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Merrill lynch

McCullough & Associates

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Merrill Lynch
Wealth Management


Accessible, knowledgeable and experienced, we are committed to building and maintaining strong client relationships. We’re passionate about what we do and we bring that passion to helping every client make what may be the most important financial decisions of their lives.

Welcome

Among the reasons our team chose to be part of the financial services industry is our desire to help others. This passion to help stems from our collective experience and the opportunity to collaborate one-on-one. As witnesses to the challenges faced by important people in our lives, we recognize the need for a professional and caring team to help you realize the life you want. Our purpose is to help you identify and address your goals, establish a personalized plan centered on your priorities, and then help you adjust your approach, as needed, whenever the inevitable changes in life may occur.

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

Every relationship begins 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.

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 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.

Meet Our Team

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.

Douglas Ressler

Small Business Banker

Bank of America, N.A.

Matthew Terry

Wealth Management Lending Officer

Bank of America, N.A.

NMLS #432410

Rick Loud

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

      Helping you reach your goals starts with getting to know you personally. Through understanding what matters most to you, together we can help you create a financial approach that reflects your personality. Only then can we 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.

      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 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.