Philosophy

McCullough & Associates is committed to providing financial well being to our clients.  As your trusted advisors, we guide you through a process to preserve, grow and successfully transfer your wealth.  It all begins with a conversation. We want to know you, your children's names, how hard you worked to get where you are, how you define success and the goals you want to achieve.   

At the center of every relationship is you.  Our advice and guidance around investing is grounded in this understanding of you.  Our holistic approach includes Retirement Income Planning, Investment Guidance, Estate Coordination and Legacy Implementation, and Tax Minimization Strategies.  We work together to prioritize your goals and understand your investment personality - risk tolerance, time horizon, liquidity needs, and investment objectives.  We collaborate with you to create and implement a customized financial strategy and service model, which addresses each of your unique concerns and goals one by one.  

Our practice is committed to full disclosure of all fees and material facts associated with any relationship, providing the best advice and guidance in your best interest.  We are confident that our team possesses all of the resources, experience to bring clarity, purpose and direction to even the most complex situation.  We believe our clients will benefit from our advice, access to the investment insights offered by Merrill, trust 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 strategy that really matters - yours. 

*Trust, fiduciary, and investment management services are provided by Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC, and wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation (“BofA Corp.”), and its agents. Bank of America Private Bank is a division of Bank of America, N.A.

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.

What Sets Us Apart

• Investment experience-- Our investment advice is backed by the sophisticated market insights and award-winning¹ research of BofA Global Research Group which housed over 600 analysts in 2020.
• Custom portfolio management-- Sit face-to-face with a Senior Portfolio Advisor, learn how they make decisions and ask questions.
• Uniquely qualified advisors-- Our distinguished group of Merrill Lynch Wealth Management Financial Advisors hold designations attained through rigorous training and assessment processes.
• Independence-- Objective advice with the best interest of clients, 401(k) plan participants and beneficiaries at its core.
• Customized strategies-- One-on-one assessment of your individual retirement plan, and customized strategies for organizations, designed to align with your interests and goals.

*Any information presented in connection with BofA Global Research is general in nature and is not intended to provide personal investment advice. The information does not take into account the specific investment objectives, financial situation and particular needs of any specific person who may receive it. Investors should understand that statements regarding future prospects may not be realized. BofA Global Research is research produced by BofA Securities, Inc. (“BofAS”) and/or one or more of its affiliates. BofAS is a registered broker-dealer, Member SIPC, and wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation. BofA Global Research does and seeks to do business with companies covered in its research reports. As a result, investors should be aware that the firm may have a conflict of interest that could affect the objectivity of this report. Investors should consider this report as only a single factor in making their investment decision.

*Institutional Investor magazine announced BofA Global Research as one of the Top Global Research Firms in 2022 based on surveys held throughout the year. The magazine creates rankings of the top research analysts in a wide variety of specializations, drawn from the choices of portfolio managers and other investment professionals at more than 1,000 firms. BofA Global Research is research produced by BofA Securities, Inc (“BofAS”) and/or one or more of its affiliates. BofAS is a registered broker-dealer, Member SIPC, and wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation. Learn more about the methodology at Institutional Investor. Rankings and recognition from Institutional Investor are no guarantee of future investment success and do not ensure that a current or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance results and such rankings should not be construed as an endorsement.

*A Senior Portfolio Advisor can help clients pursue their objectives by managing on a discretionary basis custom investment strategies, selecting from a wide range of Merrill model portfolios and third-party investment strategies.

How We Help Clients

Clients at various stages, in their lives, count on us to help them find ways to pursue their financial and life goals, including:

• The retirement lifestyle they envision
• Preparing for the costs associated with providing for the best education possible for children and grandchildren
• Tax minimization strategies for wealth transfer to the next generations
• Establishment of their legacy through family and philanthropy
• Diversifying business interests
• Coordinate banking needs- cash management, credit and lending, home equity and liquidity management through Bank of America
• Work with your other professionals-- attorneys, accountants and tax specialists

*Banking products and services provided by Bank of America, N.A.
*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.

Corporate Retirement Benefit Plans

We understand the retirement and financial needs of your employees, as well as the responsibility those needs create for you as an employer. We offer potential solutions that business owners and employees may need to help pursue their financial goals and maintain financial wellness.

Plan Sponsors
Whether your benefits offering includes a Profit Sharing Plan, 401(k) Plan, Defined Benefit Plan or Cash Balance Plan, working with McCullough & Associates means working with people who are truly dedicated to your success.  Our approach is simple, transparent and supported by industry-leading investment guidance.  Our team will make your priorities their own so you can focus more on your business.

Your role as a Plan Sponsor is more challenging than ever, and it’s not something to face alone.  We bring the resources and thought leadership from Merrill, a Bank of America Corporation, to help you provide a strong, healthy and fully compliant program that runs smoothly, engages your employees and makes your job easier in ways that make sense for your company – strategically, operationally and financially.  We can help you focus on the areas that may be helpful to plan success, including Fiduciary Advisory Services¹ and Education and Plan Services² appropriate for your plan.

Fiduciary Plan Services¹

• Merrill accepts ERISA 3(21) Fiduciary responsibility³ for investment advice and recommendations made in the best interest of your plan Investment Policy Statement and investment menu design based upon your plan goals and participant needs⁴
• Comprehensive due diligence processes to identify appropriate investment opportunities
• Proactive delivery – online and by your advisor – of in-depth investment performance reporting every quarter
• Fiduciary Advisory Services report providing plan metrics and demographics, fund analysis and market trends

Education and Plan Services²
Plan Design

• Review of plan demographics to help keep plan on track with objectives
• Review of plan features and services for potential enhancements
• Coordination and implementation of new plan features and services
• Engagement in annual plan compliance testing

Employee Education

• Communications strategy development
• Coordination and presentation of enrollment meetings and retirement planning seminars
• General financial, retirement and investment information
• Asset allocation education and interactive investment materials

Relationship Management

• Annual plan meetings and service reviews
• Participation in committee meetings
• Access to though leadership and relevant industry news and trends
  
  

¹ Fiduciary Advisory Services is an investment advisory service sponsored by Merrill. It will only be offered to defined contribution plans recordkept by Bank of America Merrill Lynch and plans recordkept by our Advisor Alliance providers. It is available for plans up to $500 million in plan assets. For more information on plan eligibility speak to your Merrill advisor.

² Education and Plan Services are non-fiduciary services required for Advisor Alliance plans and optional for MLII plans.

³ The Merrill Fiduciary Advisory Services Client Agreement and the related fee schedule and the Merrill Fiduciary Advisory Services program Brochure and other disclosure documents include information about the program, including Merrill's fiduciary responsibilities pursuant to ERISA section 3(21).

⁴ Merrill and its representatives [or advisors] will provide investment advice or recommendations solely on a nondiscretionary basis with regard to qualified retirement plans. All discretionary and investment decisions concerning qualified plans, including which investments to offer under a qualified plan and approval of the IPS, are to be made solely by the plan sponsor. Please see the Merrill Fiduciary Advisory Services program Brochure for additional information.


*Asset allocation does not ensure a profit or protect against loss in declining markets.

*Institutional Investor magazine announced BofA Global Research as one of the Top Global Research Firms in 2022 based on surveys held throughout the year. The magazine creates rankings of the top research analysts in a wide variety of specializations, drawn from the choices of portfolio managers and other investment professionals at more than 1,000 firms. BofA Global Research is research produced by BofA Securities, Inc (“BofAS”) and/or one or more of its affiliates. BofAS is a registered broker-dealer, Member SIPC, and wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation. Learn more about the methodology at Institutional Investor. Rankings and recognition from Institutional Investor are no guarantee of future investment success and do not ensure that a current or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance results and such rankings should not be construed as an endorsement.