Top-Ranked Advisor With $4.5 Billion Leaves Merrill Lynch to Go Indie (2024)

A top-ranked advisor who oversaw approximately $4.5 billion left Merrill Lynch this week to open his own registered investment advisory firm.

Ash Chopra, who was previously ranked among Barron’s Top 1,200 advisors, opened Syon Capital in San Francisco. Launching his own independent firm means he’ll have greater flexibility in serving clients, Chopra said in an interview.

“When...

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Top-Ranked Advisor With $4.5 Billion Leaves Merrill Lynch to Go Indie (2024)

FAQs

Top-Ranked Advisor With $4.5 Billion Leaves Merrill Lynch to Go Indie? ›

A top-ranked advisor who oversaw approximately $4.5 billion left Merrill Lynch this week to open his own registered investment advisory firm. Ash Chopra, who was previously ranked among Barron's Top 1,200 advisors, opened Syon Capital in San Francisco.

Why are so many financial advisors leaving Merrill? ›

Seasoned advisors accustomed to tailoring solutions are stunned, the underlying message is one of mistrust and a sweeping assumption that they lack the capability to manage it themselves. Thus, control is being wrested away in the pursuit of efficiency and, inevitably, firm profitability.

Who is better Morgan Stanley or Merrill Lynch? ›

They both charge fees for their services, although Merrill Lynch's fees are more transparent. Both firms offer many options and have a large team of financial advisors to provide customer service, though Merrill Lynch is more accessible to individual investors than Morgan Stanley.

Is Merrill Lynch a fiduciary? ›

However, through Merrill Lynch Fiduciary Advisory Services, certain designated advisors can work with you to make your investment management plans more efficient and valuable. So, the answer to the question “does Merrill Lynch have fiduciaries?” is: yes, they do.

Is Merrill Lynch an RIA? ›

Independent RIA firms are distinct from Wall Street wirehouses—Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, UBS, and Wells Fargo, which together employ more than 50,000 advisors.

Is Bank of America getting rid of Merrill Lynch? ›

Ten years after the financial crisis, Bank of America is phasing out the Merrill Lynch brand for some businesses. Bank of America (BAC)said Monday that it will no longer use the Merrill Lynch name for its investment banking and trading divisions. Instead, these businesses will form a unit called BofA Securities.

Why advisors are quitting? ›

Lack of work ethic. It takes a lot of hard work and discipline to break into a career as a financial advisor. While many are willing to work hard for a period of time, fewer are willing and able to maintain the high-level work ethic required to survive and thrive as a successful advisor.

Are Merrill Lynch good advisors? ›

At Merrill, our advisors are among the most recognized in the industry. In fact, for the seventh year in a row, Merrill had the most advisors named to the 2023 Forbes “America's Top Next-Generation Wealth Advisors” list. Published on August 8, 2023. Rankings based on data as of March 31, 2023.

Why did Merrill Lynch lose advisors? ›

But it was a cultural shift that was being imposed by the bank – such as increasing minimum account sizes, cross-selling products and diminishing control that advisors had – that he and other fellow Merrill leaders, including Lyle LaMothe, who ran all of Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, could no longer stand behind.

Can I trust Merrill Lynch? ›

Advisors with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management have received numerous awards for their performance and service in recent years. It placed over 600 advisors on the Forbes list of Best In-State Advisors for 2018, more than any other company.

What is the average rate of return for Merrill Lynch? ›

In the last 30 Years, the Merrill Lynch Edge Select Moderately Aggressive Portfolio obtained a 8.14% compound annual return, with a 11.11% standard deviation.

Are Merrill Lynch fees high? ›

The range of the markup that Merrill charges is between 0.50% – 2.00%, depending on the maturity of the MLI. A portion of the Merrill markup, which may be discounted by your Advisor, is paid to your Advisor as compensation.

How do Merrill Lynch advisors make money? ›

The compensation for Merrill Lynch financial advisors can vary based on factors such as experience, performance, and location. On average, they may earn a base salary, commissions, and bonuses.

What Bank owns Merrill Lynch? ›

Merrill Lynch & Co. is the former name of a prominent Wall Street investment firm. Since its acquisition by Bank of America (BAC) in 2009, it has become known simply as “Merrill” and operates as a wealth management division of Bank of America. Founded by Charles E.

What is the minimum investment for Merrill Lynch wealth management? ›

Investment Minimum. As a company, Merrill Lynch boasts of no minimum account requirements for its services. Nonetheless, individual wealth managers set their limits and have typically catered to high-net-worth clients with assets starting from $1 million and above.

Where does Merrill Lynch rank? ›

Merrill Lynch's brand is ranked #568 in the list of Global Top 1000 Brands, as rated by customers of Merrill Lynch. Morgan Stanley's brand is ranked #199 in the list of Global Top 1000 Brands, as rated by customers of Morgan Stanley.

What are the issues with Merrill Lynch? ›

For years, Merrill Lynch failed to report suspicious transactions as required under federal bank regulations, and in particular the giant brokerage failed to apply the correct threshold to report suspicious activities for more than 10 years, according to statements Tuesday afternoon by the Securities and Exchange ...

What has happened to Merrill Lynch? ›

Merrill Lynch did not go out of business after it was bought by Bank of America. However, Merrill Lynch did experience significant financial losses during the 2008 financial crisis and was acquired by Bank of America in a deal that was completed on January 1, 2009. What happened to Merrill Lynch in 2008?

Is Merrill Lynch still good? ›

Advisors with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management have received numerous awards for their performance and service in recent years. It placed over 600 advisors on the Forbes list of Best In-State Advisors for 2018, more than any other company.

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