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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.

Sean P Kelly

Forbes “Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams” 2024
Published on January 12, 2024. Rankings based on data as of March 31, 2023.*

Profile

Sean Kelly is a Senior Vice President, a Wealth Management Advisor, and the founder of The Kelly Wealth Management Group at Merrill. Sean offers the knowledge he has gained from more than three decades as an Advisor, helping individuals, families, and institutions implement a more strategic and deliberate approach to their wealth. He and his team advise an accomplished clientele, helping them weigh their priorities, make their investing more efficient, and chart a more direct path to their goals.

 

Sean is attuned to the distinctive needs of the clients he serves, including business owners, executives, physicians, multigenerational families, and nonprofit organizations. Some are first- or second-generation immigrants pursuing their distinctive vision of the American dream. Others are looking for greater oversight and coordination for their wealth. Whatever a client’s background, they often nurture an innate optimism and forward-looking perspective. Sean prizes the opportunity to get to know clients very well, developing a mutual closeness that deepens over time. Client referrals are his primary source of new relationships—a fact that spurs his continuing desire to honor that trust through his diligence and hard work.

 

Within his group, Sean focuses on team leadership, portfolio design, tax-sensitive investment management, and charitable giving strategies. He points to the team’s broad suite of capabilities as a differentiating factor, including its access to alternative investments, pre-business-sale planning and structuring, and customized lending for a variety of needs, including marine, air, art, and specialty real estate financing through Bank of America. Thorough by nature, Sean looks to help clients “own the right things in the right places.” He is skilled in helping clients assess their relative ranking of priorities, so they can have a clear-eyed view of the possible ways to accomplish a desired goal. Clients, he believes, value the time and attentiveness he devotes to each relationship. He, in turn, is proud to support clients in deriving greater satisfaction and fulfillment from their wealth.

 

Sean joined Merrill in 1993 after earning his Bachelor’s degrees in Economics and in European history from the University of Pennsylvania, where he was a member of the rowing team. A second-generation Merrill Advisor, he is proud of his team’s deep legacy of service, touching the lives of matriarchs and patriarchs through Millennials and Gen Z. Committed to professional excellence, Sean holds the Certified Investment Management Analyst® designation and the Certified Private Wealth Advisor® designation from the Investments and Wealth Institute and has continued his executive education through the Wharton School of Business.

Sean is a member of the Rotary Club of Everett and is active with its community initiatives. He and his wife, Lisa, reside in Richmond Beach with their daughter and two sons. In his free time, Sean likes to combine his love of sports and nature, particularly fishing and kayaking. He welcomes the opportunities to trade notes about great destinations for either pastime, near or far.

 

*Some or all alternative investment programs may not be in the best interest of certain investors. No assurance can be given that any alternative investment’s investment objectives will be achieved.

  • LANGUAGES

    English

  • EDUCATION

    University of Pennsylvania

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.

Bryant Wolfson

Alternative Investments Regional Specialist

Bank of America, N.A.

Bill Grey

Structured Credit Executive

Bank of America, N.A.

Inga Fetsek

Wealth Management Banking Specialist

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

Placing the investor at the center of the wealth management process while maintaining a market focus is how I assist through difficult financial transitions and decisions that occur in their lives. I take the time to ask hard, smart questions and listen carefully to understand exactly where your wealth stands today, and where you’d like it to be tomorrow. I help you design, implement and periodically review a customized wealth management strategy that helps you and your family pursue your personal financial goals without unnecessary investment risk. As your life and the markets change, we will meet to track and adjust strategy, as needed.

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.

Approach

An effective approach to wealth management requires working closely with you to help identify and define your goals. The process begins by understanding what matters most to you. We help create a financial strategy to pursue your goals that reflects your investment style and is built around your life plan.

Whether you are focused on growing, preserving or transferring wealth the team is committed to helping you address your financial goals at every stage of your life.

Capabilities

I have the experience, knowledge and tools to understand your current financial situation and to help you create potential strategies designed to pursue your short- and long-term goals. A range of capabilities is offered to you, including retirement income planning and potential wealth transfer solutions from Merrill with access to trust and estate planning services and philanthropic solutions through Bank of America.

Digital Tools for Clients

We’re here to help you pursue your goals — and to make your busy life a little easier. With MyMerrill, you can access your investment accounts how, when and where you want to. MyMerrill Features include:

  • Information about your Merrill account(s) such as holdings, unrealized & realized gains/losses, account activity, statements, etc.
  • Research & insights from Merrill’s industry leading research team.
  • Secure Inbox for sharing information & documents electronically with our team.
  • e-Signature for signing various documents and forms.
  • Real-time quotes, watch lists & alerts.
  • Money transfers between your various accounts at Merrill and Bank of America (including bill pay features).
  • Authorizing 3rd Party, read-only access to your accounts (helpful for sharing pertinent information with CPAs & Attorneys).
  • Additional security features.
  • MyMerrill Mobile App (available on Android, iPad and iPhone mobile devices).

Here are some links to help you understand how the features work:


*Any information presented in connection with BofA Global Research is general in nature and is not intended to provide personal investment advice. The information does not take into account the specific investment objectives, financial situation and particular needs of any specific person who may receive it. Investors should understand that statements regarding future prospects may not be realized. BofA Global Research is research produced by BofA Securities, Inc. (“BofAS”) and/or one or more of its affiliates. BofAS is a registered broker-dealer, Member SIPC, and wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation. BofA Global Research does and seeks to do business with companies covered in its research reports. As a result, investors should be aware that the firm may have a conflict of interest that could affect the objectivity of this report. Investors should consider this report as only a single factor in making their investment decision.
*Institutional Investor magazine announced BofA Global Research as one of the Top Global Research Firms in 2022 based on surveys held throughout the year. The magazine creates rankings of the top research analysts in a wide variety of specializations, drawn from the choices of portfolio managers and other investment professionals at more than 1,000 firms. BofA Global Research is research produced by BofA Securities, Inc (“BofAS”) and/or one or more of its affiliates. BofAS is a registered broker-dealer, Member SIPC, and wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation. Learn more about the methodology at Institutional Investor. Rankings and recognition from Institutional Investor are no guarantee of future investment success and do not ensure that a current or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance results and such rankings should not be construed as an endorsement.

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.