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

25,610

Across 3,239 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

Not sure if this advisor is right for you?

Answer a few questions to see advisors matched to you.

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

Sarah E

Series 65

Little Egg Harbor, NJ

The Wealth Boutique

Sarah Elia is a financial advisor at The Wealth Boutique with a Series 65 designation and seven years of industry experience across multiple firms, including Bank of America and Crosby Private Wealth Advisors. Her background also includes roles outside of finance, such as working in education with the Pinelands Regional School District and in the hospitality sector. The Wealth Boutique provides financial planning and discretionary portfolio management to individuals, high-net-worth and multi-generational clients, trusts, and some institutions. The firm employs a financial-planning-led, holistic approach that integrates fundamental and technical analysis, offering tiered planning packages and access to private funds for qualified investors.

General retirement planning Income planning Wealth management 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™ and Series 63 credentials and bringing 27 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Avantax Investment Services, Inc. for eight years and has operated Lawn Financial Services since 1996. In addition to advising, he provides individual and business income tax preparation and accounting services during the tax season. IP Financial Advisory Services LLC primarily serves individual retail clients, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services. The firm focuses on non-high-net-worth investors and retirement plan participants, employing a range of analytical approaches and offering specialized advisory services including actuarial and insurance consulting.

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 with Voya Financial Advisors, Inc. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and has one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Voya, he founded Amato Strategic Advising, LLC and has also been employed at Spirit Halloween for over a decade. Voya Financial Advisors, Inc. serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients by providing financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement advisory services. The firm combines in-house and external strategists with technology-driven tools to manage client relationships, primarily through non-discretionary accounts.

Tax-loss harvesting Retirement income strategy General retirement planning Business exit / sale strategy Founder/Business Owner Executive Retired Self-Employed Approaching retirement Retired
Warmer team member

Not sure where to start?

We'll help you think it through—whether you ultimately need an advisor or not. Warmer helps you compare advisors clearly, so you can choose with confidence.

Find your advisor

For advisor listings, we rely on sources including public filings and data provided by advisors, and we cannot guarantee that all information is current or accurate. Advisors are independent and may not have reviewed or updated this information. Please review an advisor’s Form ADV and do your own diligence before deciding whether to work with them.

Advisor matching and introductions are provided by FinanceHQ LLC (“FHQ”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Warmer and an SEC-registered investment advisor. We receive compensation from certain participating advisors for introductions or referrals. This creates a conflict of interest because we have an incentive to recommend advisors who compensate us, including those who pay us more. You pay no fee to use our matching service, and advisor fees are not increased because of a referral or introduction. We do not review the ongoing performance of advisors, manage or hold assets, guarantee performance, or provide advice about specific investments.

By using our service, you agree to our Terms of Service and Advisory Agreement, and acknowledge our Privacy Policy. Please review FHQ’s ADV Part 2A and Form CRS. Logos provided by Logo.dev

© 2026 Warmer Holdings Inc. (“Warmer”)