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Merrill lynch

Breemen McCarthy McKenna & Associates

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Merrill Lynch
Wealth Management


Our highly experienced team helps successful clients –
including corporate executives and entire families –
simplify their financial lives even when complex challenges
demand timely and thoughtful strategies

Welcome

At Breemen McCarthy McKenna & Associates, we offer the services and strategies demanded by a successful group of clients. Each of us feels privileged to bring our experience and energy to these hardworking individuals and families.

While we assist ambitious people from various walks of life, our reputation and referred clientele have come in great part from executives in the corporate sector – those who’ve had a liquidity event, are looking to create liquidity, require pre-IPO planning, or simply need to understand what they can expect from their assets going forward.
 
We also serve other professionals and multiple generations of client families nationwide. Like many clients, we believe that wealth and wisdom should be passed along with great care to growing and grown children. For this reason, we educate clients and their “next generation” at every opportunity. This can allow for wise financial habits and decisions that lead to positive and enduring outcomes. 

What can you expect? As our client, we will provide the exceptional degree of focused attention that you deserve. By helping you “see around corners” and clearly communicating with you on a frequent basis, we can help you manage risk, prepare for likely and unlikely circumstances, and – and ultimately – simplify, organize and optimize your financial life.

Serving Corporate Executives

At Breemen McCarthy McKenna & Associates, we’ve nurtured strong relationships with a growing number of corporate executives – many who never anticipated their wealth and the opportunities it offers. On their behalf, we embrace our responsibility to help minimize risk and optimize outcomes.

Despite their achievements, clients often say, “I don’t know what I don’t know. What can my retirement really look like? Paint me a picture. Am I doing things right? I wish I had more time to weigh future considerations. I have assets here and there – I need a cohesive strategy to follow and feel good about.”

To understand each client on a personal level, we ask our own questions, “How much longer do you want to work for your company? Are you considering another venture? How do you want to live ten or twenty years from now? What brings you joy and what’s your greatest fear?” By hearing what clients say (and may not say), sharing our own insights and stories, we work with clients to help them figure things out. 


Two things we believe:

As a corporate executive, you devote significant time to creating value for shareholders and employees. Also, you’re likely – or should be – concerned with having personal assets linked too closely to your firm’s fortunes. Having long served other executives in similar situations, we are well equipped to help you manage your personal wealth – through customized investment and retirement planning, cash and cash flow planning, tax minimization and estate planning strategies.

In addition, we can help you with pre-IPO planning, as well as comply with SEC rules, your company’s trading restrictions, and equity reporting requirements We also can help you enjoy easier access to cash – especially when cash flow is uneven (due to compensation structures that may include lump sum payments, profit sharing and/or restricted stock). We have extensive knowledge of concentrated stock and the emotions that may come with it. Not only are we highly tax sensitive, we are personally sensitive to the desires of each client.

In formulating your overall strategy, we also pay close attention to both sides of your balance sheet –assets and liabilities. For residential and securities-based lending, we can introduce you to Bank of America, N.A. specialists. To save you time and to align strategies, we coordinate closely with your CPA and attorney.

Addressing Concentrated Stock

Like many corporate executives who are referred to Breemen McCarthy McKenna & Associates, you may be struggling with the investment risk of a concentrated stock position – especially given legal restrictions that limit your options.

Being one of the experienced Merrill Lynch Wealth Management groups to use 10b5-1 trading plans, we know that you may feel emotionally attached to a stock – or be driven by a sense of loyalty, bullish sentiment about your company, or concern about receiving a large tax bill. Keep in mind, however that the same asset that represents a large portion of your wealth can become your biggest risk in the future.

By taking a long, careful look at your financial picture, we can help determine where your concentrated position fits in, among your assets and future earnings. Through a deliberate, exhaustive assessment of your personal balance sheet, we can also evaluate your sources of income (including investments, deferred compensation, executive benefits, retirement or pension plans, and Social Security), as well as your liabilities, and necessary and discretionary expenses.

To help solidify and insulate your net worth, we will also examine and may suggest:

• How much compensation you should defer.
• Divesting company stock while abiding by your contractual restrictions.
• Locking in the value of underlying shares.
• Planning for the wise distribution of retirement assets to minimize tax consequences.
• Utilizing your company-sponsored plans to help maximize short- and long-term benefits.

Additionally, we can establish a pre-determined trading schedule that specifies the exact number of shares of stock to be sold (and when) – and executes those sales automatically. Our intent is to satisfy regulatory requirements, account for market optics, mitigate insider-trading concerns, and minimize your risk and tax consequences.

Delivering White-Glove Service

At Breemen McCarthy McKenna & Associates, we have long maintained that “time spent with clients” is critical to the highly individualized service we provide. In treating clients like members of our families, we often feel like members of theirs. As our client, we expect you’ll be pleased with the rigor of our service, our ability to help simplify, organize and optimize your family’s financial affairs, and our desire to be your proactive and responsive one-stop resource.

Experience tells us “anything less than outstanding service” is less than you deserve. To this end, we make it our business to make your goals ours. To understand your priorities, we ask questions that provoke conversation: “How and how much do you intend to help your children? What are your thoughts about paying for college? What’s your experience with investing and risk? Has time become more or less important than money?”

To provide genuine “family wealth” planning, we also aim to understand the situations and goals of all stakeholders. From open communications and familial relationships with clients, we can explore family dynamics and what drives your diligence and hard work.

Over time, we will remind you to contact us for any reason – if you have a financially related question or need a second opinion on a corporate or life circumstance. It is our hope to build a relationship with you and your family that inspires your trust in having heartfelt discussions when dollars and cents may give way to personal circumstances. By doing our jobs well, we can bring you the perspective and time you need – to make decisions that are wise and unhurried.

When examining our strongest client relationships, we see that both spouses are typically involved from the outset. To help us gain a rich appreciation of the people and priorities in your life, we may wish to visit your home or office. Also, because your family’s education can create lasting outcomes, we hope to assist your children in developing wise financial habits, becoming more disciplined and independent.

Ultimately, our ongoing awareness of your changing circumstances allows us to make timely adjustments to your investments and, if needed, your overall strategy. We are proud of what we continue to accomplish for highly accomplished people – most who’ve been with us for years and came here by way of introduction.

Recognition

Merrill is proud of our advisors who’ve received recognition from financial industry publications or directly from Bank of America Corporation. We believe they are setting the standard for exemplary client service.

Eric W Breemen

Forbes "Best-in-State Wealth Advisors" 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
Published annually Jan- April. Rankings based on data as of June 30 of prior year.

Ryan A McKenna

Forbes "Best-in-State Wealth Advisors" 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023
Published annually Jan- April. Rankings based on data as of June 30 of prior year.

Breemen McCarthy McKenna & Associates

Forbes “Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams” 2024
Published on January 9, 2024. Rankings based on data as of March 31, 2023.*

Who We Are

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.

Rick Lavoye

Wealth Management Banking Specialist

Merrill

Keelan F King

Wealth Management Lending Officer

Bank of America, N.A.

NMLS #482822

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.