Women’s superpower: Investing

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Profile

Susan J. Pedersen follows a disciplined process that begins with first taking the time to get to know you, your family, your family's financial situation and what matters most to all of you. Susan holds the Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor designation. Susan is passionate about delivering excellent service.

  • EDUCATION

    DePaul 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.

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

Approach

Helping you pursue your goals starts with getting to know you and your family. We will work together to create a financial strategy that reflects your investment style and is built around your life plan. My planning process can help you identify and prioritize your personal and professional financial goals, including education funding and retirement lifestyle. Potential strategies are offered to provide the “fit” that may best serve your objectives, risk tolerance, time horizon and liquidity needs. I help you understand fees and expenses associated with your accounts.

Philosophy

Life is always changing and growing more complex. In the same way, your priorities and needs around your family, work, health and home are always evolving. And since your finances are so deeply connected with the rest of your life, an investment approach that is specific to your unique situation can be helpful. Even if you’re accustomed to managing your finances on your own, you may find value in having a relationship with someone who understands your priorities and who has the knowledge and resources to help you make more informed decisions, no matter where you are in life.

Welcome

As a Merrill advisor, I offer advice and guidance based on you and your family's goals and priorities. We put you at the center of our focus -- not the markets -- so you can better understand the pros and cons of every decision you make. As your needs or market conditions change, I can work together with you to adjust your plan as needed.

Capabilities

In 1914, Charles Merrill said, “The interests of our customers must come first.” That’s a commitment that we still honor today. Charles Merrill would be gratified to see how the business he founded continues to place a premium on service and commitment. With the investment insights of Merrill, and with access to the credit and lending capabilities of Bank of America, services are available that can help you address virtually every financial challenge you face.

Focus On Corporate Executives

For corporate executives, I offer guidance for diversification* of concentrated stock positions. Business owners receive the assistance needed to build company benefit plans and access to Bank of America for help in addressing cash flow, lending needs and other bank-related needs. Those corporate executives nearing retirement are provided with insight from which to consider inflation, health care costs and other factors to help you pursue your desired lifestyle. The team is available to talk with you and explore potential strategies available to you.

*Diversification does not ensure a profit or protect against loss in declining markets.

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.

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.

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.

    #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.

      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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      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.


      The Power of the Right Advisor®
      Working with a dedicated Merrill advisor means you get personalized investment strategies from Merrill plus access to comprehensive financial solutions only Bank of America can deliver.

      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.