The Irick Group

Private Wealth Advisors
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Your path towards success is unique & is about more than just investments. It’s about your family, your work, & your legacy. We are devoted to helping you be purposeful with your wealth. 

Hear from our founder, Myah Moore Irick, in a Barron's feature.

As a multi-generational team with high ethical standards, we are focused on delivering excellence in every aspect of our work.

Meet the Team

The private wealth advisors with Merrill Private Wealth Management are rigorously trained to help meet your specialized needs with relationships based on trust and personalized service.

Additional Resources

The following specialists do not make securities recommendations. Please contact your Merrill Private Wealth Advisor if you have questions about how a specialist might be able to assist you.

Clauter Charleston

Alternative Investments Regional Specialist

Bank of America, N.A.

Heather Smitley

Wealth Management Banking Specialist

Merrill

Kevin Ip

Investment Solutions Group Portfolio Strategist

Bank of America, N.A.

Past Events

Key Trends 2024 – Investment Management for Nonprofits

February 15th, 2024|4:00 PM - 4:30 PM EST

Join Jennifer Chandler, Head of Philanthropic Solutions, Bank of America Private Bank as she moderates an insightful discussion with experts discussing a range of market, investment and governance trends to help nonprofits navigate the upcoming year.

Our panel will explore:

  • Strategic investment themes making this “A Foundational Year,”
  • U.S. equity market trends leading towards broader participation, and
  • Navigating governance structures for nonprofit investment management

Please Register Here.

    Navigating as an Executive: Diversifying your Concentrated Stock Position

    October 17th, 2023|12:00 PM - 12:45 PM EST

    At The Irick Group, we help corporate executives navigate the unique challenges they face when it comes to managing their wealth. While your annual salary can contribute significantly to your personal wealth, equity compensation is often the largest component and can add complexity to your financial journey.

    Please join our team and Natixis Investment Managers, as we review a case study demonstrating how we help executives navigate concentrated positions in a tax efficient manner. We will also discuss the importance of having a dynamic wealth & investment plan and how to properly identify a team of advisors that can support you throughout your career.

    Hosted By:

    Myah Moore Irick, ChFC®
    Senior Vice President, Private Wealth Manager
    Merrill Private Wealth Management

    Featuring:

    Quinn O'Connor
    Regional Director, Direct Indexing Specialist
    Natixis Investment Managers

    Please RSVP here.


    *After registering, you will receive an email from “messenger” with a calendar invitation attached.

      2023 Bank of America Study of Philanthropy

      October 17th, 2023|4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

      Join us on October 17 at 4:00 p.m. Eastern for a virtual event, 2023 Bank of America Study of Philanthropy: Charitable Giving by Affluent Households.

      As in previous years, giving by affluent households continues to evolve. We’re excited to share the latest in this series of studies, 2023 Bank of America Study of Philanthropy: Charitable Giving by Affluent Households.

      The panel will explore:

      • Trends in giving and volunteering
      • Use of a robust toolkit of strategies and vehicles to help meet giving goals
      • How women are changing the philanthropic sector
      • Engagement of the next generation to shape the future of philanthropy

      Host/Moderator:
      Jennifer Chandler
      , Head of Philanthropic Solutions, Bank of America Private Bank

      Panelists:
      Una Osili, Associate Dean for Research and International Programs, Indiana University
      Dianne Bailey, National Philanthropic Strategy Executive, Bank of America Private Bank
      William Jarvis, Philanthropic Executive, Bank of America Private Bank

        Strategies designed to help you achieve your goals

        As a client of Merrill Private Wealth Management, you have access to services and resources ordinarily reserved for the world’s largest institutions. We work with individuals, families spanning multiple generations, business owners and executives. Using a goals-based wealth management approach, we put our clients at the center of every personalized strategy.

        Our Approach

        Our Philosophy

        We believe your unique goals should be at the center of all of your financial decisions and form the foundation of your financial strategy. Because significant wealth requires customized goals-based financial strategies, we believe in building lasting relationships with a limited number of clients, taking the time to understand your most important priorities for today, tomorrow and your long-term future. Our philosophy celebrates collaboration. Working with a team of specialists, we draw on the resources and insights of a global financial institution to create strategies that reflect your aspirations for yourself and current and future generations of your family. Finally, we believe that while significant wealth brings complex challenges, our experience, passion and perspectives can help you simplify your life.

        Our Approach

        Inclusion, respect, and empathy are the Irick Group’s core values. We are dedicated to serving our clients and our community. We believe in doing well by doing good.

        We help people use their wealth to lead purposeful, fulfilled lives.

        We are a team of advisors within a global financial services powerhouse who are devoted to helping people build, preserve and manage their often sudden wealth. We take very seriously the responsibility of sharing insights and strategies to help you sustain wealth across generations. We offer resources to support all aspects of your financial life - including banking, credit, investment management, philanthropy, and wealth planning. We focus on the complete financial picture – not just a single account.


        *Banking products are provided by Bank of America, N.A. and affiliated banks, Members FDIC and wholly owned subsidiaries of Bank of America Corporation.

        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 planning in coordination with your attorney and accountant.

        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. Your grit and determination has helped you to succeed in challenging environments in the past, and will also provide a foundation for the unique financial needs that come with wealth. Our team works with a select group of ‘sudden wealth’ individuals and families, as they pursue their financial and legacy goals.

        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, investment strategies and education of family members to help bring your legacy vision to life.

        Investment Statement

        Investment Manager – 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. We utilize the expansive platform available to us at Merrill to implement investment vehicles that span both global public and private markets, with an eye towards cost efficiency. We should be aware of what we own and why we own it. 

        Wealth Coach – 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 Manager – 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. 

        Impact Investing

        Inclusion, empathy and respect are our core values. We believe that you can do well while doing good.

        How can your dollar invested have an impact? Impact investing is investing for the potential to make a financial return as well as generate a measurable, beneficial social or environmental impact. Today, more and more people from all walks of life want to learn about how their money can be used to create social and environmental impact.

        Impact investing allows us to expand the dialogue from, "What goals do you want to pursue for your life?" to include, "What goals do you want to achieve for the world around you?"

        We know that structuring portfolios to help foster good corporate practices has enormous potential to change investments, lives and communities.

        We at the Irick Group build deep relationships with our clients by talking with them about their goals and most importantly about their personal values. During these discussions, clients are increasingly articulating impact-oriented goals alongside their overall financial priorities and we can offer a broad range of impact investing opportunities, including custom portfolios, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds and Separately Managed Accounts to help clients pursue their goals. In particular, we can build portfolios in line with your religious beliefs, desire to support women & girls, environmental goals, or your personal values around social equality & inclusion.

        Your investments can generate social and environmental impact alongside the potential for financial returns. Now ask yourself, “How do I want to be the change and is my wealth invested aligned with my purpose?”




        *Impact investing and/or Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) managers may take into consideration factors beyond traditional financial information to select securities, which could result in relative investment performance deviating from other strategies or broad market benchmarks, depending on whether such sectors or investments are in or out of favor in the market. Further, ESG strategies may rely on certain values based criteria to eliminate exposures found in similar strategies or broad market benchmarks, which could also result in relative investment performance deviating.

        Custom Lending and Credit

        We know that building wealth goes beyond just investing. It includes customized lending solutions and fully integrated banking to help you grow both sides of your personal balance sheet. Together, with our credit and mortgage specialists through Bank of America, we can create customized credit solutions, to fund everything from real estate to unexpected niche opportunities. This includes guidance and access to home financing, home equity lines of credit, securities based lending, custom lending and custom mortgages.

        We help you strategically think through when and how to borrow, and the implications it will have on your wealth plan and investment plan. In addition, with fully integrated banking- your savings, checking and credit cards are all in one place making your everyday banking needs seamless. As an Irick Group client, your dedicated Banking specialist will provide you with white glove, concierge support around your holistic banking needs, which will limit your need to ever visit a branch or a financial center.

        Corporate Executives

        We understand the complexities that come with your executive position and the extreme demands on your time. We can help you develop a customized strategy that your finances and compensation require. We can help with risk management strategies for your concentrated stock position while navigating complex SEC rules, trading restrictions and reporting requirements. If you’ve just been promoted and would like help evaluating your new compensation plan, or if you’re looking to develop a long-term financial strategy for you and your family — designed to enable you to live life as you want it, with reliable access to cash — we can help simplify your financial life, as well as develop new strategies as your career and goals evolve.

        Company Founders, Private Business Owners & Entrepreneurs

        When you have built your own business, your personal finances and the life of your company are closely intertwined. You may be thinking about how to invest in your company’s growth while also deciding how best to use your personal assets. Helping ensure the future of your business likely involves employee benefits, retirement plans and succession planning. Helping secure your family’s legacy could entail wealth transfer strategies, trusts and philanthropy. Whatever your specific needs, we at Merrill Private Wealth Management can help entrepreneurs and business owners balance their personal financial lives with their life’s work. We are dedicated in providing the experience and resources to help support your ongoing success.

        Nonprofit organizations

        Your passion drives your organization’s mission, and you depend on an investment portfolio and an effective staff to carry on its important work. As private wealth advisors with Merrill Private Wealth Management, we have experience working with nonprofit organizations. We possess a keen understanding of the challenges you face, including maintaining operational efficiency and productivity through uneven market circumstances, growing competition for donations, and increased fiduciary requirements. Drawing on our extensive capabilities to help you fulfill your organization’s mission, we can provide access to the customized services your organization needs with discretion and skill, such as strategic planning, portfolio management, administrative and board support, and advisory solutions.

        Intergenerational Family Wealth

        As a family that spans multiple generations, you have needs that go beyond preserving assets, tax minimization strategies and designating heirs. Your goals also likely include passing on values and helping the rising generation become effective stewards. We can help with personalized wealth transfer strategies, family wealth education and developing and implementing philanthropic visions. In working with you to create an approach that reflects your family’s intentions and helps ensure your assets are distributed according to your wishes, we proceed in a manner that recognizes the complexities of your life challenges and the unique nature of your goals. Our extensive experience working with other families of significant wealth helps  us to see and share best practices to help you achieve them.

        Professional Athletes

        As a professional athlete, you understand how grit and determination have helped you succeed in a challenging environment, as well as the unique financial needs that come with your success. At Merrill Private Wealth Management, 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 financial strategies designed to help simplify the complexities of your financial life and build the legacy you envision.

        Let's have a conversation

        Your dedicated Merrill Private Wealth Management team is ready to help you pursue what’s most important to you.

        Our Vision

        For clients of substantial means, Merrill Private Wealth Management provides an experience that is both powerful and personal. We are dedicated to helping you pursue your goals for today while developing an approach designed to support your family members for the years to come.

        Your private wealth advisor and team of specialists work with a limited number of clients, enabling them to focus their time, training and passion on helping you simplify your personal and business finances and prepare your next generation.

        Boutique-like service with the access to the investment resources of Merrill and banking convenience of Bank of America

        We combine the personalized attention and feel of a smaller firm with the power and insights of a global financial institution, creating financial strategies tailored to your unique situation.

        A relentless commitment to transparency and customized strategies

        As our client, know we are working in your best interests, providing goals-based financial strategies designed to anticipate and help meet your evolving financial needs.