Since the day he left the practice of law and joined Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in 1997, Peter Damascus has passionately brought integrity, service & commitment to his clients in helping them achieve their financial goals. In Peter's current role at Merrill he does not provide any legal and/or tax advice. Applying the same attitude as when he was an attorney, Peter stands in front of his clients to take on life’s financial curve balls when they arise and gives them realistic goals, expectations and recommendations.

Peter focuses on two disciplines:
• Business retirement services
• Family wealth planning and asset management

Whether it is corporate retirement planning, individual family planning or estate planning recommendations being sought, Peter and his team are here to help their clients through every step of their financial lives.
In regard to business retirement services, Peter and his team provide recommendations with employee retirement and deferred compensation plans, business cash management and lines of lending. From his perspective, job #1 is to protect and consult for the business owner/trustees of the companies he works with. This includes helping his clients choose the proper retirement plan and design strategies to help them achieve their goals. In addition to retirement plan vendor selection and investment due diligence, Peter’s team places emphasis on providing effective education to employees so they understand why they need to participate in the benefit plans business owners offer & next steps to take to achieve their personal goals.
In regard to family wealth planning and asset management, it is Peter’s philosophy that your family is joining his. His father instilled within him that we all have two ears and one mouth so listening intently to others is critical to success. Through listening, he and his team learn what is truly important in their clients’ financial lives. Once those needs are identified, a collaboration process ensues to develop realistic goals and the best path for clients to achieve them.|With over 22 years of investment experience, Peter holds the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor^SM and Certified 401(k) Professional designations. Peter is also a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^™ certificant. He graduated from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University in 1995 and passed the New York and California State Bars. Peter is a current member in good standing of both bars, The Supreme Court of the United States and the United States Court of International Trade. As of 2013, he continues to serve as a FINRA Arbitrator so he can apply his professional knowledge and help others.
When he’s not serving his clients, Peter can be found volunteering for the Special Olympics as well as on the pitch as an American Youth Soccer Coach. He’s a proud board member of the Trojan Football Alumni Club as well as a member of the University of Southern California Cardinal & Gold Alumni Group. Peter resides in Southern California and has two beautiful daughters.

*Peter does not provide legal advice in his current role with Merrill.

*Lending Services are through Bank of America, N.A.
I follow the deep-seated Merrill tradition of participating in the communities we serve. This drives my interest in spending time volunteering with organizations in our community.