BRZ Group

Business Owners & Entrepreneurs

Building and monetizing a company creates unique planning needs: concentration risk, liquidity timing, entity structure, and multi‑year tax considerations. We help founders and equity holders design pre‑ and post‑liquidity strategies that coordinate portfolio design, cash‑flow, and estate planning. Prior to a transaction, we can evaluate diversification paths and charitable/estate ideas to review with your attorney and CPA. After a sale, we transition toward an institutional‑quality allocation aligned to long‑term objectives, income needs, and legacy goals. Our team's CEPA® experience adds perspective on readiness factors that influence value and outcomes—beyond the balance sheet. We also coordinate lending and liquidity lines for tax payments, real estate, or opportunistic investments. The result: a deliberate approach to preserving and deploying capital—so your next chapter is guided by strategy, not circumstance.

Corporate Executives

Executive wealth often centers on equity awards with vesting calendars, blackout windows, trading‑plan coordination, and AMT/ordinary‑income dynamics. We build a coordinated plan that aligns equity decisions with broader goals—housing, education, philanthropy, and retirement readiness. This includes portfolio design that accounts for employer‑stock exposure, cash‑flow planning around exercise/vesting events, and disciplined rebalancing that respects company policies. With your tax advisor, we consider multiyear tax strategies, harvesting opportunities, and charitable techniques that may help offset concentrated risk. Our aim: transform grants, options, and RSUs into a long‑term wealth strategy that supports durable financial independence.

Multigenerational Families

Stewardship endures when values, decision‑rights, and education are clear. We help articulate family purpose, then translate it into portfolio design, spending/gifting policies, and governance frameworks for trusts and entities. We coordinate with your attorneys and CPAs to evaluate structure, beneficiary design, and tax‑aware funding strategies. For rising generations, we offer tailored education—from reading statements to understanding risk, illiquidity, and compounding\-so participation grows with responsibility. The goal is to preserve both financial and human capital.

Liquidity Events & Exit Planning

A liquidity event can reshape your balance sheet—and your family's future. We help you prepare well before a sale with scenario modeling, risk‑mitigation, and CEPA®‑informed readiness across personal, financial, and business dimensions. Working with your attorneys and accountants, we can help evaluate trust structures, lifetime‑exemption strategies, and charitable vehicles that may be appropriate to your goals and circumstances. After the transaction, we structure an allocation that reflects your post‑sale objectives: principal preservation, income stability, and opportunistic investments across public and private markets. We also coordinate credit solutions for taxes, real estate, or co‑investments. The objective is simple: convert a one‑time event into a durable plan that supports purpose, flexibility, and peace of mind.

Personalized planning

**Helping you create a personalized plan** At Merrill, we go beyond the traditional role of an advisor. * Your goals, concerns and attitude about investing are the foundation of your plan. * We actively listen and provide personalized advice — ensuring we understand what matters most to you and your family. * We're committed to creating a personalized plan that evolves with you to help you live well today while preparing for the future.

Team and resources

**Giving you access to our teams and solutions** Your advisor is one part of an experienced team dedicated to helping you achieve your goals. Acting as your single point of contact, your advisor provides personalized strategies and connects you with: * Bank of America specialists, such as mortgage or trust professionals * Timely insights from BofA Global Research1 to help you stay informed and navigate ever\-changing markets * A [full suite](https://www.ml.com/solutions/all.html) of Merrill investing and Bank of America banking solutions ^1^~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](http://www.sipc.org/), and wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation ("BofA Corp.").~

Recognition