Charlie Taylor
I am a Charlotte native and graduate of High Point University’s Phillips School of Business, where I studied finance and economics. I began my career in New York City before eventually returning home to Charlotte and joining Merrill Lynch Wealth Management as a Financial Advisor. Those experiences have shaped my approach to advising and my belief that thoughtful financial planning should bring greater clarity and confidence to the decisions that matter most.
I hold the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® certification and the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™ designation. I work with individuals and families across different stages of life, from young professionals building wealth to families planning for the future and individuals approaching or navigating retirement. My approach begins with understanding what matters most to each client and creating a strategy around their goals, priorities, and vision for the future.
I believe financial planning should make life feel less complicated, not more. My goal is to help clients understand their options, make informed decisions, and feel confident about the path ahead, so they can spend less time worrying about their finances and more time focused on the people, goals, and experiences that make life meaningful.
Outside of work, I have a strong interest in fitness and wellness and particularly enjoy distance and marathon running. As a lifelong Charlottean, I’m also an avid supporter of the Charlotte Hornets and Carolina Panthers.
My mission, first and foremost, is to understand you and what matters most to you. Armed with that information I can ask thoughtful questions -- listening carefully, then understanding in detail where your wealth stands today and where you'd like it to be tomorrow. I help you design and implement a personalized plan intended to help you and your family pursue financial goals while helping manage investment risk. My approach is to focus on potential solutions that can help turn goals into reality.
From client service to digital innovation, Merrill consistently earned national and global recognition as a leader in the financial services industry.
1. WealthBriefing WealthTech Americas Awards, February 2025. The judging process is guided and assisted by a panel of independent experts, each of whom has been actively involved in the family office and wealth management industry for many years and have an in-depth knowledge of the WealthTech sector.
2. The Digital Banker Digital CX Awards, April 2025. Nominees are selected on the qualitative and quantitative depth of their nominations. The Digital Banker research team will shortlist four institutions or individuals per category, which will then be put to our impartial panel of expert judges who will undertake a rigorous audit type process to carefully select the winners.
3. Bank of America employs Ipsos, in conjunction with Qualtrics to continuously measure Merrill Lynch Wealth Management client satisfaction via an online survey. Results quoted are from surveys conducted June 1, 2024 – May 31, 2025, with a total sample of 40,742 clients randomly drawn from the Merrill Lynch Wealth Management client base after eligibility (minimum $100,000 in household assets, advised relationships) and privacy exclusions (deceased, in litigation, bad email address, etc., and had they been included percentages may be different). When asked how satisfied the client was with their primary financial advisor, 95% rated them a 9 or 10; 4% a 6–8; and 1% a 1–5.
4. Money Management Institute (MMI) / Barron's Industry Awards, October 17, 2024. Winners were selected by a specially appointed MMI Industry Awards Steering Council. The Steering Council consists of representatives from all segments of the MMI membership. After carefully reviewing the nominations submitted, the Steering Council determined a slate of finalists in each award category. The primary contacts at each of MMI's member firms were eligible to vote to determine the winners.