Merrill lynch

Van Kessel & Associates

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Merrill Lynch
Wealth Management



We believe every client is entitled to the highest level of personalized service and care.  The most influential factors in a successful relationship are understanding your life, your family, your aspirations and your needs. These factors are the core of the work we do, the strategies we build with you, and it is against these strategies that we measure our success.  

Welcome

We chose to be part of the financial services industry to help others. This passion to help stems from collective experience and the financial challenges we have watched friends, families or ourselves experience in the past. As witnesses to challenges faced by important people in our lives, we recognized the need for a professional and caring team to help others realize the life they want. Our purpose is to help others define their goals, establish a wealth management approach centered on their priorities and then help them manage the inevitable changes in life.

Philosophy

We believe that communication is instrumental to success in managing life’s challenges. Our financial advisors also work to engage families in the financial decision-making process. Communicating openly with family members on the sometimes difficult subject of wealth can be a challenge. We can help facilitate these discussions and offer opportunities to educate the younger generation about how assets may be invested.

Approach

Our approach to investing is grounded in an understanding of you. It all begins with a conversation. We take the time to get to know you — your kids' names, how hard you worked to get where you are and how you define success. We'll work together with you to understand your investment personality, prioritize your goals and build a financial approach that reflects your needs. We believe investors can benefit from our advice, access to the investment insights offered by Merrill, trust and fiduciary services from Bank of America Private Bank and the banking convenience of Bank of America. When it comes to your success, there’s only one financial approach that really matters — yours.

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

Using the broad investing resources of Merrill, we can also assist with potential solutions for income management, education funding, retirement income planning, and guidance for executives with concentrated stock positions, traditional and alternative investments, wealth transfer and estate planning services. And with your permission we can also work closely with your other professionals, such as attorneys, accountants and specialists, to help you pursue your goals.

DISCLOSURE: Some or all alternative investments may not be appropriate for certain investors. Certain alternative investments carry significant risk and are not subject to the same regulatory oversight as mutual funds and other appropriate investments. For these reasons, access to alternative investments may be limited to investors who are designated as sophisticated, high-net-worth investors.

Focus On High-Net-Worth Individuals and Business Owners

We  offer clients a breadth of potential solutions, premier customer service and financial tools based on their unique circumstances.

No matter what your goals may be, we begin by helping you define and prioritize your financial goals based on the following seven areas:

  • 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 and giving to charities
  • Work: Working in retirement, selling or starting a business
  • Finance: Bringing it all together; defining your financial goals
We'll also draw on our industry knowledge and experience to offer:
  • Potential risk management solutions
  • Trust and estate planning services
  • Potential wealth management solutions
  • Access to Bank of America for your credit and banking needs
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.

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.

Jacob W. Van Kessel

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

Meggan Van Kessel

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

Who We Are

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.

Additional Resources

The following specialists do not make securities recommendations. Please contact your Merrill Lynch Wealth Management Advisor if you have questions about how a specialist might be able to assist you.

Bryan Austin

Wealth Strategist

Merrill

Andrew M Butt

Senior Wealth Management Lending Officer

Bank of America, N.A.

NMLS #515815

Tara Selig

Wealth Management Banking Specialist

Merrill

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

      We believe there is no substitute for having a relationship with a team of Merrill Lynch Wealth Management Advisors committed to your needs, who can leverage the investment insights of Merrill and offer access to the banking convenience of Bank of America to help clients navigate the financial and economic landscapes. Let’s work together to help you pursue 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 AdvisorTM
      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.