The Steele Forbes Group
The Steele Forbes Group has 73 years of combined experience. We have navigated the markets since 1985 and can apply the collective wisdom from that experience to our guidance for clients' wealth management strategies. We believe every client is entitled to the highest level of personalized service and care. We strive to help clients achieve their financial life goals, while making the complexities of financial life easy to understand.
About Us
Meet the team
The Steele Forbes Group among a select group of Merrill advisors who have met the rigorous requirements to be a designated Bank of America .
Additional Resources
The Steele Forbes Group is supported by talented specialists who have experience working with institutions and share a strong commitment to guiding investment programs and strategic decision making.
Ryan Thrower
Wealth Strategies Advisor
Bank of America, N.A.
Jamie Mehaffey
Wealth Management Banking Specialist
Merrill
Zachary D. Kallick
Employee Benefits Specialist
Bank of America, N.A.
Jonathan Cates
Employee Benefits Specialist
Bank of America, N.A.
Mission
The Steele Forbes Group focuses on addressing the investing and wealth management needs of institutions and individuals and families. Our team works closely with clients to determine their needs and aspirations so that we can craft customized strategies to help them pursue their goals.
Approach
We offer you access to a full suite of services to help you fulfill your plan sponsor responsibilities and guide your benefits strategy including access to Fiduciary Advisory Services 1 — which encompasses the fiduciary services available to the plan including but not limited to Investment Policy Statement creation, investment recommendations and investment reviews/performance reporting, Recordkeeping Services — Includes a fixed bundle of core recordkeeping services and Education and Plan Services — Encompasses the non-fiduciary services available to the plan including but not limited to plan design services, employee education and relationship management.
1 Fiduciary Advisory Services is an investment advisory program sponsored by Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (also referred to as “MLPF&S” or “Merrill”). Merrill offers a broad range of brokerage, investment advisory and other services. There are important differences between brokerage and investment advisory services, including the type of advice and assistance provided, the fees charged, and the rights and obligations of the parties. It is important to understand the differences, particularly when determining which service or services to select. All recommendations must be based on your best interest. Please refer to the Fiduciary Advisory Services Brochure for information on the program including a description of the series and related fees.
Retirement Benefits Consultant
As Bank of America Retirement Benefits Consultants (RBC), The Steele Forbes Group is one of a select group of highly qualified and credentialed Merrill advisors specialized in defined contribution plans who can add value to your plan by:
- Offering access to 3(21) fiduciary services1
- Helping you shape your investment strategies
- Offering thoughtful advice without a proprietary investment requirement
- Providing periodic reporting and helping you understand results and measurements to assist you in managing your plan over time
- Working with you to create a plan that is designed to drive employee engagement and positive participant behavior
- Assisting in the delivery of employee financial wellness programs and education
- Educating employees on connecting their life priorities with their finances to help them pursue what matters most to them
Solutions for Institutions
Supporting a strong retirement plan and helping to keep it on track
The retirement and financial needs of your employees, as well as the responsibility those needs create for you as an employer, are important to you. We offer the solutions your employees may need to help pursue their financial goals and maintain financial wellness. Our array of resources and experience is designed to help meet your employees’ financial needs in ways that make sense for your company — strategically, operationally and financially. You and your employees will have a team of experienced and passionate advocates for financial wellness on your side. Our team will make your priorities their own so you can focus more on your business.
For Plan Sponsors
Your role as a plan sponsor is more challenging than ever, and it’s not something to face alone. We bring the resources and thought leadership from Bank of America Corporation and its affiliates to bear in helping you provide a strong, healthy and fully compliant program that runs smoothly, engages your employees and makes your job easier. We can help you focus on the areas that may be helpful to plan success, including Fiduciary Advisory Services 1 and Education and Plan Services 2 appropriate for your plan.
Fiduciary Advisory Services1
- Investment Policy Statement (IPS)3
- Comprehensive due diligence processes to identify appropriate investments
- Proactive delivery – online and by your designated advisor – of investment performance reporting every quarter
- Report providing fund analysis and market trends.
1 Fiduciary Advisory Services is an investment advisory program sponsored by Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (also referred to as “MLPF&S” or “Merrill”). Merrill offers a broad range of brokerage, investment advisory and other services. There are important differences between brokerage and investment advisory services, including the type of advice and assistance provided, the fees charged, and the rights and obligations of the parties. It is important to understand the differences, particularly when determining which service or services to select. Please refer to the Fiduciary Advisory Services Brochure for information on the program including a description of the series and related fees.
2 Education and Plan Services are non-fiduciary services required for Advisor Alliance clients and optional for MLII clients.
3 IPS service is not available for FAS Discretionary. The plan sponsor is responsible for the approval and final adoption of the IPS.
For Employees
Financial Life Benefits® provides employees access to a seamless integrated solution that supports their broad financial needs. They will be able to take advantage of tools, resources, insights, education and guidance from Bank of America Corporation affiliates.
Helping your employees:
- Understand the impact of financial decisions.
- Prepare for life events, short- and long-term.
- Create a financial strategy.
- Take action and stay engaged.
- Reduce stress.
And More
Beyond our experience, we offer access to the deep intellectual capital and broad capabilities of Bank of America Corporation and its affiliates. If we identify a need we can’t service ourselves, we can connect you with the people and resources to help you. Through our network of advisors, we strive to deliver strategies to help you manage the day-to-day and long-term responsibilities required in pursuing your institution’s goals. As we work together to address your evolving needs, we can help make the broad capabilities of Bank of America Corporation feel more accessible.
Solutions for Individuals
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.
Investments
No matter what your priorities are, we offer advice to help you turn your ambition into action. We draw on many experienced investment professionals at Merrill to deliver insights that help you maintain a long-term focus while taking advantage of short-term opportunities. Through the Merrill Investment Advisory Program we offer custom strategies that deliver an appropriate balance of risk and reward, comprised of investment fund and manager offerings that have undergone a thorough evaluation process before they can be included in your portfolios. And all our actions are grounded in a deep understanding of what matters most to you and complemented with regular review. We believe this approach will give you the power to help you meet your goals.
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.
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