Emphasis on Service

Every member of our Team strives to deliver personalized, exceptional service every day, guided by the principles of our Practice:

1.  We treat you as we would want our own family and friends to be treated.

2.  We will help you stay organized and disciplined with your financial management, focusing on short term actions while maintaining a long-term perspective.

3.  We work to be the Trusted Resource for your family. We want to help you with any and all significant financial decisions.

4.  Timely response times. We believe if you are contacting us it is important. Phone calls are answered by the third ring whenever possible. If your call goes to voicemail it means we are truly not available. We reply to emails and voicemails within 24 hours, and will either satisfy your request or establish a delivery date.

5.  We strive to be your family’s sole Wealth Management Advisor.  If you choose to work with other investment professionals in addition to our Team we want to be your primary Advisor.

6.  We will work with your Tax Advisors and Attorneys as requested and needed, but always ask for your authorization to do so.

7.  We work to expand our Practice methodically, first by expanding the breadth and depth of our relationship and services with you and your family, and second by selectively adding new clients.

8.  Fair, competitive, and clear pricing and fees. With regard to investment costs we are cost conscious but not cost driven.

9.  We work efficiently and effectively, using Merrill tools, research, investment portfolios, and services that are appropriate for you.

10.  When we make mistakes, and sometimes we do, we admit it and work hard to fix them quickly and with minimal impact on you.

Approach

Working with the team means working with advisors truly dedicated to helping you pursue your goals. The approach is simple, transparent and supported by thoughtful investment guidance aligned to your life priorities. Helping you pursue your goals starts with getting to know you and your family. Understanding what matters most to you helps in the creation of a financial strategy that reflects your investment style and is built around your priorities. You’ll receive advice to help you navigate the inevitable changes that can occur in 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

It is important to know exactly where you are with your finances, where you plan to go, and how much you may need to help get you there. Drawing on Merrill’s investing insights and with access to Bank of America’s credit and lending solutions, we can offer you a comprehensive, personalized plan to help you pursue your goals. We will provide transparency on what you’re paying for and what you’re getting, as well as potential opportunities and risks. Understanding that life needs and market conditions can change, we will meet with you, as necessary, to help make sure your strategy remains on track to pursue your goals and adjust your approach for the journey ahead, as needed.

The broad investing resources of Merrill provide you with access to potential strategies for income management, education funding, retirement income planning, and guidance for executives with concentrated stock positions. In addition to traditional and alternative investments and wealth transfer solutions through Merrill, you have access to estate planning services from Bank of America. As your single point of contact we can connect with key professionals in your life, working closely with your outside advisors, such as attorneys, accountants and elder care specialists.

DISCLOSURE: Some or all alternative investments may not be appropriate for certain investors. Certain alternative investments carry significant risk and are not subject to the same regulatory oversight as mutual funds and other appropriate investments. For these reasons, access to alternative investments may be limited to investors who are designated as sophisticated, high-net-worth investors.

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.