Richard Valenzuela, AWMA™, CRPC™
Financial Solutions Advisor Learn more about this advisor's background on
My name is Richard Valenzuela, and I’m a licensed Merrill Financial Solutions Advisor. I can provide you with advice when you need it, an investment strategy and a portfolio aligned to your needs to help you pursue your investing goals.
New to investing?
Start by reviewing some of the basics. As you define your goals and assess your attitude toward risk, ask me for help with clarifying your investment choices.Investing basics
Investing is about seeking to grow your money in order to pursue your goals. There's a variety of ways to invest, and several fundamental — and related — factors to keep in mind. It's also important to note that investing involves the risk of losing money.Risk vs. reward
Over time, more aggressive investments like stock have generally brought higher returns — but with a greater chance of losing money.The advantage of time
If you start investing at a young age, you may have more time to potentially grow your investments and a greater opportunity to ride out a market downturn.Diversification
Putting your money in different types of investments can help manage risk.Types of investments
We offer a full range of investments, including: stocks and bonds, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and managed portfolios.Generally, stocks have the highest risk/return potential, and bonds (fixed income investments) the lowest.
Stocks and bonds
Stocks: An ownership stake in a company.Bonds: Money loaned to a company or government that agrees to pay you back.
Mutual funds
Professionally managed investments that pool money from a large number of investors to purchase a combination of stocks, bonds and /or other securities.ETFs
Collections of securities that can be bought and sold throughout the day and can offer tax benefits, greater diversification and lower costs to investors.Managed portfolios
Recommended investment strategies, with portfolios built, monitored and rebalanced by investment professionals.Your particular investing needs
There's no one-size-fits-all approach to investing. How you invest will be driven by your goals, time horizon, liquidity needs and risk tolerance. Here are some questions to ask yourself as you begin to think about investing.What are you investing for?
A well-defined goal — like deciding how much you'll need in retirement — is the first step in determining what it might take to achieve your objective.What is your time horizon?
If you're saving for a longer-term goal such as retirement, you may be able to be more aggressive than if you're saving for a shorter-term goal like a home purchase.What are your liquidity needs?
It's essential to know how much cash you might need at a given point, and how easily you could convert an asset into cash without potentially incurring a loss.What is your risk tolerance?
What amount of risk would you be comfortable taking in pursuit of potentially higher returns?
Generally, stocks have the highest risk/return potential, and bonds (fixed income investments) the lowest.
Bonds: Money loaned to a company or government that agrees to pay you back.
Let's get started
Use our tools to help clarify your needs and find out where you stand.Chief Investment Office
from the Chief
Investment Office with the What matters most to you quiz
Preferred Rewards
Preferred Rewards
Enjoy real benefits and rewards on your Merrill investing and Bank of America banking account balances. And as your balances grow, so do your benefits.
Learn more about Preferred RewardsKeep it together
Link your Merrill investing and Bank of America bank accounts to view and manage your money online and on your mobile device. With just one login, you can transfer funds instantly between your accounts.Footnote 1
Life stage journeys
There are common things people face at each life stage. Whether you are just starting out in your career or approaching retirement, we have the resources and solutions to help you plan.
Learn more about Life Priorities
FAQs
What is a Merrill Financial Solutions Advisor?
Financial Solutions Advisors are licensed investment professionals from Merrill. They're ready to offer advice and guidance to help you pursue your financial goals.
What services do Financial Solutions Advisors provide?
A Merrill advisor can provide a recommended investment strategy/managed portfolio through Merrill as well as access to Bank of America banking solutions for cash management, savings, credit, lending and more.
How should I prepare for my meeting with a Financial Solutions Advisor?
To get the most out of the meeting, you should be prepared to answer questions about what's going on in your life today and your goals for the future. The more you're able to share, the more effective the Merrill advisor can be in recommending investment choices. It would also be helpful to have relevant documents handy, such as: income statements (W-2 forms, pay stubs, tax documents), bank statements, investment statements, 401(k) statements and a list of your monthly expenses.
How do I get on track and stay on track with help from a Financial Solutions Advisor?
You'll have periodic reviews with a Merrill advisor. You'll also be able to view your progress any time online with you own personalized dashboard. Of course, you can always reach out if you have questions or need specific advice and guidance.
Are there additional benefits for Bank of America customers?
Yes. With one login, you can view and instantly transfer money online from your Bank of America bank accounts to your Merrill investment accounts.Footnote 1 Plus, your Merrill investment balances can help you qualify for Bank of America Preferred Rewards. If you're already a Preferred Rewards member, your balances can help you reach the next tier of benefits.Footnote 2
- Certain banking and brokerage accounts may be ineligible for real-time money movement, including but not limited to transfers to/from bank IRAs (CD, Money Market), 529s, Bank of America Advantage SafeBalance Banking™, Credit Cards and transfers from IRAs, Loans (HELOC, LOC, Mortgage) and accounts held in the military bank. Accounts eligible for real-time transfers will be displayed online in the to/from drop down menu on the transfer screen.
- Preferred Rewards Program Eligibility. You can enroll, and maintain your membership, in the Bank of America Preferred Rewards®program if you have an active, eligible personal checking account with Bank of America® and maintain the balance required for one of the balance tiers. The balance tiers are $20,000 for the Gold tier, $50,000 for the Platinum tier, $100,000 for the Platinum Honors tier, $1,000,000 for the Diamond tier and $10,000,000 for the Diamond Honors tier. Balances include your combined, qualifying Bank of America deposit accounts (such as checking, savings, certificate of deposit) and/or your Merrill investment accounts (such as Cash Management Accounts, 529 Plans). You can satisfy the combined balance requirement for enrollment with either:
- 1. a three-month combined average daily balance in your qualifying deposit and investment accounts, or
- 2. a current combined balance, provided that you enroll at the time you open your first eligible personal checking account and satisfy the balance requirement at the end of at least one day within 30 days of opening that account.
Refer to your Personal Schedule of Fees for details on accounts that qualify towards the combined balance calculation and receive program benefits. Eligibility to enroll is generally available three or more business days after the end of the calendar month in which you satisfy the requirements. Benefits become effective within 30 days of your enrollment, or for new accounts within 30 days of account opening, unless we indicate otherwise. Bank of America Private Bank clients qualify to enroll in the Diamond tier regardless of balance and may qualify for the Diamond Honors tier based on their qualifying Bank of America, Merrill and Private Bank balances. Certain benefits are also available without enrolling in Preferred Rewards if you satisfy balance and other requirements. For details on Bank of America employee qualification requirements, please call Employee Financial Services or refer to the Bank of America intranet site. Employees of companies participating in the Bank of America Employee Banking and Investing Program may be eligible to participate on customized terms.Refer to CEBI Program for details.
Richard Valenzuela is licensed to do business in: AZ, CA, FL, GA, KY, NV, OR, TX, WA
Supervisory Office24200 Magic Mountain Pkwy
Santa Clarita, CA 91355 661.678.1053