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Merrill lynch

The Lueken Group

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Merrill Lynch
Wealth Management


We are proud to deliver transparency, integrity and reliability to clients who’ve come to us, stay with us and refer other successful individuals, families, plan sponsors and participants in Missouri and more than ten other states.

Welcome

At The Lueken Group, we are a multi-generational team that takes pride in the generations of clients we serve. Today, we find that a “new wave” of clients has found its way to our door – most following a previous advisory relationship where a lack of acumen or attention caused them to look elsewhere.

To do more for each client, we’ve decided to serve a limited number of business owners, physicians and attorneys (including those whose 401k plans we manage), their plan participants, as well as divorced and widowed women. Serving fewer clients is the best way we know to provide the exceptional level of focus that we would demand of an advisor.

A hallmark of our process is our planning-based approach. Recognizing that each client has a unique mindset and aspirations, we spend significant time provoking discussions around what may be defined as achieving a fulfilling life. We may ask, “Who was most influential in you deciding to come here? What outcome do you desire working together? What is your comfort with risk? How do you think you’ve done in reaching your goals? And what concerns you most?”

By listening, we learn. And by learning, we build a rapport with clients that leads to an integrated strategy  – the kind that typically spans investment and retirement planning, liability management, tax-minimization and estate planning strategies. And because superior wealth management is a process (not a one-time event), our “planning” never stops. As each relationship continues, so do we – in our effort to adjust strategies and help clients explore new opportunities and meet new challenges.

Rather than wait for clients to encounter decisions that we can foresee, we stand behind them by getting out in front of circumstances they anticipate and those they don’t. Doing so allows us to present thoughtful recommendations with sufficient time for them to decide how to proceed.

In every facet of our practice, we abide by our own set of principles and guidelines.

  • Promise only what we can deliver.
  • Be straightforward, even when honest suggestions may be difficult for a client to hear.
  • Recognize that what we do is more important than what we say we do.
  • Communicate clearly and in a timely manner.
  • Address a client’s less obvious concerns, not only their questions.
  • Be transparent and admit any mistake.

We also take special pride in helping clients:

  • Sustain their financial and emotional strength, after losing a loved one or experiencing divorce.
  • Celebrate their special occasions at weddings, birthday and anniversary parties.
  • Educate their children about the responsibilities of managing wealth.

As our client, we will remind you to contact us with any financially related question or if you need our opinion on a financial or life circumstance. By doing our jobs well, we can bring you the perspective and time you need to make informed decisions that are wise and unhurried.

Philosophy

We 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. Calculating how to manage 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? It all starts with a plan intended to help you manage, grow, and preserve your wealth today, while also considering the impact it can have for years to come. With access to the investment insights of Merrill and banking solutions from Bank of America, we will work with you to develop an approach designed to help address your financial needs.

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.

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

Merrill’s process is designed to help deliver a customized, comprehensive experience to assist you not only in wealth accumulation and preservation, but in areas that go beyond investments. Providing you with access to the investment insights of Merrill, trust and fiduciary services from Bank of America Private Bank, and the banking and lending solutions of Bank of America offers a way to help you manage all of the pieces of your financial life. Working one-on-one with a Merrill advisor means you have a single point of contact to help you with potential strategies for transferring wealth to the younger generation.

Focus On Individuals, Families and Small Businesses

We 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. Whether you’re planning your retirement, saving to buy a home or funding a child’s education, the process begins by getting to know you and how you feel about the following:

  • 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

Success will be measured by the amount of progress you are making toward reaching your goals, making thoughtfully considered adjustments as events and conditions warrant.

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.

Meet the 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.

Blenda Thyrring

Wealth Management Banking Specialist

Merrill

Charles B Hardy

Wealth Management Lending Officer

Bank of America, N.A.

NMLS #718016

Steve Richer

Employee Benefits Specialist

Bank of America, N.A.

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.