Brian Keith Carickhoff

Advisor at Merrill — Exton, PA Valley Creek Blvd

Updated today

Credentials

Series 63, Series 65

Experience

29 years

Location

Exton, PA 19341

Merrill logo

Merrill

Institution

Total advisors

25,478

Across 3,103 offices

Clients per advisor

70 Very Low

Avg AUM per client

$860,085 Very High

HNW client ratio

29% High

About

Brian Carickhoff is a Wealth Management Advisor with extensive experience in financial planning and investment strategies. He has been serving clients since 2005, first at Morgan Stanley for eight years and then at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. Brian holds several professional certifications including Accredited Domestic Partnership Advisor (ADPA), CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CFP), CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA).

With a background as an Indirect Fire Infantryman in the U.S. Army, Brian's approach is disciplined and fact-based, emphasizing risk management and achieving client-defined financial outcomes. He specializes in areas such as College Education Planning, Family Wealth Management Strategies, LGBT Wealth Planning, Liquidity Management, Managing New Wealth, Personal Retirement Planning, Philanthropic Planning, Portfolio Management Services, Women and Wealth, and Retirement Income. Brian's work focuses on building strong relationships, fostering open communication, and guiding clients through life transitions.

Brian holds a Bachelor's degree from West Chester University. He is actively involved in his community and professional organizations including the Association of the United States Army, National Military Family Association, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and St Maximilian Church. In 2018, he founded Operation Honor Guard, a nonprofit dedicated to honoring fallen soldiers by maintaining their headstones. He also participates in local youth sports associations and values spending time with his wife and three children, enjoying activities like camping, golfing, and soccer.

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 Retirement income strategy General retirement planning Charitable giving & philanthropy Liquidity event planning

Occupation focus

Military & Veterans

Demographic focus

Women Professionals LGBTQIA

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Fee options

Commissions

SEC-reported: Commissions on certain transactions, including foreign securities and fixed income; mark-ups, markdowns and dealer spreads may apply to some trades.

Location

See office

Exton, PA Valley Creek Blvd

224 Valley Creek Blvd

Exton PA 19341

Advisors at this office

35

Most active in

Pennsylvania · Texas

Work history

29 years of industry experience

Bank Of America, N.a.

2011 - Present • 15 years

Exton, PA

Merrill

2005 - Present • 21 years

Exton, PA

Disclosures

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

Business activities & affiliations

John K

Series 65

Paoli, PA

Milvian Bridge Advisory

John Kroger is the founder of Milvian Bridge Advisory, an independent investment advisory firm based in Paoli, Pennsylvania. He holds a Series 65 and earned both a Bachelor of Science in Finance and an MBA with a concentration in Finance from Fairfield University. He is also a graduate of Malvern Preparatory School. His professional background includes experience with Daylesford Abbey, Stone Bay Holdings, and Hampton Inn. Milvian Bridge Advisory provides portfolio management, financial planning, and investment consulting to individuals, families, high-net-worth clients, retirement accounts, trusts, estates, and business owners. The firm operates as a fiduciary and fee-only adviser, emphasizing disciplined portfolio construction, diversification, thoughtful asset allocation, tax-aware decision-making, and advice tailored to each client’s goals, circumstances, and long-term objectives.

Wealth management General retirement planning College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Passive / index investing Active portfolio management Founder/Business Owner Established Professionals HENRY (High Earners, Not Rich Yet) Mid-Career Professionals Approaching retirement Retired

James L

CFP®, CFA®

Wilmington, DE

StratFI

I’m Delaware’s only professional futurist and the founder of StratFI, a boutique investment advisory firm built around a simple question: “What happens next?” Before launching StratFI, I served as lead portfolio manager for a multi-family office working with inherited wealth families. At the start of my career, I worked as a financial planner for what is now Ameriprise. Today, StratFI provides active investment management for active people — particularly professionals and retirees focused on building, preserving, and navigating long-term wealth. I work with a limited number of clients to maintain meaningful relationships and deliver a highly personalized experience. Clients receive direct access to their portfolio manager, customized investment strategies, and thoughtful guidance. All client assets are custodied with Charles Schwab. StratFI operates as a fee-only fiduciary, meaning no commissions and no conflicts of interest. To maintain a high standard of service and customization, we typically work with clients who have $500,000 or more in investable assets.

Active portfolio management Options & derivatives strategies ESG / Sustainable investing Wealth management

Jeffrey K

Series 66, AIF®, Series 7

Chadds Ford, PA

Brandywine Financial Advisors

Jeffrey Kropp is a financial advisor with OSAIC, holding a Series 66 designation and 19 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Woodbury Financial Services, Market Street Wealth Management, USA Financial Securities Corporation, and Patriot Financial Group. He is also the owner of Brandywine Financial Advisors, a sole proprietorship offering life and health insurance and fixed annuities. OSAIC Wealth, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser and FINRA member broker-dealer serving a diverse client base that includes individual investors, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a comprehensive investment process integrating risk-tolerance assessments, asset allocation software, and portfolio optimization tools, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary management across a wide range of investment products.

Annuities General retirement planning Income planning Passive / index investing ESG / Sustainable investing Founder/Business Owner Executive Retired
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Beth D

CFP®, Series 63

Malvern, PA

Plumtree Financial Planning

Beth Dandrea is a Certified Financial Planner™ with 13 years of industry experience and has operated her own firm, Beth D'Andrea, Financial Planner, LLC, for 19 years. She is affiliated with Plumtree Financial Planning, an independent firm based in Malvern, PA. Plumtree Financial Planning offers comprehensive financial planning and portfolio management tailored to individuals and families. The firm emphasizes long-term, goal-based planning and provides ongoing and project-based advice without taking custody of client assets, operating primarily on a fee-only, non-discretionary basis.

General tax planning General estate planning guidance Cash flow / budgeting
user avatar

John N

Series 66

West Chester, PA

Stone Loft Wealth Management LLC

John Neal is a financial advisor at Stone Loft Wealth Management LLC with 19 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and previously worked at The Vanguard Group and UBS Financial Services. Stone Loft Wealth Management is an independent advisory firm serving high-net-worth individuals, trusts, estates, and businesses. The firm offers discretionary wealth management and financial planning, focusing on portfolio construction with low-cost mutual funds and ETFs, combining fundamental and technical analysis within a long-term investment framework.

Wealth management Passive / index investing Active portfolio management

Ben S

CFP®

Malvern, PA

Ketwich Capital LLC

Ben is the founder of Ketwich Capital LLC ("Ket-Cap") which serves the financial and investment needs of professionals and families. Ben is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and a Certified Kingdom Advisor®. Prior to founding Ket-Cap in 2017, Ben spent a decade working on Wall Street at UBS and Neuberger Berman. As an equity analyst in 2008, he had a front-row seat to the housing bubble burst and the collapse of the global economy. This experience taught him the dangers of financial salesmanship (mortgages in this case) and the pitfall wealth can bring when there is no plan or purpose. Ben is passionate about helping others become secure, content, and generous in their wealth. Ben has facilitated financial courses including Financial Peace University, Charting Your Legacy, and the Journey of Generosity (Generous Giving). In his personal time, Ben can be found either outside with his wife and two young children or building something around the house. He is an avid reader of books related to money, history, and theology.

Charitable giving & philanthropy Wealth management Intergenerational Families Parents Married/Couples/Partners
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