Keith Kitagawa

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Keith Kitagawa joined Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in 2020 and has over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. Keith is both a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional and a Certified Private Wealth Advisor® certificant.  He develops comprehensive financial strategies and solutions based upon the clients risk tolerance, time horizon, liquidity needs, overall investment goals, while taking into account the costs associated with the recommendation.  He provides holistic and comprehensive advice for high net worth individuals and corporate executives, and works with these individuals to help them navigate complexities such as executive compensation planning (such as advising on the timing of exercising Incentive Stock Options, whether to make 83b elections, or other equity compensation topics), and advising on other advanced retirement and estate planning matters.

Keith works with business owners, entrepreneurs, and corporate executives who are realizing liquidity events. He leverages the resources and services among Bank of America’s consumer, commercial and investment banks, as well as the Merrill enterprise, in order to offer planning advice and help these owners and executives reach their desired financial outcomes.

Prior to joining Merrill, Keith worked at a pre-Series A financial technology startup, and spent over a decade in New York City in the investment banking industry.

Keith received his Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the United States Naval Academy, and his Master of Business Administration degree from UCLA Anderson. Prior to beginning his career in financial services, Keith served five years of active duty as a submarine officer in the United States Navy, and achieved the rank of Lieutenant Commander before leaving military service.

Keith follows the deep-seated Merrill tradition of participating in the communities we serve.  He currently serves as the Chair of the Advisory Council for the Salvation Army Kroc Center in San Diego, and serves as a US Naval Academy Blue & Gold Officer for local high schools.  In addition, he is the President of the San Diego Chapter of the US Naval Academy Alumni Association.