review certain investment-related information published by Company and unaffiliated third parties. This password-protected access is made available to clients of Company free of charge. This authorization shall continue until canceled in writing.
I understand that the password-protected section is a secure web site intended only to allow a client access to information relative to his/her/its specific account. I also understand that I will be assigned an individual password. I agree not to share my password with any other person. I hereby release and hold Company harmless from any adverse consequences relative to any failure by me to keep the identity of my password secure.
