Annis Zheng

My Planning Process

#### **Step 1: Understanding What Matters Most** Every relationship begins with a conversation. Before discussing investments or strategies, I want to understand what is most important to you, your family, your career, and your future goals. Whether you're preparing for retirement, managing competing financial priorities, navigating a major life transition, or simply looking for a second opinion, our initial conversations are designed to help uncover what matters most and identify where planning may be able to help. #### **Step 2: Building a Personalized Strategy** Once we establish a clear understanding of your goals and priorities, we can evaluate your overall financial picture and begin developing strategies aligned with your unique circumstances. My role is not simply to provide recommendations, but to help you evaluate decisions, understand tradeoffs, and gain confidence in the path forward.

Preparing for Your Initial Consultation

**You don't need to have everything figured out before we meet.** Many people delay financial planning because they think they need all the answers beforehand. In reality, most clients come to their first meeting with questions \- not answers. Our initial consultation is simply an opportunity to discuss your goals, priorities, and concerns. Topics often include: * Retirement planning * Investments and savings * Employee benefits and workplace retirement plans * Business planning considerations * Family and legacy goals * Major financial decisions and life transitions You don't need to have every answer before we meet. The goal is simply to begin a meaningful conversation, gain clarity around your priorities, and determine whether working together may be a good fit.

Focus On - Professionals & Growing Families

Many professionals and families find themselves juggling several financial priorities at the same time. Career growth, homeownership, retirement savings, education planning, supporting loved ones, and wealth accumulation all compete for attention and resources. I enjoy helping clients bring structure to these decisions and understand how each financial choice impacts the bigger picture. Whether evaluating workplace benefits, navigating a concentrated stock position, planning for retirement, or managing portfolio risk, my goal is to help clients make informed decisions with greater clarity and confidence. Areas often discussed include: * Retirement planning and workplace benefits * Equity compensation and company stock * Concentrated stock positions and diversification planning * Investment portfolio review and risk management * Home purchase decisions * Education funding * Wealth accumulation strategies * Family financial planning

Focus On - Business Owner

As a business owner, your personal and business finances are often closely connected. Decisions about compensation, retirement savings, employee benefits, and business growth can all have a significant impact on your long\-term financial goals. I enjoy working with business owners to evaluate retirement plan strategies that fit their unique business needs while supporting both owner and employee retirement outcomes. Whether exploring a 401(k), profit sharing plan, cash balance plan, or reviewing an existing retirement program, my goal is to help business owners understand their options and make informed decisions with confidence. Planning discussions often include: * Retirement plan design * Cash balance and defined benefit plan considerations * 401(k) and profit sharing strategies * Retirement readiness for owners and employees * Employee retention and benefit planning * Coordination of business and personal financial goals * Succession and transition planning considerations

Focus on - Retirement & Family Legacy Planning

Retirement planning is about more than preparing for the next stage of life—it's about creating financial confidence for yourself while considering the people and values that matter most. Whether you're approaching retirement, supporting aging parents, helping children build financial independence, or thinking about the impact your wealth may have on future generations, thoughtful planning can help bring clarity to important decisions. I work with individuals and families to navigate these conversations and develop strategies aligned with their priorities, goals, and long\-term vision. Common planning discussions include: * Retirement readiness and income planning * Workplace retirement plans and retirement savings strategies * Social Security and retirement distribution considerations * Supporting aging parents and family members * Wealth transfer and legacy planning considerations * Preparing future generations financially * Charitable and philanthropic goals * Coordinating financial decisions across multiple generations

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