Approach

We begin every relationship 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.

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 help you refine your investing preferences. Together, we can help customize your investment approach. Using an understanding of your priorities and investment personality as a foundation, we help you access the full breadth of resources from Bank of America’s banking products and services and Merrill’s investment insights to address all aspects of your financial life.

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.

A Process Focused on You

A wealth management strategy that addresses what is unique about you and your family is a key to building and sustaining wealth.

Wealth management is a methodical process that is carried out over months and years. It is dynamic and flexible so that your strategy — and your investment portfolio — can be adjusted to the changes that will inevitably occur in your life. We take a holistic approach that addresses your financial situation today and your financial life ahead.

We use the five-step Merrill Lynch wealth management process to help you set realistic goals, prioritize your objectives and develop strategies to pursue them.

Assess Situation.

We'll begin by gaining an understanding of you, your family and the context of your business and professional life, working with your demographic and financial information.

We'll help identify concerns and define goals, keeping in mind time horizon, liquidity needs and risk tolerance.

We'll help you determine what it will take to fund your goals and run 'what-if' scenarios, if necessary, to help refine them.

We'll work with you to select the right mix of products for your situation to help pursue your goals.

We'll meet with you to track progress, discuss life changes, and update your investment strategy as needed.

Your approach to investing

Building Your Investment Portfolio

Your investment portfolio, in terms of structure, allocations and projected risk, flows from your wealth management strategy and your own characteristics as an investor.

Our investment philosophy: We have a conservative bias in our investment approach. We see ourselves as preservers of wealth, rather than as high-risk, high-return managers. We believe that if we can help you manage downside risk and strive to minimize losses over time, the long-term returns from your portfolio could be more consistent.

Asset allocation. We strongly believe that, over significant time periods, asset allocation is the most important determinant of investment returns. We work with you to create a strategy to put your investment capital into a mix of global asset classes that reflect your risk tolerance, long-term financial goals, need for income and liquidity, time horizon and tax situation.

Risk. We feel that it's important to educate you about the many dimensions of investment risk. We will thoroughly assess your risk tolerance and experience as an investor and then recommend an asset allocation strategy that aligns with your profile.

Diversification. We recognize the value of diversification, within and among asset classes, to help mitigate short-term risk and smooth out the return pattern of your portfolio over the longer term.

Extensive Services for Diverse Client Needs

The clients we work with are diverse in profession and in scope. We work with couples, families and accomplished women and men, including attorneys, medical professionals, corporate executives, entrepreneurs and business owners.

Over the years, and in response to the changing needs of clients, we have expanded the services and products that we can offer access to include:

• Asset and liability management through Bank of America
• Trust, philanthropic and charitable giving strategies through Bank of America
• Wealth accumulation and asset preservation strategies
• Portfolio management and oversight
• Working with your outside advisors on Estate planning services, emphasizing tax minimization strategies
• Wealth transfers and gifting strategies
• Concentrated stock strategies
• Detailed performance reporting and diagnostics
• Retirement income and cash flow planning strategies
• Qualified retirement plans for businesses and non-qualified deferred compensation plans
• College savings plans
• Insurance (life, long-term care, liability and disability)

*Merrill Life Agency's California License Number 0522776