Tune out the noise: Wealth planning for the year ahead

Tune out the noise: Wealth planning for the year ahead

Hear from a panel of experts as they explore how rising interest rates, high inflation and increased volatility are impacting the economy, how family dynamics are changing estate planning and hear some actionable strategies for investors to consider in 2023.

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R. Chris Jones

Financial Advisor
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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

Personal Profile

I am a seasoned Financial Advisor, planner, and advocate for my client’s legacies. I believe you’ve worked hard to earn and save and deserve an advisor with an extensive business background, strong financial experience, focused education, and the breadth of service necessary to guide some of your most important decisions. My client and service first based practice model is based on a singular mission statement:  

Finances and savings are reflections of some of the most significant MOMENTS in people’s lives and, as such, should be managed with quantifiable care and passion. I work with my clients in several ways – as a holistic goal and legacy planner, portfolio advisor, banking & lending advocate, but most importantly as a friend.

Practice Profile

In my practice, I am privileged to work with hard working small and medium business entrepreneurs, owners, and their teams. To take it a step further, I further strive to help you succeed in business by being a connector and an influencer for you and your business. So my question is this - who can I introduce you too, or connect you with at Merrill or Bank of America, that will help you grow your business?

I manage my practice using a structure similar to that of a Family Office and seek to help you create the same. By leveraging some of the most senior and qualified people within our Firm, I work to provide my clients with a One Team approach to more effectively deliver the type of white glove experience you would expect from a Merrill advisor. Beside asset management and planning, just a few of the service areas I can provide access to from Bank of America:

Personal Banking          Business Banking                       Trust & Estate                Mortgage Lending

Personal Credit             Business Lending/Leverage         Investment Banking       Merchant Services         

Credentials & Licensing

FINRA Registrations:

Series 7, 6, 65, & 63

Insurance Licenses:

Accident & Health        Casualty                    Life & Long Term Care                   

Property                     Variable Annuity         Variable Life

NMLS ID:  1869598

A word about insurance. You will find that I take a different approach to how I utilize insurance in wealth planning, from that of how insurance based advisors or agents use and recommend policies. Further, while I do not broker or receive compensation on accident, health, property, or casualty insurances, I do hold the licenses solely for the purposes of speaking intelligently about them with my clients and their agent representatives, and so I can help my clients plan around their need.

My Professional & Community Involvement

~  Current  ~

President - Holy City Toastmasters

Member - North Charleston Rotary

Small Group Mission Leader - Coastal Community Church

Community Mission Volunteer - Coastal Community Church

~  Past  ~

VP of Public Relations - Holy City Toastmasters

President - Drayton Hall Elm. PTO

Volunteer Little League Coach





*A Portfolio Advisor, in addition to providing traditional advice and guidance, can help clients pursue their investment objectives by recommending individual, or any combination of, Merrill or approved third- party investment managers’ strategies, funds or portfolios.

We are also involved in the communities in which we serve, volunteering for organizations involved with Toastmasters. Please contact us to learn more about how we work to make a positive impact on your financial life.

  • EDUCATION

    Johnson & Wales University

Professional Staff

Supported by the global resources of Merrill, my team is comprised of talented and experienced individuals committed to building strong client relationships based on trust and personalized service.

Additional Resources

The following specialists do not make securities recommendations. Please contact your Merrill Lynch Wealth Management Advisor if you have questions about how a specialist might be able to assist you.

Mark Schepp

Senior Wealth Management Lending Officer

Bank of America, N.A.

NMLS #474164

Ryan Thrower

Wealth Strategist

Merrill

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

I begin every relationship 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, I start by listening to learn more about you and your family.

Drawing upon research in the field of behavioral finance, Merrill developed the Investment Personality Assessment to help me get to know you better as an investor and help you refine your investing preferences. Together, I can help customize your investment approach. Using an understanding of your priorities and investment personality as a foundation, I help you access the full breadth of resources from Bank of America’s banking products and services and Merrill’s investment insights to address all aspects of your financial 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.

Investments

I believe that your investments should be a reflection of you — your life, your priorities, your goals. As your dedicated advisor I will get to know what matters most to you and help you define your goals. I use this understanding to help you build a customized financial strategy and offer consistent, personalized advice. Combined with professional management, you can stay on the right path towards pursuing your long-term objectives.

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 High-Net-Worth Individuals and Business Owners

I  offer clients a breadth of potential solutions, premier customer service and financial tools based on their unique circumstances.

No matter what your goals may be, I begin by helping you define and prioritize your financial goals based on the following seven areas:

  • 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 and giving to charities
  • Work: Working in retirement, selling or starting a business
  • Finance: Bringing it all together; defining your financial goals
I'll also draw on my industry knowledge and experience to offer:
  • Potential risk management solutions
  • Trust and estate planning services
  • Potential wealth management solutions
  • Access to Bank of America for your credit and banking needs
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.

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    #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

      Helping you reach your goals starts with getting to know you personally. Through understanding what matters most to you, together I can help you create a financial approach that reflects your personality. Only then can I offer an approach that is built around your life priorities and the advice you need to help you address fluctuations in the market and changes in your life. Let’s work together to help you achieve your goals.

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      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.


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      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.


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      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.