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John Ledford

Recognition

Merrill is proud of our advisors who’ve received recognition from financial industry publications or directly from Bank of America Corporation. We believe they are setting the standard for exemplary client service.

John A. Ledford

Forbes “Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams” 2023 and 2024
Published annually in January. Rankings based on data as of March 31 of prior year.*

Forbes "Best-in-State Wealth Advisors" 2021-2023
Published annually Jan- April. Rankings based on data as of June 30 of prior year.

Profile

John Ledford is a Senior Vice President and Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. John provides sustained financial leadership, direction, and advice to high-net-worth individuals, entrepreneurs, executives and families throughout the United States. He acts as the “quarterback” of the client team in developing, implementing and reviewing each client’s customized wealth management plan. A deeply experienced Advisor, John has witnessed some of the most difficult markets and issues facing clients and investors today. With a keen interest in behavioral finance, he looks to help clients avoid the common investing biases and mistakes that are often a roadblock to successful investing.
John has earned national accolades for his work, recognition that he believes reflects the caliber of the clients he serves:

  • Forbes “Best-In-State Wealth Advisors,” 2021-2023 (Published annually Jan – April. Rankings based on data as of June 30 of prior year).
  • Forbes “Best-In-State Wealth Management Teams” 2023-2024 (Published annually in January. Rankings based on data as of March 31 of prior year).
Clients come to John with diverse needs. Senior executives often engage his help in unwinding the intricacies of their wealth, including concentrated and restricted stock strategies, diversification strategies and wealth-transfer initiatives. Business owners look to John for pre- and post- liquidity event strategies, from optimizing their businesses ahead of a potential sale to creating an income stream after a sale has taken place. Retirees, in turn, seek John’s assistance in modeling an effective roadmap for the years ahead, from the timing and sources of cash flow to tax-sensitive investing. Finally, multi-generational families turn to John for guidance in saving for higher education, transferring wealth to children and grandchildren, or enhancing the long-term security of special-needs family members.

John draws on an extensive background in wealth management and training at many of the top Wall Street investment firms. He began his career as a Financial Advisor in 1998 with UBS, where he served for more than a decade. Subsequently, he moved to Morgan Stanley, where he was a Senior Vice President in Wealth Management. In 2016, John and his team moved to Merrill where he advises and serves as a one-stop destination for integrated wealth management strategies. He earned his B.A. in Psychology, Cum Laude, from the University of Oklahoma and his M.A. in Finance from the University of Texas at Dallas. He holds the Certified Private Wealth Advisor® certification administered by the Investments & Wealth Institute™ (The Institute), taught in conjunction with Yale University School of Management.

John serves on the Alumni Association of Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas and is an active volunteer with the Highland Park School District. He also volunteers as a youth football and basketball coach with the YMCA. Previously, John has been active with the North Texas Food Bank, American Cancer Society and Salvation Army.

John and his wife Kelley have two sons and a daughter. He loves spending time with his family, supporting his children in their activities, tending the grill on weekends, and sampling IPAs.
*Source: The Forbes “Best-in-State Wealth Advisors” list, published annually Jan - April. Rankings based on data as of June 30 of prior year.

Data provided by SHOOK® Research, LLC. Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisors ranking was developed by SHOOK Research and is based on in-person, virtual, and telephone due diligence meetings to measure best practices; also considered are: client retention, industry experience, credentials, review of compliance records, firm nominations; and quantitative criteria, such as: assets under management and revenue generated for their firms. Investment performance is not a criterion because client objectives and risk tolerances vary, and advisors rarely have audited performance reports. SHOOK’s research and rankings provide opinions intended to help investors choose the right financial advisor and are not indicative of future performance or representative of any one client’s experience. Past performance is not an indication of future results. Neither Forbes nor SHOOK Research receive compensation in exchange for placement on the ranking. For more information, please see www.SHOOKresearch.com. SHOOK is a registered trademark of SHOOK Research, LLC.

*Forbes “Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams” list. Opinions provided by SHOOK* Research, LLC and is based on in-person, virtual and telephone due-diligence meetings and a ranking algorithm that measure best practices, client retention, industry experience, credentials, compliance records, firm nominations, assets under management and Firm-generated revenue (investment performance is not a criterion because client objectives and risk tolerance vary). SHOOK’s rankings are available for client evaluation only, are not indicative of future performance and do not represent any one client’s experience and available for investor help in evaluating the right financial advisor and not an endorsement of the advisor. Compensation was not received from anyone for the rankings study. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Details available at the SHOOK Research website. SHOOK is a registered trademark of SHOOK Research, LLC.

  • EDUCATION

    University of Oklahoma

    University of Texas at Dallas

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.

Tabitha Namuli

Wealth Management Banking Specialist

Merrill

Lisa C. Gratz

Wealth Management Lending Officer

Bank of America, N.A.

NMLS #536196

Jocelyn T Smith

Retirement Specialist

Bank of America, N.A.

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

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.

Philosophy

You live in a world that’s constantly changing. Markets can fluctuate frequently. Potential investment opportunities can arise daily. Regulations are enacted or amended. That’s why understanding you and your situation is the best place to start helping you plan your financial future: where you are today, where you want to be tomorrow, and what you want to accomplish along the way. By understanding you and your priorities, I can more effectively provide you with the experience and resources needed to help you build a personalized plan that is rooted in the unique complexities of your life.

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, your family and developing a plan. My job is to understand what matters most to you. We will work together to create a financial strategy that reflects your investment personality and is built around your life priorities. I will be here to help you make adjustments to your plan 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

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.

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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      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.

      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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      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.