Posts by MeritMarketing
Why Valuation Matters: Understanding the True Value of Your Advisory Firm
As a financial advisor, you spend your career helping clients prepare for the future. Yet too often, advisors put their own future on hold, overlooking one of the most critical pieces of long-term success: understanding the value of their business. Whether you are planning for succession, considering a merger or acquisition, exploring equity opportunities, or…
Read MoreSeptember 2025 Market Update
In this September market update, Chief Investment Officer Brian Andrew, CFA®, looks at how markets extended their strength last month, with the S&P 500 and Dow reaching new highs as corporate earnings held firm and small- to mid-sized companies began to outpace mega-cap leaders. Inflation ticked slightly higher to 2.9% amid rising energy costs and…
Read MoreThe Succession Wake-Up Call: Protect Your Firm Before It’s Too Late
At Future Proof, industry leaders came together to address one of the most urgent issues in wealth management: succession planning. Or as Brad Bueermann from FP Transitions reframed it, “It’s not succession planning, it’s sustainability planning.” Moderated by Suzanne Siracuse of Suzanne Siracuse Consulting, the session sparked a candid discussion about what advisors must do…
Read MoreStrong Cybersecurity Starts with Solid Cyber Hygiene
A Q&A with Chrissy Lee, Chief Operating Officer, Merit Financial Advisors, and Mark Hurley, CEO, Digital Privacy & Protection While families across the country are settling into fall with shorter days, cooler weather, and cozy weekend activities, October provides another reason for us to lean into our families by reassessing our cybersecurity habits. Shockingly, cybercrime…
Read More401(k) Day Spotlight: Are Alternatives Like Crypto and Private Equity Right for You?
David Elder, CFP®, CEPA, Wealth Manager, Merit Financial Advisors In case you haven’t heard, 401(k) plans recently got a facelift. President Trump’s executive order last month could provide employees with the ability to invest in private equity and cryptocurrency through their 401(k). This is a notable departure from the traditional menu of target date funds.…
Read MoreGrowth Through Partnership: How Merit Helps Financial Advisors Scale and Serve Clients BetterÂ
At Merit Financial Advisors, growth means more than numbers on a page; it is about empowering clients with solutions that truly fit their needs. During our ENRICH conference, Robyn Jameson, CFP®, CLTC, in Berwyn, PA who joined Merit through an RIA partnership, shared how Merit’s unique resources allow her to provide clients with advanced strategies,…
Read MoreAugust 2025 Market Update
In this August market update, Chief Investment Officer Brian Andrew, CFA®, looks at how markets continue to present opportunities and challenges for investors. The S&P 500 climbed another 3% in July, bringing year-to-date gains above 16%, with much of that strength concentrated in a handful of mega-cap technology stocks, Microsoft, Amazon, Google, Nvidia, and Meta,…
Read MoreCustomization at Scale: How Direct Indexing Helps You Deliver Greater Value to Clients
At Merit Financial Advisors, we believe the best strategies are not one-size-fits-all. They are built around people, goals, and unique financial stories. In a recent ThinkAdvisor webinar hosted by Orion Advisor Solutions, industry professionals, including Merit’s Chief Investment Officer Brian Andrew, explored how direct indexing is helping advisors deliver truly personalized, tax-efficient portfolios at scale.…
Read MoreTailored RIA Partnership Opportunities and Succession Planning for Financial Advisory Firm Owners
Advisor Insights from ENRICH 2025: Legacy, Growth, and Strategic Partnerships for RIAs At Merit Financial Advisors, we believe wealth management is more than numbers; it is about people, purpose, and the journey we share. At our ENRICH Conference in Spring 2025, several of our top advisors shared their thoughts: home, legacy, impact, empowering, inspiring, confidence,…
Read MorePlan for the Best, Prepare for the Rest: Why Prenuptial Agreements Are Back, and Smarter Than Ever
By Baylee Bryant, Wealth Manager, CFP®, CDFA®, Partner, Merit Financial Advisors Few conversations test a couple’s communication like the idea of implementing a prenuptial (“prenup”) agreement. It can feel uncomfortable; maybe too practical, too pessimistic, or too soon. But avoiding the conversation doesn’t make the potential need for a prenup disappear. It only delays the…
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