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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.

Brian M Woodke

Meet the Team

Supported by the global resources of Merrill, our team is comprised of talented and experienced individuals committed to building strong client relationships based on trust and personalized service.

Where do we begin? It starts with you.

At Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, your financial advisor focuses on the things you care about most- family, goals and priorities - even as they change over the years.

Understanding Your Life

WELCOME

Welcome



The relationship we strive to build with you is defined by your needs and goals, not by what we have to offer. A wealth planning approach provides the framework to work together on an intricately designed financial strategy to help connect your priorities and your wealth. To help you set your strategy in motion we offer core investment services, estate planning services and implementation strategies and access to traditional banking and lending services through Bank of America.



We work with successful individuals, business owners and their families who recognize the value of seeking help in areas outside their expertise. Our focus is on helping you organize and structure a financial approach to help pursue multiple goals simultaneously and may include:



- A disciplined approach designed to anticipate and help address nearly any life-time financial need.

- A highly-experienced, multi-generational team, positioned for your longevity. We are committed to being your financial advisor for years to come.

- Emotional support and thoughtful, transparent communications to help work through challenging circumstances and family milestones.

For businesses owners, corporate executives and retirement plan fiduciaries, we can offer:

- Access to design and support services for 401(k) plans through Fiduciary Advisory Services at Bank of America.

- Assistance to help plan fiduciaries meet their plan goals and participant needs.

- Guidance for diversification strategies* for concentrated stock positions and



- Access to a broad range of cash flow and lending solutions from Bank of America.



DIVERSIFICATION DISCLOSURE:

*Diversification does not ensure a profit or protect against loss in declining markets.



Our Philosophy



Our priority is to help make wealth management an orderly, consistent experience for you. We are committed to an unwavering culture of service which drives our interactions with you and your family members. Whether we are discussing your plans for retirement, the monetization of a business or the transfer of your wealth, we strive to take the extra step to offer you a choice of strategies and options to help you pursue what’s important in your life and to the people you care about most.



Our advice is ongoing and it is our hope that you grow accustom to how much we care about you and your family. We strive to be open-minded and when a financial concern or opportunity arises, we want to be your first call. It is our belief that strong relationships can help clients follow their financial strategies by avoiding emotional decision-making during times of market volatility or when experiencing a significant family, business or liquidity event.





Four Tier Guidance



We follow a systematic approach focused on helping you make a difference in your financial life.





Oversight Advice

We strive to help you organize, prepare and keep key financial documents, such as estate plans, health proxies, insurance protections and partnership agreements, up-to-date. Our skilled and attentive team is dedicated to doing the little things today that can help save you valuable time and avoid potential exposures in the future.



Our oversight extends to helping you pursue your most important goals, such as maintaining your lifestyle in retirement or helping with the financial needs of your children and grandchildren. For business owners we can examine and offer guidance for succession planning and liquidity events.



Accumulation Advice

Concerned about preserving what you’ve accumulated? Your financial strategy can be designed to take on what we believe to be the least amount of risk that is consistent with your goals. Investment portfolios can be designed to be protective and defensive, helping you follow your strategy even when the investment climate may make it difficult to do so.



We focus on third-party managers and can draw on the best thinking of Merrill and the investment insights from the Chief Investment Office of Bank of America for manager selection and ongoing investment due diligence.



Distribution Advice

While the financial markets can be unpredictable, we strive to do nearly everything we can to help you create a sustainable retirement withdrawal plan. We follow an approach based on endowment spending models to help replicate a paycheck and take into account how you live your life and the legacy you may wish to leave. Our process is also proactive. By tracking and reviewing your spending and asset performance, we can help you make any adjustments along the way to help you pursue the lifestyle you envisioned.



Client Experience

Through communications that strive to be clear and transparent, you can have a simple review regimen to help you follow your financial approach. During times of family need or celebration, our caring and supportive team makes it a point to be available to assist you in any way we can. One of the most fulfilling aspects of our relationship is being able to help your children and grandchildren. We can offer them targeted assistance in areas such as establishing credit, opening retirement accounts, household budgeting and helping foster a regular investment discipline.

Our Capabilities

We follow an integrated approach to wealth management that can help you address virtually every financial challenge you face. We can assemble for you the expansive tools, technology and insights of Merrill and also offer access to the banking, credit and lending of Bank of America, to offer a range of potential solutions designed to meet the needs of business owners and executives, professionals, and families with multi-generational wealth.



We can help business owners build company benefit plans and offer access to Bank of America for help in addressing cash flow, lending and other bank-related needs. For clients nearing retirement we offer a range of capabilities, including retirement income planning and wealth transfer strategies from Merrill and access to estate planning services and philanthropic solutions through Bank of America.



We can assist non-profits, including religious organizations and foundations, with strategies to help sustain their mission. Through our partnership with the Philanthropic Solutions team at Bank of America Private Bank, we can offer access to specialized administrative services and philanthropic strategies with the potential to help streamline operations and make a lasting impact on an organization and the community it serves.



With your permission we can also work closely with your other professionals, such as attorneys, accountants and tax specialists, to help you pursue your goals.




*The Chief Investment Office (CIO) provides thought leadership on wealth management, investment strategy and global markets; portfolio management solutions; due diligence; and solutions oversight and data analytics. CIO viewpoints are developed for Bank of America Private Bank, a division of Bank of America, N.A., (“Bank of America”) and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“MLPF&S” or “Merrill”), a registered broker-dealer, registered investment adviser and a wholly owned subsidiary of BofA Corp. This information should not be construed as investment advice and is subject to change. It is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to be either a specific offer by Bank of America, Merrill or any affiliate to sell or provide, or a specific invitation for a consumer to apply for, any particular retail financial product or service that may be available.

Philosophy

We believe the best financial approach is the one that helps you pursue your goals. That's why, from the start, we talk about your aspirations and encourage you to ask questions about issues that matter most to you. Calculating how to manage future health care expenses? College on the horizon? Considering the sale of a business or purchase of a home? Preparing to pass your wealth to future generations? It all starts with a plan intended to help you manage, grow, and preserve your wealth today, while also considering the impact it can have for years to come. With access to the investment insights of Merrill and banking solutions from Bank of America, we will work with you to develop an approach designed to help address your financial needs.

Approach

Every relationship begins with a conversation, helping you identify and prioritize which goals matter most to you. Whether it's transferring wealth to the next generation, customizing your financial approach to help you pursue your passions, or providing advice and guidance to help you stay informed, we start by listening to learn more about you and your family.

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.

Capabilities

Merrill’s process is designed to help deliver a customized, comprehensive experience to assist you not only in wealth accumulation and preservation, but in areas that go beyond investments. Providing you with access to the investment insights of Merrill, trust and fiduciary services from Bank of America Private Bank, and the banking and lending solutions of Bank of America offers a way to help you manage all of the pieces of your financial life. Working one-on-one with a Merrill advisor means you have a single point of contact to help you with potential strategies for transferring wealth to the younger generation.

Focus On Individuals, Families and Small Businesses

We believe that financial success can be achieved when you’re able to make investment-related decisions and trade-offs that can help you reach personally meaningful goals. Whether you’re planning your retirement, saving to buy a home or funding a child’s education, the process begins by getting to know you and how you feel about the following:

  • Health: Managing healthcare expenses, now and in the future
  • Home: Upsizing, downsizing, remodeling or buying a vacation home
  • Family: Taking care of your family and other people in your life
  • Leisure: Spending your free time in meaningful ways
  • Giving: Volunteering, mentoring others and giving to charities
  • Work: Working in retirement, selling or starting a business
  • Finance: Bringing it all together and defining your financial goals

Success will be measured by the amount of progress you are making toward reaching your goals, making thoughtfully considered adjustments as events and conditions warrant.

This material should be regarded as general or educational information on healthcare or Social Security considerations and is not intended to provide specific healthcare or social security advice. If you have questions regarding your particular situation, please contact your legal or tax advisor.

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.



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.



    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.

    #DigitalMerrill

    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

      Let’s Have a Conversation

      Helping you reach your goals starts with getting to know you personally. Through understanding what matters most to you, together we can help you create a financial approach that reflects your personality. Only then can we offer an approach that is built around your life priorities and the advice you need to help you address fluctuations in the market and changes in your life. Let’s work together to help you achieve your goals.

      Why Merrill?

      As Merrill Lynch Wealth Management Advisors, we will sort through the financial complexities of your life, helping you build a customized investment approach to address your needs and pursue your goals.


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      We put you first, every day.
      Learn more about the dedicated one-on-one relationship you can have with a Merrill Lynch Wealth Management Advisor.

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      Transcript of Video 

      No question too big or moment too small
      For every question you have, every decision you make and every answer you need, we are with you to listen and help guide you along the many paths your life can take. Watch this video to see some questions we can address together.


      The Power of the Right Advisor®
      Working with a dedicated Merrill advisor means you get personalized investment strategies from Merrill plus access to comprehensive financial solutions only Bank of America can deliver.

      Personalized advice from a dedicated financial advisor.

      We get to know you and your family, your financial situation and what matters most to you.

      A comprehensive approach, built around your life’s priorities.

      Drawing from our experience and the best thinking of Merrill, together we will design an approach that reflects your unique needs, priorities and financial situation.

      Adjusting your investment approach as your life and the markets change.

      We will work to help you stay on track, regardless of what the markets are doing.