Tune out the noise: Wealth planning for the year ahead

Hear from a panel of experts as they explore how rising interest rates, high inflation and increased volatility are impacting the economy, how family dynamics are changing estate planning and hear some actionable strategies for investors to consider in 2023.

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Gelb Retirement & Advisory Team

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FINRA's BrokerCheck

Whatever your personal goals may be, we will work with you to design a custom financial strategy, so you can pursue what’s most important to you.

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Our Videos

Insights, observations, and ideas to help you in your pursuit of your financial goals.

Important Video Disclosures

Wealth Management Experience

401(k) Experience

Corporate Wellness Experience

The Roadmap

We start with what’s important to you

We take the time to listen and learn about the needs and goals of your institution and the people it serves – it’s these real-world insights that guide our strategies and personalized service.

About Us

Gelb Retirement & Advisory Team

Extensive Experience & Deep Resources for
Individual Investors & Retirement Benefit Plan Sponsors.

Contact Us:
     Our team's direct, toll-free phone number:  800-350-7782  
     Connect with us on LinkedIn   Linkedin.png

Click below to view:
     Wealth Planning Questionnaire
     Retirement Income Planning Worksheet     
     GRAT Employee Wellness Program Questionnaire


Welcome
The Gelb Retirement and Advisory Team (GRAT)’s mission is to provide a roadmap to help individuals, families and corporations obtain their financial objectives and goals. For families and individuals, we deliver custom strategies that implement a blueprint on how to optimize their current financial situation and reach their ultimate goals for not only themselves, but for future generations as well.  For corporations and their retirement plans, we offer solutions and consult on the plan design, investment options, as well as present extensive personalized education for all employees. 

Our team is continuously adapting to the ever-changing industry. We strive to connect with our clients on a personal level, being a part of their everyday lives. Understanding personal goals and aspirations helps our team to forecast, coordinate, & better serve our clients in an array of financial areas with access to banking, lending, healthcare through Bank of America and retirement income, through Merrill.
 

What can you expect from us?
Personalized advice that helps you address all aspects of your financial life, beyond individual investment transactions alone.  Periodic follow-ups to help make sure you stay on course, no matter what is happening in the markets or around the world.  Adjustments to your strategy, as life, and the markets can change quickly.  Tools and expertise reflecting and delivering the best thinking of the Firm. 

That is our commitment to you.


Retail Brokerage Wealth Management
Our team focuses on working with affluent individuals and families to address wealth management needs that extend beyond retirement income planning. We often assist these clients with financial strategies designed to preserve their wealth and pass it on to future generations, or leave to a charitable legacy.

Gathering detailed financial and demographic information is critical to developing an individualized goals-based wealth management approach. Our goal is to deliver customized service that meets and even surpasses client expectations. Every member of our experienced team strives to be easily accessible and readily responsive to client service requests. 


Retirement Plans
We are a highly experienced team, with a passion for educating retirement plan sponsors and participants to help them make informed decisions.  The Gelb Retirement & Advisory Team draws on our own extensive professional experience and the deep resources of Merrill to help clients tailor retirement benefit plans to their organization’s unique requirements and manage their plans as needs evolve. We offer guidance to sponsors of 401(k), 403(b) and 457 plans, as well as non-qualified defined contribution plans and supplemental executive and equity benefit plans. Currently, we are privileged to provide service to sponsors of over 100 plans of all sizes in diverse industries.

We offer a broad range of services for plan sponsors—from guidance on designing a new retirement benefit plan or converting an existing one, to selecting or changing a plan provider, to monitoring plan performance, updating investment menus and educating plan participants. Our extensive knowledge of the retirement industry, including multiple plan providers and platforms, helps us guide sponsors in designing plans appropriate for their organization’s size, demographics, budget and other needs.

Helping Plan Sponsors Meet Objectives

The Gelb Retirement & Advisory Team draws on our own extensive professional experience and the deep resources of Merrill to help clients tailor retirement benefit plans to their organization’s unique requirements and manage their plans as needs evolve. We offer guidance to sponsors of 401(k) and 403(b) plans, as well as non-qualified defined contribution plans and supplemental executive and equity benefit plans.

We offer a broad range of services for plan sponsors—from guidance on designing a new retirement benefit plan or converting an existing one, to selecting or changing a plan provider, to monitoring plan performance, updating investment menus and educating plan participants. Our extensive knowledge of the retirement industry, including multiple plan providers and platforms, helps us guide sponsors in designing plans appropriate for their organization’s size, demographics, budget and other needs.

We can help sponsors address the multiple facets of plan design, including:

Needs assessment: We evaluate business requirements, employee demographics and other factors to help sponsors think through what they want their retirement plan to achieve.

  • Plan strategy and design: We review the organization's current plan design, provider, features and investment options. Then we identify opportunities for improvement in areas such as technology (including Auto Enroll and Auto Increase), reporting, fees.
  • Plan investment construction: With the resources and specialists of Bank of America Merrill Lynch, we offer guidance on creating an Investment Policy Statement and choosing an investment menu that fits the organization’s needs, as well as providing support to help you manage investments over time.
  • Plan benchmarking and best practice analysis: By comparing the plan with others in the client’s industry, we can identify best practices and offer suggestions for keeping the plan current.

Wealth Management Strategies for Families and Individuals


Legacy Planning Brochure


We focus on working with affluent individuals and families to address wealth management needs that extend beyond retirement income planning. We often assist these clients with financial strategies designed to preserve their wealth and pass it on to future generations, or to leave a charitable legacy. If clients request it, we will work with their CPAs, tax attorneys, estate planning attorneys and other professional advisors to help implement wealth management strategies. Our team also serves as a bridge to the broad and deep resources of Merrill for clients with particular wealth management needs.

Gathering detailed financial and demographic information is critical to developing a successful goals-based investment approach. My Financial Picture is a Merrill technology tool designed to help clients consolidate investment information, transactions and expenses in a single place and track financial progress. Clients can choose to enroll themselves in this program.

Our goal is to deliver customized service that meets and even surpasses client expectations. Every member of our experienced team strives to be easily accessible and readily responsive to client service requests.

Meet the Team

Our team is comprised of talented and experienced individuals committed to building strong client relationships based on trust and personalized service.

Additional FA Relationships

Gelb Retirement & Advisory Team, when appropriate, works with other advisors and teams for specific clients’ situations.

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Karie M. OConnor, CIMA®, CPFA®
Vice President |Financial Advisor
Senior Portfolio Advisor |Senior Retirement Benefit Consultant – Institutional Retirement






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Michael P. Rennels, CIMA®, C(k)P®, CFP®, ChFC®
Senior Vice President | Wealth Management Advisor
Retirement Benefits Consultant | Portfolio Advisor







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Ramona Z. Locke, C(k)P®, CPFA®, CIMA®
Senior Vice President | Wealth Management Advisor
Global Institutional Consulting | Defined Contribution Investment Consultant








Additional Advisor Resources
Gelb Retirement & Advisory Team is supported by talented; specialists who have experience working with institutions and share a strong commitment to guiding investment programs and strategic decision making. The following specialists do not make securities recommendations. Please contact your Financial Advisor if you have questions about how a specialist might be able to assist you.

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Theodore D. DeGaetano Jr., CPFA®, C(k)P®, CRPS®
Director | BAC/ML Institutional Retirement
Employee Benefits Specialist







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   Valerie Staublin
   Regional Insurance Specialist
   Crump Life Insurance Services






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Ryan Burnett, CRPC®
Financial Wellness Specialist
Merrill Retirement & Personal Wealth Solutions
 






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James Cho
Vice President | Wealth Management Lending Officer
Bank of America, N.A.
NMLS# 784929






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Julie Novitskiy
Wealth Management Banking Specialist
Merrill Lynch Wealth Management







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Jermaine J. Gomes, CRPC®
Vice President
Personal Retirement Specialist
Merrill






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   Heather S. Tahmooressi
   Senior Vice President
   Senior Trust Officer
   National Trust Services
   Bank of America, N.A.





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  Brian C. Lighty, CPFA®
   Vice President
   Employee Benefits Specialist
   Retirement & Personal Wealth Solutions
   Bank of America












*Investments & Wealth Institute™ (The Institute) is the owner of the certification marks CIMA® and Certified Investment Management Analyst®.  Use of CIMA®, and/or Certified Investment Management Analyst® signifies that the user has successfully completed the Institute’s initial and ongoing credentialing requirements for investment management professionals.

*Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. owns the certification marks CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and CFP® in the U.S.

*C(k)P® is a registered trademark of The Retirement Advisor University, Inc.               

*ChFC® and Chartered Financial Consultant® marks are the property of The American College, which reserves the sole rights to its use, and is used by permission.

*The College for Financial Planning Institutes Corp. owns the service marks Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor℠, CRPC®, and the CRPC® logo, and the certification marks Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™, CRPC™, and the CRPC™ logo.

*The College for Financial Planning Institutes Corp. owns the service marks Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist℠, CRPS®, and the CRPS® logo, and the certification marks Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist™, CRPS™, and the CRPS™ logo

HR Toolkit: click below to view

     GRAT Employee Wellness Program - Questionnaire

     Fiduciary Fundamentals - Brochure

     Lifestyle Spending Accounts - Flyer

     Better Money Habits - Videos & Articles

     Employee Banking and Investing Program - Video

     Merrill Bank of America Integration - Video

     Employer Toolkit: Health & Benefits - Resources

See our events in Participant Seminars

Participant Live Education


All Times Below are CST

January 26: Reasons to Invest Today
Register for 10:00am Session 

February 23: How Social Security can affect Your Retirement 
Register for 10:00am Session  

March 16: Couples & Finance
Register for 10:00am Session 

April 6: Guide to Today's Markets
Register for 10:00am Session  

May 11: Retirement is Right Around the Corner
Register for 10:00am Session 

June 1: How Long-Term Care can benefit You  
Register for 10:00am Session

Better Money Habits - Videos & Articles

Videos & Podcasts

ON-DEMAND Seminars (videos)
     
     Career transition - 10 min watch
     The journey of caregiving - 19 min watch
     The Early Retirement Trend - 9 min watch
     Education Funding - 9 min watch
     Benefits of Your 401(k) Plan - 10 min watch
     Financial Fundamentals - 8 min watch
     Financial Matters for Women - 15 min watch
     Financial Tips for Your 20s and 30s - 17 min watch
     Financial Tips for your 30s and 40s - 23 min watch
     Financial Tips for your 50s and 60s - 16 min watch
     Financial Wellness for Changing Times - 13 min watch
     Healthcare Costs in Retirement - 13 min watch
     Investing - 15 min watch
     Navigating Market Volatility - 13 min watch
     Performance Awards - 6 min watch
     Plan for the retirement you want - 7 min watch
     Preparing for Homeownership Part 1 - 15 min watch
     Preparing for homeownership part 2 - 14 min watch
     About Restricted Awards - 10 min watch
     Retirement Income Sources - 12 min watch
     Social Security - 10 min watch
     Stock Appreciation Rights - 7 min watch
     Stock Option Exercise Methods - 9 min watch
     About Stock Options - 10 min watch
     Strengthening Your Financial House - 6 min watch
     Teaching kids about money - 7 min watch

ON-DEMAND Podcasts

Budgeting & Saving

     Investment accounts 101 - 6 min podcast
     Budgeting and spending - 6 min podcast
     Establishing emergency savings - 7 min podcast
     Bridging financial gaps - 6 min podcast

Credit & Debt

     Managing debt - 12 min podcast
     Understanding credit - 9 min podcast

Retirement

     Choosing how much to contribute to your 401(k) - 13 min podcast
     How does Social Security work? - 14 min podcast
     Investing for retirement - 14 min podcast

Caregiving

     Family decisions for caregiving - 15 min podcast
     Planning ahead for caregiving costs - 14 min podcast
     Legal documents for caregiving - 15 min podcast

Women & Finance

     Social Security considerations for women - 10 min podcast
     Empowering women through investing - 12 min podcast

Equity Awards

     Using your equity awards strategically - 6 min podcast

Digital Engagement:

     MyMerrill Security - Video 
     MyMerrill Overview - Video 
     MyMerrill Mobile App - Video 
     MyMerrill Mobil​e Enrollment - Video 
     My Financi​al Picture - Video 
     Merrill Bank of America Integration - Video 
     Mobile & E-signature - Video 
     Send Documents to Your Advisor - Video 
     Digital Welcome Kit - PDF


Five 401(k) Options - PDF
401(k) Participant Vendors - PDF

Recognition

Merrill is proud of our advisors who’ve received recognition from financial industry publications or directly from Bank of America Corporation. We believe they are setting the standard for exemplary client service.

Jordan M Gelb

Forbes “Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams” 2023
Published on January 12, 2023. Rankings based on data as of March 31, 2022.*

Financial Times "401 Top Retirement Advisers" in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020
Published annually May - Oct. Rankings based on data as of Dec 31 of prior year.

Forbes "Best-in-State Wealth Advisors" in 2018-2023
Published annually Jan- April. Rankings based on data as of June 30 of prior year.

Solutions for Institutions

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Supporting a strong retirement plan and helping to keep it on track

The retirement and financial needs of your employees, as well as the responsibility those needs create for you as an employer, are important to you. We offer the solutions your employees may need to help pursue their financial goals and maintain financial wellness. Our array of resources and experience is designed to help meet your employees’ financial needs in ways that make sense for your company — strategically, operationally and financially. You and your employees will have a team of experienced and passionate advocates for financial wellness on your side. Our team will make your priorities their own so you can focus more on your business.

For Plan Sponsors

Your role as a plan sponsor is more challenging than ever, and it’s not something to face alone. We bring the resources and thought leadership from Bank of America Corporation and its affiliates to bear in helping you provide a strong, healthy and fully compliant program that runs smoothly, engages your employees and makes your job easier. We can help you focus on the areas that may be helpful to plan success, including Fiduciary Advisory Services 1 and Education and Plan Services 2 appropriate for your plan.

Fiduciary Advisory Services1

Through Fiduciary Advisory Services, we can help you design and maintain an investment menu.
  • Investment Policy Statement (IPS)3
  • Comprehensive due diligence processes to identify appropriate investments 
  • Proactive delivery – online and by your designated advisor – of investment performance reporting every quarter 
  • Report providing fund analysis and market trends.

1 Fiduciary Advisory Services is an investment advisory program sponsored by Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (also referred to as “MLPF&S” or “Merrill”). Merrill offers a broad range of brokerage, investment advisory and other services. There are important differences between brokerage and investment advisory services, including the type of advice and assistance provided, the fees charged, and the rights and obligations of the parties. It is important to understand the differences, particularly when determining which service or services to select. Please refer to the Fiduciary Advisory Services Brochure for information on the program including a description of the series and related fees.

2 Education and Plan Services are non-fiduciary services required for Advisor Alliance clients and optional for MLII clients.

3 IPS service is not available for FAS Discretionary. The plan sponsor is responsible for the approval and final adoption of the IPS.

And More

Beyond our experience, we offer access to the deep intellectual capital and broad capabilities of Bank of America Corporation and its affiliates. If we identify a need we can’t service ourselves, we can connect you with the people and resources to help you. Through our network of advisors, we strive to deliver strategies to help you manage the day-to-day and long-term responsibilities required in pursuing your institution’s goals. As we work together to address your evolving needs, we can help make the broad capabilities of Bank of America Corporation feel more accessible.

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Get the latest investment insights, tips and strategies to help you live your best financial life.

Solutions for Individuals

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Approach

Wealth Management is a dynamic process. As we focus on you today and help you identify your goals for tomorrow, we can strive to work together throughout life’s ups, downs, triumphs, and transitions. Helping you pursue your goals starts with getting to know you and your family. Our job is to first understand what matters most to you. We will work together to create a financial approach that reflects your investment personality and is built around your life priorities. We will be here to help you make adjustments to your wealth management approach if and when necessary over time.

Capabilities

Our process is designed to help deliver a customized, consistent experience to assist clients not only in wealth accumulation and preservation, but in areas that go beyond investments. Our ability to provide access to the investment insights of Merrill, trust and fiduciary services from Bank of America Private Bank, and the banking convenience and lending solutions of Bank of America offers a way to help clients manage all of the pieces of their financial lives. We view ourselves as a financial resource, helping clients with potential solutions for transferring wealth to the younger generation.

Trust and fiduciary services are provided by Bank of America Private Bank, a division of Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC, and a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation (“BofA Corp.”).

Your approach to investing

Drawing upon research in the field of behavioral finance, Merrill developed the Investment Personality Assessment to help us get to know you better as an investor and potentially help you refine your own investing preferences. By gaining a deeper understanding of how you think and feel about investing through this assessment, we can customize the financial approach we develop together to help you pursue what matters most to you. Our Investment Personality Assessment is one of the ways to help us get to know you - to understand your goals and priorities. These questions will help us provide you with additional insights and resources.

Understanding your goals and priorities

Your life and goals change. We have tools to help you keep track of these changes so they can be reflected in your financial approach.

Staying on Track

We understand that both your life and the financial markets can change over time. By checking in to discuss changes in your life and revisiting your financial approach, our goal is to help you stay on track to achieve what’s most important to you.

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Reviews to help you stay on track

We’ll meet with you to review your goals and the progress you’ve made toward reaching them. We’ll also discuss any adjustments needed to your financial approach to help you stay on course.

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Changes in your life and to your goals

Your life and goals change. As these changes occur, we can update your approach to reflect them.

Wealth Management Your Way

MyMerrill is your online destination for access to your financial information, secure communications, and a robust offering of tools and capabilities.

Your advisor is a click away within our site or mobile apps

You can manage account security with our customizable security capabilities such as touch ID, one time passcode, and other security features

Access to your complete financial life is available with My Financial Picture, Merrill’s asset aggregation tool

Your Financial Approach

We offer you access to the investing insights of Merrill, trust and fiduciary services from Bank of America Private Bank, and the banking convenience of Bank of America to help you pursue your goals. We will work to help you stay on track, regardless of what the markets are doing.

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FAMILY
Taking care of your family and other people in your life
  • Trust & Estate Services4
  • Education Funding1
  • Insurance3
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HEALTH
Planning for healthcare expenses now and in the future
  • Long-term Care Insurance3
  • Health Savings Account2
  • Disability Insurance3
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HOME
Upsizing, downsizing, remodeling or buying a vacation home
  • Home Loans2
  • Home Equity Lines of Credit2
  • Securities-Based Lending2
  • Credit Cards2
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WORK
Working in retirement, selling or starting a business
  • Bank of America Business Banking2
  • Exchange Funds1
  • Concentrated Stock Management1
  • Succession Planning1
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LEISURE
Spending your free time in meaningful ways
  • Credit Cards2
  • Securities-Based Lending2
  • Structured Lending2
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GIVING
Volunteering, mentoring others and giving to charities
  • Donor-Advised Funds4
  • Private Foundations4
  • Charitable Trusts4
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FINANCE
Using your finances to bring it all together
  • Merrill Investment Accounts1
  • Investment Advisory Accounts1
  • Alternative Investments1
  • Exchange-Traded Funds1
  • Mutual Funds1
  • Closed-end Funds1
  • Fixed Income Products1
  • Options1
  • Annuities3
  • Impact Portfolios1
  • Market-Linked Investments1
  • Securities-Based Lending2
  • Margin1
  • Home Loans2
  • Bank of America Checking and Savings Accounts2
  • Credit Cards2
  • Online Account Access1,2

¹ Investment products are offered by Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated.
² Banking, mortgage and home equity products offered by Bank of America, N.A.
³ Insurance and annuity products offered through Merrill Lynch Life Agency Inc.
4 Trust and fiduciary services are provided by Bank of America Private Bank.

Philosophy

No two people are alike. Consequently, there is no single wealth management approach that is appropriate for everyone. What matters most to us is what matters most to you. Once we get to know you, your priorities, your goals, risk tolerance, time horizons, liquidity needs and what you want to accomplish over time, only then can we help you position yourself to identify and address financial challenges and potential opportunities. To that end, we will thoughtfully employ our experience and resources to help guide you as you pursue your goals.

Join us

Let’s Have a Conversation

There is no substitute for a one-on-one relationship with a Merrill financial advisor committed to your needs.