Profile

Named #20 to the 2022 Forbes “Best-in-State Next-Generation Wealth Advisors - New Jersey” list (published on August 3, 2022. Rankings based on data as of March 31, 2022.)

Named to the 2023 Forbes “Best-in-State Wealth Advisors - New Jersey ” list (published on April 4, 2023. Rankings based on data as of June 30, 2022.)

Named to the 2023 Forbes "Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams" list (published on January 12, 2023. Rankings based on data as of March 31, 2022.)

Since joining Merrill in 2010, Giovanni has helped an impressive and loyal circle of clients look forward to goals that hold meaning for themselves and their families.

Whether Giovanni serves engineers, rocket scientists or managers in the aerospace and defense industry, professional athletes, local corporations or business owners, he is inspired to deliver the level of care and consistency that clients may have found missing in a previous advisory relationship. Giovanni finds the combination of his experience and youth make him attractive to clients – especially in the sense that he’ll be working long after they retire.

As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner, for Giovanni, effectively managing clients’ wealth begins by listening to their questions, offering simple explanations, and building a personalized strategy around their needs. Often he hears, “When can I retire? Do I have enough saved? What does the retirement process look like and how is it executed? How do my benefits and investments contribute to a successful retirement?” If a client wants more or less control over decisions, Giovanni is happy to establish parameters that facilitate a more rewarding experience for all and he helps to ensure every strategy is grounded in understanding what each client wants to achieve.

Beyond investments, Giovanni utilizes his access to the global resources of Merrill, trust and estate services of Bank of America Private Bank and the banking capabilities of Bank of America to provide a full range of wealth management, trust, estate and banking services for individuals and corporations. He also coordinates with clients’ accountants and attorneys to align tax minimization, estate planning and legacy planning strategies.

Giovanni’s candor and knowledge have made him a sought-after speaker on the process of retiring. Among the topics he discusses are retiring with a pension, transitioning a 401k plan into a reliable income stream, and early steps for improving tax efficiencies.

A co-founder of Braatz Pizoli & Associates, he is also highly regarded by the firm for his ability to save clients time and bring order to their financial lives, Giovanni was named a coach for the Merrill Lynch Wealth Management training program. In this role, he coaches and mentors new advisors – demonstrating “best practices” in cultivating comfortable and open relationships with clients.

Giovanni also sits on the University of Delaware's Financial Planning Advisory Board where mentors students who are pursuing their degree in financial planning and wealth management. He also serves as a board member for the Medford Arts Center in Medford, NJ.

In addition to holding the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, CFP® certification, Chartered Financial Consultant®, ChFC®, Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™, CRPC™ and Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor, CPFA designations, Giovanni is a Portfolio Manager who can help clients pursue their objectives by managing on a discretionary basis his own Personalized or Defined Strategies, which may incorporate individual stocks and bonds, Merrill model portfolios, and third-party investment strategies.

Giovanni earned two Bachelor of Science degrees at the University of Delaware – in Finance and Economics. Currently, he serves as a Board Member on the University of Delaware's Financial Planning Advisory Board. While enrolled, he also captained the club soccer team and launched a fraternity. A New Jersey native, Giovanni resides in Marlton with his wife, Emily, their daughter, Mia, son Henry and dog, Rocky. In his spare time, Giovanni enjoys spending time with friends, family and his dog. He still enjoys playing soccer and has taken on golf as a newer hobby. Giovanni is an active participating member of the University of Delaware Club Soccer Alumni group, Sigma Pi Alumni group, and the University of Delaware Alumni Club. He is also active at his church, Fellowship Alliance Chapel in Medford, NJ where he teaches financial literacy courses

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Disclosures:
*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.
*Source: The Forbes “Best-in-State Next-Generation Wealth Advisors” list, published on August 3, 2022. Rankings based on data as of March 31, 2022.
Data provided by SHOOK® Research, LLC. Forbes “Best-in-State Next Generation Wealth Advisors” ranking. SHOOK considered advisors born in 1983 or later with a minimum 4 years as an advisor. Advisors have: built their own practices and lead their teams; joined teams and are viewed as future leadership; or a combination of both. Ranking algorithm is based on qualitative measures: telephone and in-person interviews to measure best practices, client retention, industry experience, credentials, review of compliance records, firm nominations; and quantitative criteria, such as: assets under management and revenue generated for their firms. Investment performance is not a criterion because client objectives and risk tolerances vary, and advisors rarely have audited performance reports. Rankings are based on the opinions of Forbes and not representative nor indicative of any one client’s experience, future performance, or investment outcome and should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor. SHOOK’s research and rankings provide opinions intended to help investors choose the right financial advisor and are not indicative of future performance or representative of any one client’s experience. Past performance is not an indication of future results. Neither Forbes nor SHOOK Research receive Compensation in exchange for placement on the ranking. For more information, please see www.SHOOKresearch.com. SHOOK is a registered trademark of SHOOK Research, LLC.
*Source: The Forbes “Best-in-State Wealth Advisors” list, published on April 4, 2023. Rankings based on data as of June 30, 2022.* Data provided by SHOOK® Research, LLC. Data as of 6/30/22. Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisors ranking was developed by SHOOK Research and is based on in-person, virtual, and telephone due diligence meetings to measure best practices, client retention, industry experience, credentials, review of compliance records, firm nominations; and quantitative criteria, such as: assets under management and revenue generated for their firms. Investment performance is not a criterion because client objectives and risk tolerances vary, and advisors rarely have audited performance reports. SHOOK’s research and rankings provide opinions intended to help investors choose the right financial advisor and are not indicative of future performance or representative of any one client’s experience. Rankings are based on the opinions of Forbes and not representative nor indicative of any one client’s experience, future performance, or investment outcome and should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor. Past performance is not an indication of future results. Neither Forbes nor SHOOK Research receive compensation in exchange for placement on the ranking. For more information, please see www.SHOOKresearch.com. SHOOK is a registered trademark of SHOOK Research, LLC.
*Source: The Forbes “Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams" list, published on January 12, 2023. Rankings based on data as of March 31, 2022. Data provided by SHOOK® Research, LLC. Forbes “Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams" ranking was developed by SHOOK Research and is based on in-person, virtual and telephone due diligence meetings and a ranking algorithm that includes: a measure of each team's best practices, client retention, industry experience, review of compliance records, firm nominations; and quantitative criteria, including: assets under management and revenue generated for their firms. Investment performance is not a criterion because client objectives and risk tolerances vary, and advisors rarely have audited performance reports. Rankings are based on the opinions of Forbes and not representative nor indicative of any one client's experience, future performance, or investment outcome and should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor. Rankings and recognition from Forbes 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. SHOOK's research and rankings provide opinions intended to help investors choose the right financial advisor and team, and are not indicative of future performance or representative of any one client's experience. Past performance is not an indication of future results. Neither Forbes nor SHOOK Research receive compensation in exchange for placement on the ranking. For more information, please see www.SHOOKresearch.com. SHOOK is a registered trademark of SHOOK Research, LLC

Community involvement is an integral part of how we interact with clients and communities. We are enthusiastically involved with volunteering and fundraising for organizations such as Fellowship Alliance Chapel, The Medford Arts Center and The University of Delaware . Let us show you how our professionalism and dedicated client service could benefit you and your family. Contact us at your earliest convenience.