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Colin Bonnett
Financial AdvisorMerrill Lynch
Wealth Management
I respect my clients, the wealth they’re building and their desire to put it to work.
My mission? To help them make intelligent financial decisions
and craft a real-world strategy that reflects
who they are, where they’ve been and where they want to go.
My mission? To help them make intelligent financial decisions
and craft a real-world strategy that reflects
who they are, where they’ve been and where they want to go.
Profile
Care and curiosity define Colin’s approach. Recognizing that effective and enduring financial strategies begin with his genuine appreciation for each client, Colin has honed a disciplined, planning process that accounts for their personal passions, most cherished goals and greatest concerns.
“I want clients to enjoy their lives without compromising their ability to save, invest and prepare for the future. Some clients are young professionals and young couples making good money who need guidance on how to allocate it – for education and retirement planning, buying a home, or another short-term goal,” Colin says. “And some clients are further into their financial lives and have become the successful business owner or physician with healthy nest eggs and questions about the retirement lifestyles they can expect or efficient ways to pass assets to the next generation.”
To facilitate productive discussions with clients, Colin often asks, “What about your goals – my job is helping you get there. Tell me about your family. Who are you responsible for? Are you planning to buy a home or something else? Do you have money coming to you from parents? Do you have college loans to pay off? Where do you think you stand financially? What’s your vision of a great retirement?”
Colin’s efforts extend to both spouses (or partners) – educating whenever possible and helping each share ideas and grasp the underpinnings of their overall strategy. As a proactive advisor, Colin also helps clients plan for circumstances they anticipate and those they don’t. Additionally, he explains the value of consistent saving and investing, the virtues of taxable and tax-deferred accounts, and why, for example, insurance may be worth considering.
When it comes to investments, Colin works with the firm’s Chief Investment Office and uses its “building blocks” to customize a diversified portfolio for each client with what may include equities, bonds, ETFs, and alternative investments*. Driving his decisions are a client’s comfort with risk, investment timeline, liquidity needs and the goals he helps them explore and articulate.
“The primary reason I left an independent firm after three years to join Merrill was to bring clients a bigger toolbox of best-in-class resources and solutions, “ Colin says. “Here, I can utilize a broad range of asset classes and offer access to residential and securities-based lending through Bank of America. I also align my tax-minimization and estate planning strategies with those of clients’ CPAs and attorneys. Our support people are incredible, too – giving me more time to focus on clients.”
*NMLS ID: 2444968
*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.
*Some or all alternative investment programs may not be in the best interest of certain investors. No assurance can be given that any alternative investment’s investment objectives will be achieved.
Colin graduated from Illinois Wesleyan University, where he was captain of its basketball team. Still active on the hardwood, Colin helps out the basketball program at Benet Academy in Naperville. He is also active in his community by serving as an ambassador for The Andrew Weishar Foundation, which supports families battling pediatric cancer. A big Chicago Bulls and Bears fan, he grew up on the Southside and currently lives uptown in Wicker Park with his better half, Rhonda.
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EDUCATION
Illinois Wesleyan University
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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.
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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
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Your life and goals change. As these changes occur, we can update your approach to reflect them.
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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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