Brian Zorda

Advisor at Merrill — North Beach Haven, NJ

Updated today

Credentials

Series 63, Series 66

Experience

24 years

Location

North Beach Haven, NJ

Merrill logo

Merrill

Institution

Total advisors

25,448

Across 3,094 offices

Clients per advisor

70 Very Low

Avg AUM per client

$860,085 Very High

HNW client ratio

29% High

About

Brian Zorda is a Senior Vice President and Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management and the co-founder and senior partner of Branch-Zorda Wealth Management. He began his career in 2001 with the banking arm of a large European financial firm and shifted his focus to wealth management in 2003. He joined Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in 2008. Brian holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP®) certification awarded by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc., as well as the Accredited Domestic Partnership Advisor (ADPA®) designation. He also carries the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) and Sports & Entertainment (SE) professional designations. He graduated with honors from Siena College.

Brian's expertise includes investment manager analysis, investment selection, creating customized asset allocation strategies, and helping business owners navigate employer retirement plan options for self-employed individuals and small businesses. He also assists clients with estate planning issues and wealth transfer questions. His client focus areas include executive compensation, endowments, foundations, non-profits, defined benefit plans, legacy planning, LGBT wealth planning, liquidity management, managing new wealth, personal retirement planning, small business strategies, and socially responsible, values-based, and ESG investing.

He lives in New York City with his wife and their two children. They enjoy traveling, spending time at the beach, and creating new memories and experiences. Brian has been named to the Forbes "Best-in-State Wealth Advisors" list for 2022 through 2025 and, as a member of the Branch-Zorda Wealth Management Group, has been named to the Forbes "Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams" list for 2023 through 2025.

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 plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business ownership considerations General estate planning guidance ESG / Sustainable investing

Occupation focus

Founder/Business Owner

Demographic focus

Married/Couples/Partners Parents

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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

North Beach Haven, NJ

North Beach Haven NJ

Advisors at this office

1

Most active in

Connecticut · New Jersey · New York · Texas

Work history

24 years of industry experience

Bank of America, N.A.

2011 - Present • 15 years

New York, NY

Merrill

2008 - Present • 18 years

New York, NY

Disclosures

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

Business activities & affiliations

user avatar

Mary C

Series 63

Brant Beach, NJ

Barnegat Bay Capital Management LLC

Mary Coughlin is the sole advisor at Barnegat Bay Capital Management LLC and holds a Series 63 designation with 21 years of industry experience. She has been with Barnegat Bay Capital Management since 1998. Barnegat Bay Capital Management provides investment supervisory services, occasional financial planning, and one-time portfolio reviews to a range of clients including individuals, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm combines a single-manager structure with an institutional investment background and uses fundamental, charting, and cyclical analysis to tailor portfolios according to client goals and risk tolerance.

Passive / index investing Active portfolio management Private / alternative investments
user avatar

Donald B

Series 63

Harvey Cedars, NJ

MPI Wealth Management LLC

Donald Burnaford is a financial advisor at MPI Wealth Management LLC with 52 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 designation and has worked previously at Copper Beech Financial Group, American Portfolios Financial Services, and Osaic Wealth. Outside of his advisory work, he is an independent insurance agent specializing in fixed annuities and life, accident, and health insurance. MPI Wealth Management provides discretionary investment management and sub-advisory services to a range of institutional and individual clients, including pension plans, banks, corporations, charitable organizations, and high-net-worth families. The firm employs a combination of quantitative techniques, technical and fundamental analysis, and macroeconomic research to tailor portfolios aligned with client objectives.

Active portfolio management Options & derivatives strategies Tax-loss harvesting
user avatar

Kurt L

PFS™, Series 63

Absecon, NJ

IP Financial Advisory Services LLC

Kurt Lawn is a financial advisor with IP Financial Advisory Services LLC, holding the PFS™ designation and Series 63 license, with 27 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Avantax Investment Services, Inc. for eight years and Royal Alliance Associates for ten years. In addition to his advisory role, he provides individual and business income tax preparation and accounting services. IP Financial Advisory Services primarily serves individual retail clients, offering portfolio management, financial planning, managed account programs, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm emphasizes customized portfolio construction and a range of analytic approaches, with a focus on non-high-net-worth individuals.

Business succession planning Charitable giving & philanthropy Income planning Long-term care insurance Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive
user avatar

Kenneth D

CFP®, Series 63

Long Beach Twp, NJ

Summit Financial, LLC

Kenneth Durfee is a CFP® with 35 years of industry experience, currently serving at Summit Financial, LLC since 2018. He previously worked at Summit Equities, Inc. and Summit Financial Resources, Inc. for 27 years. In addition to his advisory role, he manages KDD15 LLC, providing investment advisory and financial planning services. Summit Financial, LLC is an SEC-registered, multi-team advisory firm with over $26 billion in assets under management, serving approximately 17,800 clients. The firm offers a blend of discretionary and consultative investment management programs, financial planning, retirement plan advisory, and access to alternative investments.

Tax-loss harvesting Private / alternative investments Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business exit / sale strategy General estate planning guidance Founder/Business Owner Executive
user avatar

Rj A

Series 63, Series 66

Galloway Township, NJ

Voya financial Advisors, Inc.

Rj Amato III is a financial advisor at Voya Financial Advisors, Inc. with one year of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations. In addition to his advisory roles, Amato has maintained a position with Spirit Halloween since 2014 and has served the Galloway Township community since 2022. Voya Financial Advisors, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individual investors, retirement plan sponsors, and institutional clients, providing financial planning, portfolio management, and consulting services. The firm offers various advisory programs with an emphasis on non-discretionary recommendations and operates both as an SEC-registered investment adviser and a broker-dealer.

Retirement income strategy General retirement planning Business ownership considerations Founder/Business Owner Executive
user avatar

Kristine W

Series 66

Manahawkin, NJ

Guardian Life

Kristine Wiley is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with 16 years of industry experience. She is currently affiliated with Primerica Advisors and has previously worked with Guardian Life Insurance Company and Park Avenue Securities LLC. Outside of her advisory role, she is a registered New Jersey notary public. Park Avenue Securities LLC serves a diverse retail client base, offering both brokerage and advisory services along with financial and business consulting. The firm employs a range of investment strategies through proprietary models, third-party managers, and digital advice platforms, supporting various account types and lending solutions.

Retirement income strategy Business exit / sale strategy Wealth management Private / alternative investments Founder/Business Owner Retired Executive
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