Philosophy

We believe that the best financial strategy is the one that helps you pursue your goals and achieve financial freedom. That's why, from the start, we talk about your aspirations and encourage you to ask questions about issues that matter most to you.  Our process is designed to deliver a customized, consistent experience to assist clients not only in asset diversification and wealth preservation, but in areas that go beyond portfolio management. Our ability to provide access to the investment insights of Merrill and the banking convenience of Bank of America offers a way for clients to manage all of the pieces of their financial lives.

Client Focus

Our team primarily assist clients that have received or are about to receive a substantial amount of monies from the following types of liquidity events: 

• Concentrated stock positions (i.e., Restricted Stock Units, Employee Stock Option Grants, etc.)
• Sale of privately owned business
• Sale of real estate property
• Inheritance
• Divorce Settlement  

We work closely with other trusted professionals to help clients pursue their goals, drawing on the investment insights of Merrill and access to the banking convenience of Bank of America as we do so.

Pre-Liquidity Event Planning

The most common question we receive is “how soon should i start planning for a liquidity event?”  The answer is simple: The sooner the better.  With liquidity events, time is your most valuable asset.  The earlier you start planning what you want your life to look like afterward, the more opportunity you have to implement tax-efficient strategies that will allow you to maximize your hard earnings for the long term.  Examples of some pre-event tax minimization and estate planning strategies available include:

1. Transfers to trusts, family limited liability companies, and other vehicles;
2. Leveraging gifts through grantor-retained annuity trusts, intentionally defective grantor trusts, and similar vehicles;
3. Charitable transfers
4. Some of the more mundane tax minimization strategies such as deferring income and accelerating expenses

*Merrill, its affiliates, and financial advisors do not provide legal, tax, or accounting advice. You should consult your legal and/or tax advisors before making any financial decisions.

Post-Liquidity Event Planning

Regardless of whether you go through a rigorous planning process prior to a substantial liquidity event, it would still be prudent to pursue an equally rigorous, comprehensive post-liquidity-event planning process.  This process will vary depending on your personal circumstances and the nature of the event.  Nevertheless, there are several fundamental steps that must be considered following a liquidity event – even in the absence of pre-event planning, including:

1. Tax minimization strategies
2. Estate planning services
3. Investment and asset allocation planning
4. Cash flow planning
5. Risk management

*Merrill, its affiliates, and financial advisors do not provide legal, tax, or accounting advice. You should consult your legal and/or tax advisors before making any financial decisions.