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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Maria Leon-Mills, CPWA, CDFA, CFP

Wealth Management Advisor

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Merrill Lynch
Wealth Management

I architect, design and curate financial roadmaps to help ensure freedom and stability. As a wealth manager, I humanize the financial world so my clients can live the life they deserve.

Profile

I began my career in the financial services industry working at Bank of America in 2005. After being diagnosed with Thyroid Cancer in 2013, the importance of being financially prepared was emphasized in my own life. Through this experience my mission became to empower my clients to be prepared not only to achieve financial freedom to pursue their dreams, but to be ready to face moments of adversity.

Throughout the years, I have continued to focus on my mission and enjoy seeing first-hand the positive changes my clients see in their financial wellness through my guidance and collaborative approach. My goal is take my clients on a journey that no matter what bumps are on the road, through my goals-based financial planning process, I work to ensure they obtain stability and are well taken care of in all aspects of their lives. In the end, my passion is to humanize the financial world so my clients can live the life they have dreamed of.

I am a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner, and hold both my Certified Private Wealth Advisor® and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst® certifications. My professional designations attest to my commitment to be a trusted advisor to my clients and their families. In 2019, I joined the Merrill Lynch Wealth Management team after being recruited from Morgan Stanley.

I was born in Caracas, Venezuela and I am fluent in both English and Spanish. After graduating Summa Cum Laude from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics, I moved to China and Switzerland where I continued my financial education and pursued the opportunity to study Chinese and German.

Outside of work, my greatest joys are spending time with my husband and family, traveling the world and giving back. I am very active in my community and I am a champion for causes that help empower women and children in the areas of health, education and financial stability. I am an active member of the Junior League of Miami, an active member of Beaux Arts Miami and a mentor for the Women of Tomorrow organization. In the past, I have chaired the Miami-Dade Beacon Council’s New Leaders Taskforce, served on the YPO Board for City Year and was a member and facilitator for the Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce Leadership Miami program.

  • LANGUAGES

    English & Spanish

  • EDUCATION

    Arizona State University

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.

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.

Sameer Derashri

Wealth Strategist

Merrill

Nick Foley

Wealth Management Lending Officer

Bank of America, N.A.

NMLS #1190976

Ana Acevedo

Wealth Management Banking Specialist

Merrill

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. To take the time to ask hard, smart questions and listen carefully, then understand in great detail, exactly where your wealth stands today and where you’d like it to be tomorrow. I then help you design and implement a customized wealth management approach that helps you and your family pursue personal financial goals while helping manage investment risk. My approach is about designing potential solutions to help turn goals into reality.

Philosophy

We live in a world that's constantly changing. Markets can fluctuate frequently. Potential investment opportunities can arise daily. Regulations are amended. That's why I believe that you and your situation are the best starting points from which to help plan your financial future: where you are today, where you want to be tomorrow, and what you want to accomplish along the way. Because by understanding you and your priorities, I can more effectively offer my experience and resources and help you build a financial framework that is rooted in the unique complexities of your life.

Capabilities

My 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. My 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. I view myself 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.”).

Focus On Women

While I can help any investor pursue their unique financial goals, my primary focus is on working with women.

Whether you’re planning your retirement, saving to buy a home or fund a child’s education, we’ll start by getting to know you and how you feel about the following seven life priorities:

  • 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
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.

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    #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.

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      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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      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.

      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.