Aaron Kelly

Our Philosophy

We live in a world that's constantly changing. Markets can fluctuate frequently. Potential investment opportunities can arise daily. Regulations are enacted or amended. That's why understanding you and your situation is the best place to start helping you plan your financial future: where you are today, where you want to be tomorrow, and what you want to accomplish along the way. By understanding you and your priorities, we can more effectively provide you with the experience and resources needed to help you build a personalized plan that is rooted in the unique complexities of your life.

Sudden Wealth

Receiving a substantial amount of money quickly, presents opportunities as well as challenges. As someone new to wealth\-\- whether you are an entrepreneur, professional athlete, lottery winner or inheritor\-\- you understand the significant decisions that you have ahead of you. We act as your guide and help you be purposeful \& intentional with the impact that your wealth has on your family and your community. We are focused on helping you enjoy the lifestyle you have worked so hard to achieve while striving for the financial future you want for yourself and your family. Drawing on our extensive capabilities and the broad resources of a global institution, we offer strategies designed to simplify the complexities of your financial life. This includes access to trust and estate planning services from Bank of America and, through Merrill, wealth management strategies and education of family members to help bring your legacy vision to life.

Our Fees

We believe in being transparent around our fees. We charge an advisory fee for assets under management here at Merrill within our Investment Advisory Program. Specifically, this fee depends on how much we are managing in assets and which investment strategies we use for your portfolio. When we develop your investment strategy, we identify investment vehicles that are personalized to your unique goals, time horizon, risk capacity, and values\- while also taking into consideration investments that are low cost and tax efficient. Our fee covers all of our advice– everything from investment advice to guidance around wealth planning, strategic credit, philanthropy, cash flow analysis, navigating concentrated positions and broader estate \& tax minimization strategies in coordination with your attorney and accountant.

Investment Statement

**Investment Management** – We compose the asset allocation for your portfolio in response to several variables specific to you including market conditions, family goals, time horizon, risk tolerance, liquidity needs and income requirements. As these criteria evolve, so too will the composition of the portfolio. We align your personal values with your investments through various implementation strategies including customized value based portfolios and screens. **Wealth Guidance** – Emotions can skew perceptions of risk and result in dramatic impacts on not just portfolios but also achieving financial goals. We discuss your values, goals and intentions at length so that in times of both turmoil and euphoria, we act as a sounding board to stay on plan. Our focus is long\-term. Short\-term market performance can be a distraction and a lure away from good discipline. The way we communicate with you and report on progress is designed to mitigate reactive behaviors and make your portfolios purposeful. **Risk Management** – Understanding your risk tolerance, and incorporating it into investment portfolios, is just one aspect of risk management. We help to define risk in a way that goes beyond market volatility and addresses obstacles specific to a family's wealth plan and estate plan. We define success not by benchmarks but by the realization of your stated goals and the impact that you would like to achieve

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