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LaBarbera & Associates

Vice President
Senior Financial Advisor
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Merrill Lynch
Wealth Management

We believe disciplined wealth management planning and hands-on leadership can help clients avoid the investor pitfalls of greed, fear and ego. For select clients, our knowledge of option strategies can help them lower the risk of pursuing greater income or growth.

Profile

As a Senior Financial Advisor and Portfolio Manager, Frank works with successful business owners and retirees to help them organize their finances, prioritize their goals and assist with a personalized financial approach that is right for their needs and investment experience. Whether your goals include enhanced cash flow for lifestyle maintenance or growth for your nest egg, Frank has the breadth of experience to help you pursue them in a variety of market conditions.

Clients in search of new investment ideas can schedule time to meet with Frank to discuss their needs. It’s been Frank’s experience that many of the people he meets for the first time have investment experience but lack an overall strategic plan for what they are trying to accomplish. Following a streamlined and efficient process, Frank and his team can assess where you stand today and can assist you in building a risk-appropriate financial approach for where you want to go.

Frank believes that sophistication in the investment world doesn’t mean taking outsize risk. He is passionate about the specialized strategies he can offer, sharing his 30 plus years of market experience with clients. Frank believes his experience with generating idea flow, instilling buy and sell discipline, as well as asset allocation and diversification strategies, distinguishes himself from other advisors in several key areas:

  • For clients looking to pursue income, Frank can offer several approaches depending on the client’s risk profile and time horizon. Your needs and market conditions can help determine if passive or tactical strategies are recommended
  • For clients with a focus on wealth accumulation, Frank can offer a diversified suite of Merrill approved money managers who go through a rigorous due diligence process to be active on our platform. Their performance is monitored by Frank according to your needs and objectives.
  • Using sound fundamental and technical analysis, Frank can assist clients who implement various option strategies in their portfolios.

Frank joined the Merrill in 2005 when the firm acquired Advest Group from AXA Financial. Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, Frank and his family have lived in Boca Raton since 1997. He enjoys golf and spending time with his family, friends and clients.

*A Portfolio Manager 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.
*Options involve risk and are not suitable for all investors. Before engaging in the purchase or sale of options, investors should understand the nature of and extent of their rights and obligations and be aware of the risks involved in investing with options. Prior to buying or selling an option, clients must receive the options disclosure document Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options. This document is available by contacting your Merrill Financial Advisor.

I follow the deep-seated Merrill tradition of participating in the communities we serve. This drives my interest in spending time volunteering with organizations in our community.

  • LANGUAGES

    English

  • EDUCATION

    State University of New Paltz

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.

Jon Berens

Wealth Management Lending Officer

Bank of America, N.A.

NMLS #1582686

Travis Vaden

Wealth Management Banking Specialist

Merrill

Cecilia Remy

Retirement Specialist

Bank of America, N.A.

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

Our Process

We take the time to build a complete picture of your financial life. We look at traditional measures, such as assets, income, any pensions, as well as expenses, and can expand that to include social security income, insurance policies, real estate, business ownership and any other sources of wealth, such as trusts. We may have several conversations where we can discuss your goals, how you like to spend your time and the people in your life you want to help. Entrusting us with these details can be a big ask, however, we’ve built client friendly procedures and practice norms designed to make that discovery process efficient for you.

 

We offer a Merrill Personal Wealth Analysis for each client and are committed to updating it each year. This easy-to-read, personalized plan is data drive, considers your needs and goals and acts as a road map of where you are now financially and where you want to get to someday. We believe the groundwork we do together early on in the wealth management process is educational, helping you learn about your own tolerance for market volatility and expectations for overall returns.

 

Integral to our approach is the tracking and rebalancing of your investment portfolio according to your needs. Clients accustomed to managing investments on their own may not have the time or expertise to do the amount of research and due diligence we strive to offer. Recent events and market volatility demonstrate just how valuable this can be for your future.

 

 

Culture of Service

Our practice has been designed with the highest levels of service in mind. We strive to help you navigate the round-the-clock developments that can occur in your life and in the markets. Frank, along with Wealth Management Associate Patty O’Connor, are devoted to being responsive and proactive to your needs and those of your family members.

You’ll get to know Patty during our initial meetings and when establishing your accounts. Thorough, thoughtful and a great listener, she is committed to bringing together the many moving parts of your financial life so that it is well-integrated and working smoothly. Together with our team, Patty can offer access to Bank of America to assist you with addressing cash flow, lending and other bank-related needs.  In addition to the wealth management planning we offer, our extended team of specialists can assist you with home financing, business lending, life and long-term care insurance, as well as access to estate planning services through Bank of America.

Wealth Management planning doesn’t have to be scary or difficult. We believe we have the team and the approach to help simplify it for you.

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.

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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

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    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.


      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.