Andrew Fotu

Advisor at Merrill

Updated today

Location

Palo Alto, CA 94304

Credentials

Series 66

Industry experience

14 years

About

Andrew Fotu is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He began his career at Bank of America Consumer and Business Banking, bringing a client-focused approach grounded in integrity and availability. Andrew emphasizes a personalized, planning-based strategy to help clients pursue their financial goals while considering their life priorities and aspirations.

Andrew's expertise includes executive compensation, family wealth management strategies, managing new wealth, and portfolio management services. He analyzes clients' wealth structures to identify weaknesses and develops customized investment strategies using both internal and external research as well as Merrill's open investment platform. He collaborates closely with clients' CPAs and estate attorneys to implement tax minimization and estate planning strategies.

He holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Waikato and professional designations including Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). Andrew participates in community volunteer activities and enjoys basketball, hiking, skiing, spending time with his family, and traveling.

Client services

Based on Merrill

Portfolio management Pension consulting Selection of other advisers Educational seminars or workshops
Performance measurement reports, allocation modeling, ips, research reports and services, see schedule d

Expertise

Wealth management Private / alternative investments Concentrated stock management Active portfolio management General estate planning guidance

Occupation focus

Based on Merrill

Executive Founder/Business Owner

Demographic focus

Based on Merrill

Mid-Career Professionals HENRY (High Earners, Not Rich Yet)

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Fee options

Percentage

$0 - $2,000,000: 1.10% (for Managed Strategy with MFSA under $2 million) $2,000,000+: 1.00% (for Managed Strategy with MFSA at and above $2 million)

Other

Account minimum: $2,000,000 minimum to qualify for Premium Access Strategy per SEC data and Merrill brochure context; no other firm-wide minimum clearly stated

Location

3075 A Hansen Way

Palo Alto, CA 94304

Most active in

California · Texas

Work history

BANK of AMERICA, N.A.

2011 - Present (15 years)

Merrill

2008 - Present (18 years)

Disclosures

Exclamation point means they have disclosures of this type. Check mark means no disclosures of this type were found.

Business activities & affiliations

Praveen K

CFP®, Series 65

Fremont, CA

Empower Financial

Driven by a deep passion for finance and investing, Praveen brings a unique blend of experience to his work. As a South Asian immigrant, he navigated the complexities of building a successful 15-year career in Silicon Valley, including co-founding a startup and most recently serving as a Software Engineering Manager at Google. In parallel, he dedicated over a decade mastering various asset classes, from traditional stocks and bonds to value-add commercial real estate and alternative investments like private equity and venture capital. Having achieved financial independence through diligent saving and strategic investing, Praveen is now committed to empowering others to take control of their financial futures by drawing on his own hard-earned wisdom. Empower Financial is an independent, fee-only advisory that provides financial planning and investment consultation to individuals, trusts, estates, retirement plans, small businesses, and a variety of institutional and nonprofit clients. The firm employs a Core + Satellite investment approach, focusing on client risk profiles and asset allocation recommendations, while clients generally execute trades themselves.

RSUs / ISOs / NSOs Equity compensation tax strategy Equity Recipients (RS/RSU, SOP, ESPP) Technology Professional Engineering Professional Executive Mid-Career Professionals Established Professionals FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early)
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Eric H

Series 65, Series 66

Campbell, CA

Hickok Advisory, LLC

Eric Hickok is the principal of Hickok Advisory, LLC and holds Series 65 and Series 66 licenses with five years of industry experience. Prior to founding his firm, he worked at Wells Fargo and has been involved in various business activities including tax preparation and legal services through Hickok Tax and Hickok Tax Law. He also maintains an active real estate license. Hickok Advisory, LLC provides discretionary and non-discretionary asset management along with financial planning and consulting services for individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm tailors investment strategies to client objectives, offering both long-term and short-term approaches with regular account reviews for allocation and tax opportunities.

General retirement planning Income planning General tax planning Cash flow / budgeting Founder/Business Owner Attorney
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Douglas A

Series 65

San Jose, CA

Andrey, Douglas

Douglas Andrey is a financial advisor based in San Jose, CA, with four years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and serves as the sole advisor at his independent firm. Prior to founding his advisory practice, he worked at Kaplan for 12 years and OrthoFX for three years. In addition to his advisory role, he is head of operations at OmniIndex.io, a data analytics tool focused on unstructured data. His firm provides discretionary portfolio management and investment advice to individual clients, constructing customized portfolios primarily using stocks, ETFs, and bonds. The firm employs fundamental analysis and a generally long-term investment strategy, with weekly account reviews and flexibility for shorter-term trading when appropriate.

Active portfolio management
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Kevin M

CFP®, Series 65

Menlo Park, CA

Oak Peak Financial

Kevin Martin is a CFP® and Series 65-registered advisor with 10 years of industry experience. He is the principal of Oak Peak Financial, an independent advisory firm he has led since 2015. Prior to founding Oak Peak Financial, he worked at InSpeed Networks for three years. In addition to his advisory role, Martin is an IRS Enrolled Agent and provides tax preparation services as a separate engagement. Oak Peak Financial serves individual investors, including high-net-worth clients, and retirement-plan sponsors with financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm follows a fiduciary standard and employs a diversified, tax-efficient investment approach based on Modern Portfolio Theory, typically using low-cost index funds and ETFs alongside select individual securities and fixed income.

Cash flow / budgeting Debt management College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) General retirement planning Retirement withdrawal strategies

Deirdre H

CFP®

Menlo Park, CA

Branch & Bloom Financial Planning, LLC

Financial Planning for What Matters Most Your financial plan should reflect what matters most to you. I begin every client relationship by understanding your values and goals. Together, we review where your money is going and identify opportunities for saving, investing, and living the life you envision. We then integrate relevant planning areas such as investment analysis, retirement planning, tax strategies, education funding, risk management, and estate planning. Financial planning can often feel overwhelming, so I organize the process into clear, manageable steps and strive to make complex concepts understandable. We begin with your most urgent priorities and incorporate additional tasks as we make progress, building momentum together. With a background in engineering and technical project management, I bring a structured, creative, and thoughtful approach to every conversation, ensuring each step is purposeful and aligned with your goals. Whether you're seeking comprehensive or hourly planning, our work is tailored to the topics that matter most to you. My process stays grounded in your values, so each step supports your unique goals and priorities. As a fiduciary, I always put your interests first, offering honest guidance and clear, transparent fees. Whether you want hands-on support or prefer to implement your plan yourself, I'll provide a complete and actionable roadmap for your financial journey. My practice is built on trust, transparency, and a deep commitment to my clients' success. Nothing is more rewarding to me than seeing clients become thoughtful stewards of their wealth, gaining clarity and confidence, and building a future rooted in what matters most.

Wealth management General retirement planning General tax planning HENRY (High Earners, Not Rich Yet)
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Carol G

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

San Mateo, CA

Gosho Financial Group

Carol Gosho is a Certified Financial Planner® with 24 years of industry experience. She has been the principal advisor at Gosho Financial Group since 2011. The firm serves individuals, families, businesses, trusts, estates, donor-advised funds, and retirement plan participants by providing fee-based investment advisory services and non-discretionary financial planning. Gosho Financial Group employs a tactical allocation approach using fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to manage custom discretionary portfolios and offers educational seminars and plan-level consulting as part of its pension services.

Retirement income strategy Income planning Elder care planning General tax planning Cash flow / budgeting Approaching retirement
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