Bell Retirement Strategies

09/07/2026

Happy Labor Day to every hand that builds, creates, teaches, heals and serves.

08/26/2026

HELPING YOU RETIRE WITH CONFIDENCE
Virtual Workshops for Verizon Associates

👉 Pension - Lump Sum vs Annuity and how your pension is calculated?
👉 How interest rates affect your pension lump sum
👉 When do Roth conversions make sense during retirement?
👉 Will I have enough money to retire and how will the stock market influence my decision to retire?

Bring your questions! Join one of the live educational workshops on Zoom where we'll discuss income in retirement, 401(k), pension, Social Security and more.

Upcoming Workshops Online via Zoom 💻:

📅 Thursday, August 27th at 5:30 PM
Register here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/xcZqiotcTWiJa5YpKvB_cg

📅 Tuesday, September 1st at 5:30 PM
Register here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tR5bFLz5TXGxpNKjGGczOQ

07/04/2026

05/29/2026

📢 Verizon Associates
Rising pension rates for the upcoming July through September period are reducing lump sum pension calculations.

📈 For the first time since 2006, the GATT rate has moved above 5%.

GATT Rate
• Q2 4.76% until the end of June 2026
• Q3 5.03% in July, August, and September 2026

PBGC Rate (120% rate)
• Q2 2.7% until the end of June 2026
• Q3 3.0% in July, August, and September 2026

☝️ Remember, higher rates correspond to a lower lump sum value, so these quarterly changes can have a significant impact on your pension cashout.

The following example illustrates the difference in the final lump sum value for a 55-year-old employee with a $2,000 per month annuity pension benefit:
Using the GATT Rate

• Q2 2026 GATT rate at 4.76% = $368,057 pension lump sum
• Q3 2026 GATT rate at 5.03% = $357,503 pension lump sum

Using the PBGC Rate
• Q2 2026 PBGC rate at 2.7% = $406,977 pension lump sum
• Q3 2026 PBGC rate at 3.0% = $394,767 pension lump sum

Verizon uses the formula that produces the highest benefit. In this example, the PBGC calculation at 3.0% produces the larger lump sum of $394,767 in Q3 and would be the winning rate. Individual results will vary.

📺 To understand how interest rates affect the value of your lump sum pension, watch this 7-minute video where I break it all down:
https://youtu.be/iFuWKtHmZIs

Sources: Treasury Yield 30 Years (^TYX) Yahoo Finance 05/29/2026 PBGC 05/29/2026

05/25/2026

Wishing everyone a meaningful and reflective Memorial Day as we remember and honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

04/18/2026

Behind every powered home and every lit street is a lineman who made it possible.

We are proud to serve the utility community and grateful for everything you do.

Happy Lineman Appreciation Day.

04/10/2026

03/27/2026

More than half of Americans don’t have an estate plan, an oversight that could cost their families significantly. Here are 3 moves to protect what you’ve built:

➡️Name Decision-Makers: Set up health care and financial powers of attorney in case you’re unable to act.

➡️Avoid Probate Costs: Add beneficiaries and transfer-on-death designations to keep assets out of court.

➡️Plan for Taxes Early: Strategies like Roth conversions and trusts can help preserve more of your wealth.

See the 5 essential estate planning steps to put in place now:

Completing these five essential tasks right away can protect your family and their inheritance from potential high taxes and the probate process.

03/26/2026

Think that call or text from the IRS is real? It probably isn’t. The IRS will typically contact clients by mail delivered by the U.S. Postal Service. Here’s what the IRS will not do:

➡️The IRS will NOT reach out through social media.

➡️The IRS will NOT take payment in the form of gift cards or prepaid cards.

➡️The IRS will NOT leave threatening messages, including threats to call law enforcement or immigration officials.

Learn how to protect yourself: https://bit.ly/4t86huC

Know the difference between impersonators and the IRS to protect yourself from scams.