Now’s the time to have the bull at your back, with Merrill.

Now’s the time to have the bull at your back, with Merrill.

Merrill believes the future is bullish, even in the most unpredictable of markets. To see you through uncertainty and help you to find opportunities, we invite you to check out the latest investment insights from our Chief Investment Office.

Learn more

Helen O'Hara, CPFA, CFP

Vice President
Senior Financial Advisor
Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor
Learn more about an advisor's background on
FINRA's BrokerCheck

Merrill Lynch
Wealth Management

Understanding your life priorities is an important part of how I work with the clients I serve. It’s not just about markets and returns, it’s about what matters most to you. I welcome the opportunity to show you how we can work together to create a financial approach designed around you, your goals and your aspirations.

Profile

Ready to live confidently? Regardless of the life event – retirement, college, divorce, career change - or priority, getting control of your finances, investing more effectively, improving your cash flow - my focus and ultimate responsibility to every client is to help them build a solid foundation on which to make their financial decisions with confidence.

My philosophy is built upon providing sound, objective financial and investment advice to individuals, families and business owners seeking to simplify their lives.

You can expect that:
• I will listen intently to understand your values, goals, and expectations.
• I will focus on what’s important to you, your family or business.
• I will propose coordinated financial strategies that seek to align your resources and needs.
• I will use a disciplined wealth management approach.
• I will stay connected with you on an ongoing basis.
• I will track your progress toward your goals and recommend appropriate adjustments in response to situational and/or market conditions.

A Relationship Driven Approach
I take a holistic and integrated approach to wealth management, resulting in a customized financial strategy to help achieve your goals.

I work closely with you to develop and implement an asset allocation strategy specific to your goals, time horizon, and tolerance for risk, seeking both to preserve and grow the wealth that you have already achieved. Each client benefits from my attention to detail and my prior experience as a CPA. As part of this process, I can help answer key questions such as:

• I'm planning to retire soon - have I saved enough?
• Most of my wealth is in my company stock and stock options - what should I be considering to maximize their value?
• Am I taking too much risk with my investments?
• How do I maximize my retirement benefits such as Social Security and Medicare?
• I'm concerned about the cost of healthcare when I retire and should I consider long-term care?
• I've left my employer, what are the options for my 401K and pension?
• I've inherited an IRA, now what?
• I’m self-employed - how can I save for retirement?
• Is a variable or fixed annuity right for me?
• What options are available for saving for education expenses and tuition?
• What cash management/lending options are available for my business?
• What are my best options for financing my primary or vacation home or business?
• How do I invest the proceeds of the sale of my small business?
• How do I ensure my family is protected financially?
• How do I transfer my wealth to charity or my loved ones in a tax-efficient manner?


About Me
I earned my Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Villanova University School of Business. I am a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Deloitte alumni, although as a Financial Advisor I do not provide tax advice to clients. I joined Merrill Lynch after a successful career as CFO/CIO in the real estate industry and earned the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification in 2014. I live with my husband Tim, twin boys, Tim and Sean, in West Chester, PA and enjoy the companionship of the adopted shelter dog. As an avid cyclist I have participated in the MS Bike to Bay for many years and volunteer at various community events.

Your Next Steps
Make today the day you decide to live confidently! Call or email me to learn more about my wealth management process, the resources available at Merrill Lynch, and how I can help you achieve your financial goals.

Currently working with a Financial Advisor? Seeking a second opinion may confirm you are on the right track or potentially open your eyes to new viewpoints that are more aligned with your goals. Similar to how you may manage a health issue, a second opinion is a prudent action to take.

Going it alone? I welcome the opportunity to learn more about you and how we might work together. If we're a fit just maybe you'll earn back time better spent with family, growing your business or a round of golf - and gain more confidence in your financial direction.

Live Confidently!



Helen O’Hara, is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certificant, a designation awarded by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc.

  • EDUCATION

    Villanova University - School of Business

Where do we begin? It starts with you.

At Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, your financial advisor focuses on the things you care about most- family, goals and priorities - even as they change over the years.

Understanding Your Life

Welcome

My mission is to understand you and what matters most to you. To take the time, to ask hard, smart questions and to listen carefully, then to understand, in great detail, exactly where your wealth stands today, and where you’d like it to be tomorrow. I help you design and implement a customized wealth management approach that helps you and your family pursue your personal financial goals while helping manage investment risk. My wealth management approach is about using wealth to help turn goals into reality.

Philosophy

I 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. Worried about managing 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? With access to the investment insights of Merrill and the banking convenience of Bank of America, I will work with you to develop an approach designed to help address your financial needs.

Approach

Wealth Management is a dynamic process. As I focus on you today and help you identify your goals for tomorrow, we can strive to work together throughout life’s ups, downs, triumphs, and transitions. Helping you pursue your goals starts with getting to know you and your family. My job is to first understand what matters most to you. We will work together to create a financial approach that reflects your investment personality and is built around your life priorities. I will be here to help you make adjustments to your wealth management approach if and when necessary over time.

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

My process is designed to help deliver a customized, consistent experience to assist clients not only in wealth accumulation and preservation, but in areas that go beyond investments. My ability to provide access to the investment insights of Merrill, trust and fiduciary services from Bank of America Private Bank, and the banking convenience and lending solutions of Bank of America offers a way to help clients manage all of the pieces of their financial lives. I view myself as a financial resource, helping clients with potential solutions for transferring wealth to the younger generation.

Trust and fiduciary services are provided by Bank of America Private Bank, a division of Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC, and a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation (“BofA Corp.”).

Focus On Women

While I can help any investor pursue their unique financial goals, my primary focus is on working with women.

Whether you’re planning your retirement, saving to buy a home or fund a child’s education, we’ll start by getting to know you and how you feel about the following seven life priorities:

  • 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
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.

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.

    DigitalMerrill2.png 
    Transcript of Video
    #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

      I believe it’s important that you seek the advice and guidance of an experienced financial advisor who can thoughtfully analyze your situation, work with you to identify potential solutions that address your needs, and clearly communicate them to you. I want to work with you to develop your wealth management approach for the future.

      Request Appointment

      Articles

      DISPLAYING:

      Market briefs

      SECURE Act 2.0 offers powerful new ways to save more for retirement

      #WomenInvested Tips

      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.


      MLBrochure.png        

      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.


      Anthem video thumb.jpg 
      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.

      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.