Sean Kienzle, CPWA

Senior Vice President
Financial Advisor
Learn more about an advisor's background on
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Merrill Lynch
Wealth Management

Honesty, objectivity, and approachability: these are the core values on which my work as a financial advisor is based. I develop long-term, multigenerational relationships with my clients and provide a concierge level of service that they expect and deserve. My goal is to help organize, optimize, and simplify their financial lives, allowing them to recapture precious free time and focus on the passions and priorities they deem most rewarding.

Profile

Sean Kienzle is a Senior Vice President and Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in Chicago, Illinois. With more than 17 years of industry experience, he serves a diverse and dynamic clientele, including high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families who are focused on asset preservation and legacy planning. An efficient and creative problem solver, he is dedicated to helping them optimize their wealth and addressing their often-sophisticated financial situations.

Additionally, Sean enjoys working with young professionals and their families who are building towards high levels of wealth and may not have the time, desire, or experience to properly plan and manage certain aspects of their financial lives. His caring, patient, and uniquely personalized approach seeks to educate clients so they can advance their financial objectives. 

Analytically adept, Sean supports clients in making informed, objective decisions about their wealth, such as the timing of retirement, the sustainability of their spending, or the transfer of their legacy to successive generations. He integrates the extensive tools, technology, and research available through Merrill®, as well as the collaborative efforts of specialists throughout the firm, and clients’ attorneys, accountants, and other key professionals, to create customized solutions for clients and their families.

Originally from Toledo, Ohio, Sean graduated from the University of Michigan with a dual major in economics and psychology. After graduation, Sean spent a year in Breckenridge, Colorado, before moving to Chicago in 2006 to begin his career as a Licensed Preferred Banker with Fifth Third Bank. In 2011, Sean was recruited to the Private Client Group at PNC Bank and became a licensed Financial Advisor in 2013. He transitioned to JP Morgan Private Bank as Private Banker in 2014 and joined Merrill® as a Senior Vice President in 2020. He holds the Certified Private Wealth Advisor® (CPWA®) designation.

Sean and his wife reside in Chicago.  In his spare time, he enjoys the arts, the outdoors, and sports. He is a member of Executives’ Club of Chicago and The Arts Club of Chicago. Passionate about volunteerism, Sean supports various local organizations including Future Founders, Chicago Coalition for Family Building, After School Matters, and Braven. He is a former associate board member of Literacy Chicago and the AIDS foundation of Chicago.

  • EDUCATION

    University of Michigan

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.

Bridget Swan

Wealth Management Lending Officer

Bank of America, N.A.

NMLS #426159

Nathaniel Scott Jones

Wealth Management Banking Specialist

Merrill

Nicholas A. Beilfuss

Wealth Strategist

Merrill

Past Events

Do I Need a Financial Advisor?: Deciding What’s Best for You - Session 1

May 18th, 2023|11:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Whether you’re new to investing or already working with an Advisor, we’ll help you evaluate your options

If your answer is “Yes” to any of the questions below, you are not alone.  We'll help you discover what the best fit is for you & your loved ones and how to get started. 

  • Are you feeling overwhelmed about your finances and curious about engaging with a financial advisor?
  • Are you looking for a starting place to learn more about planning, investing, and what to expect from an professional advisor?
  • Has a recent life event made you wonder if you need the help & advice of an expert?
  • Are you curious if you’re doing everything you can to be on track for the financial future you desire?

Please register below to join us:
Option 1: Thursday Daytime          
May 18th, 2023
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM Central
Please click here to register for and join our WebEx event

    Do I Need a Financial Advisor?: Deciding What’s Best for You - Session 2

    May 23rd, 2023|11:30 AM - 12:00 PM

    Whether you’re new to investing or already working with an Advisor, we’ll help you evaluate your options

    If your answer is “Yes” to any of the questions below, you are not alone. We'll help you discover what the best fit is for you & your loved ones and how to get started.

    • Are you feeling overwhelmed about your finances and curious about engaging with a financial advisor?
    • Are you looking for a starting place to learn more about planning, investing, and what to expect from an professional advisor?
    • Has a recent life event made you wonder if you need the help & advice of an expert?
    • Are you curious if you’re doing everything you can to be on track for the financial future you desire?

    Please register below to join us:
    Option 2: Tuesday Daytime
    May 23rd, 2023
    11:30 AM – 12:00 PM Central
    Please click here to register for and join our WebEx event

      Do I Need a Financial Advisor?: Deciding What’s Best for You - Session 3

      May 23rd, 2023|7:00 PM - 7:30 PM

      Whether you’re new to investing or already working with an Advisor, we’ll help you evaluate your options

      If your answer is “Yes” to any of the questions below, you are not alone. We'll help you discover what the best fit is for you & your loved ones and how to get started.

      • Are you feeling overwhelmed about your finances and curious about engaging with a financial advisor?
      • Are you looking for a starting place to learn more about planning, investing, and what to expect from an professional advisor?
      • Has a recent life event made you wonder if you need the help & advice of an expert?
      • Are you curious if you’re doing everything you can to be on track for the financial future you desire?

      Please register below to join us:
      Option 3: Tuesday Evening
      May 23rd, 2023
      7:00 PM – 7:30 PM Central
      Please click here to register for and join our WebEx event

        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

        Getting to Know Me: Advisor Q&A

        What type of clients do you work with?

        Through my personal practice and trusted associates, I cover the entire wealth spectrum.  The net worth of the clients I work with has steadily grown during my career, so I know the unique concerns that arise at all levels of wealth.  I would welcome an introductory conversation to get to know your needs and how my team can best help. 

        My core personal clients tend to be successful families with, or building towards, high levels of wealth.  My high and ultra-high net worth acumen helps them build & maintain their assets, address trust & estate planning, optimize for taxes, borrow effectively, and achieve their goals. 

         

        How and why did you become a financial advisor?

        I love building relationships and advising passionate, successful people.  This career allows me to do both, since it requires great people skills as well as the technical skills to execute.  Getting to truly know my clients and help them achieve what’s important to them puts a smile on my face every day.

        My dad gave me a copy of the Wall Street Journal Guide to Understanding Money & Investing when I was 14, and I read it cover to cover.  I was hooked.  My life and career path since then have been focused on this profession.  I double majored in Economics and Psychology, which is a great mix for this career.  I have spent over 16 years in financial advising, helping clients and honing my skills & experience.

         

        What are your goals for when working with your clients?

        My goals are my clients’ goals.  The most important service I provide them is to help discover what their goals are and how to best achieve them.  That’s why personalized wealth management is so important to my practice. 

        I have done my job when I create confidence for my clients, who know they have a thoughtful plan in place and a trusted advisor helping them make the right decisions. 

         

        What are the most frequent questions your clients ask?

        “Am I doing the right things to make sure my family is going to be OK?” is by far the biggest question I hear.  Answering this with planning and execution is the core of my practice.

        Some other common questions I help answer are:

        “Do I have enough to retire?”
        “Are you a fiduciary?” & “How are you compensated?”
        “How can I optimize taxes, now and for my heirs?”
        “What Trust & Estate planning strategies should we be considering?” 
        “How can we best support our loved ones and charities, while making sure we still have enough?”
        “What’s the best way to pay for my child/grandchild’s education?”


        What do you think personally distinguishes you as an advisor?

        I am honest, knowledgeable, and comprehensive. My practice is focused on advice, not sales, and we believe in delivering concierge service to our clients.

        Philosophy

        I believe the best financial approach is the one that helps you pursue your goals. That's why, from the start, we talk about your aspirations and encourage you to ask questions about issues that matter most to you. Worried about managing future health care expenses? College on the horizon? Considering the sale of a business or purchase of a home? Preparing to pass your wealth to future generations? With access to the investment insights of Merrill and the banking convenience of Bank of America, I will work with you to develop an approach designed to help address your financial needs.

        Approach

        I 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, I 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 me get to know you better as an investor and help you refine your investing preferences. Together, I can help customize your investment approach. Using an understanding of your priorities and investment personality as a foundation, I 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.

        Your approach to investing

        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 potentially help you refine your own investing preferences. By gaining a deeper understanding of how you think and feel about investing through this assessment, we can customize the financial approach we develop together to help you pursue what matters most to you. Our Investment Personality Assessment is one of the ways to help us get to know you - to understand your goals and priorities. These questions will help us provide you with additional insights and resources.

        Understanding your goals and priorities

        Your life and goals change. We have tools to help you keep track of these changes so they can be reflected in your financial approach.

        Capabilities

        My process is designed to help deliver a customized, consistent experience to assist clients not only in wealth accumulation and preservation, but in areas that go beyond investments. My ability to provide access to the investment insights of Merrill, trust and fiduciary services from Bank of America Private Bank, and the banking convenience and lending solutions of Bank of America offers a way to help clients manage all of the pieces of their financial lives. I view myself as a financial resource, helping clients with potential solutions for transferring wealth to the younger generation.

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

        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. So whether you’re planning your retirement, saving to buy a home or fund a child’s education, I start by getting to know you and how you feel about the following seven life priorities.

        • 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

        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

          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 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 AdvisorTM
            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.