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Profile

Sean is celebrating more than 20 years at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management and relationships with a diverse clientele that span generations of their families. Today, he continues to assist and attract high-net-worth individuals in California and more than 15 other states – crafting customized financial strategies that reflect their personal and professional goals.

A former mechanical engineer with the Department of Defense, Sean is passionate about using his extensive analytical skills to examine market dynamics and behavior, corporate balance sheets and specific investments. Sharing his insights with clients – and showing them how analyses relate to their objectives – Sean brings full transparency and his personal integrity to each client and, in many cases, their extended families.

Sean is proud that a majority of clients has been referred – and considers him a “first call” for virtually any financial decision. They include active and retired business owners, physicians, attorneys, and a growing number of successful women and men entering their peak earning years. Working with both spouses and looking out for entire families, Sean is a caring steward of clients’ best interests – both financial and emotional. He believes that clients feel comfortable knowing that he listens carefully and works diligently – to help them achieve meaningful goals with minimal stress along the way.

With “retirement” the primary focus of clients who want to preserve and grow their wealth, Sean helps them determine tax-efficient income distribution strategies, examine Social Security scenarios, evaluate the need for long-term care and other forms of insurance. He also helps clients with legacy planning by introducing gifting and charitable giving strategies, as examples.

When it comes to investing, Sean uses Merrill model portfolios and builds his own. In addition to a client’s investment timeline, liquidity needs and financial goals, Sean finds their “risk tolerance” most critical. On behalf of each client, he formulates a tailored portfolio with stocks, bonds and ETFs. In some cases, he introduces alternative investments* – allowing clients to benefit from non-correlated assets that can offer reduced volatility.

Having joined Bank of America in 2000 before moving to Merrill, Sean pays close attention to both sides of clients’ balance sheets. His familiarity with the specialists and resources of Bank of America, N.A. allows him to bring clients both insight and access to residential, securities-based, and commercial banking solutions. He also coordinates with clients’ CPAs and attorneys to align tax-minimization and estate planning strategies.

Sean is a lifetime learner with multiple credentials that reflect his rigorous and ongoing industry training. He holds the Certified Private Wealth Advisor® certification, administered by the Investments & Wealth Institute™ (The Institute). He is also a Portfolio Manager who can help clients pursue their objectives by managing on a discretionary basis his own personalized or defined strategies, which may incorporate individual stocks and bonds, Merrill model portfolios, and third-party investment strategies. 

Sean “graduated twice” from California Polytechnic State University – first with a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering and later with an MBA (during which time he became fascinated with the securities markets). A father of three, Sean resides in Coto de Caza with his wife, Rozina, and their children.  In addition to family travel, he relishes time spent outdoors – mountain biking, playing golf and fishing.

*Some or all alternative investment programs may not be in the best interest of certain investors. No assurance can be given that any alternative investment’s investment objectives will be achieved.
*NMLS#633450

    Professional Staff

    Supported by the global resources of Merrill, my 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

    My mission, first and foremost, is to understand you and what matters most to you. Armed with that information I can ask thoughtful questions -- listening carefully, then understanding in detail where your wealth stands today and where you’d like it to be tomorrow. I help you design and implement a personalized plan intended to help you and your family pursue financial goals while helping manage investment risk. My approach is to focus on potential solutions that can help turn goals into reality.

    Philosophy

    I 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, I 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, I 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

    I 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 I can help you create a financial approach that reflects your personality. Only then can I 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.