Our Planning-Based Approach

At The Fuller Group, we utilize a disciplined, yet friendly planning process that we’ve honed for decades. And rather than make “planning” a one-time event, we repeat it throughout our relationship with you – to help ensure that we remain updated on your situations and aspirations.

In our first meeting, we get to know you and vice versa. Once we see if there’s a “good fit,” our second meeting examines where you are (financially and professionally), where you want to be, and how we can help you get there. In subsequent meetings, we will present carefully researched recommendations and encourage your participation. Mutual respect is critical to a trusted relationship – and your input is critical to us crafting a solid financial strategy.

We’ve built a “both spouse” dynamic, in which we place tremendous value on the concerns and comfort of couples and entire families. We also help clients account for “what-if” scenarios and suggest thoughtful considerations in advance of emotional and often overwhelming circumstances. In addition, we can offer wealth management for your extended family and formulate integrated strategies in which input from multiple stakeholders can be addressed.

Having served generations of affluent clients, we are well versed in providing a high caliber of seasoned and sophisticated wealth management. Ultimately, you can expect what we call a “holistic and realistic” financial strategy designed for you and you alone. Among other factors, it will account for your immediate and long-term objectives, as well as external conditions including future inflation and rising health care costs.

Active Listening, Proactive Service

“Tell us about your wealth and worries. What keeps you up at night and inspires you each morning?”

At The Fuller Group, we are naturally curious and genuinely interested in how you see yourself, your greatest achievements, and your values.

As our client, your input provides a “compass” for our thinking and our actions. From the outset, we will ask questions that provoke consideration and conversation: “What’s the purpose of your money? What’s most important – your lifestyle, legacy, community, or a combination? How has your experience been with a previous advisor or simply with investing? What do you want from our relationship? What are your expectations? And what can we do to simplify your financial life?”

One of Sarah Wolff’s areas of focus is addressing the distinct needs of divorced men and women, as well as individuals transferring or inheriting wealth. An attorney herself – who does not offer legal advice in her role at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management – Sarah often takes a “hands-held” approach with clients, helping them take next steps in moving forward. She also works as a valuable “conduit” between clients and their attorneys.

With many clients retired or nearing retirement, most require a comprehensive strategy built around their goals and the often-difficult transition of “spending down” assets, rather than accumulating them. Clients’ decisions in retirement also demand our best efforts. Clients who downsize their residence may not be sure about renting vs. buying. Others have questions about inflation, Social Security, long-term care Insurance, and Medicare. Some clients are also concerned about being burdens to their families.

On a personal level, we enjoy celebrating with clients the milestones that have become integral to our strategies. It’s rewarding to know we’ve contributed to the quality of clients’ lives and their families’. Just as we’ve told many clients, let us tell you: “We are experienced and energized. We’ll be here for you – and we’ll be here for years.”

What Clients Can Expect

As a client of The Fuller Group, you will receive a degree of acumen and attention that may surprise you. Unlike many advisory groups – perhaps, your previous one – we don’t offer “cookie-cutter” financial strategies because we don’t have “cookie-cutter” clients. Over the course of our relationship, you will present us with an evolving blend of situations and aspirations.

It is therefore incumbent on us to:

• Focus on your goals, not ours. Each of our team members is determined to provide unbiased advice and guidance, full transparency, as well as uncompromised care and service. 
• Build your net worth, by increasing your assets and reducing your liabilities. We also help you “see around corners” to help you plan and prepare for likely and unlikely circumstances. We believe that being proactive is essential to us being highly professional.
• Manage investment risk, as much as return. Why? We don’t want you to have to earn money twice. Specifically, we use the firm’s extensive due diligence, as well as internal and external research, to formulate portfolios that offer different asset classes and varying degrees of risk. 
• “Bring the right people to the table.” In addition to calling upon specialists from Bank of America, N.A. to bring you access to residential, commercial and securities-based lending, we may coordinate with your CPA and attorney to help align tax minimization and estate-planning strategies. 
• Educate you, whenever possible. For example, we will not only present you with a formal investment strategy, we will explain the rationale behind it. We also want you to understand what you own, why, and your role in helping make the strategy a successful one.  

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.