Bryon W Smith

Advisor at Merrill — Westlake Village, CA Townsgate Rd

Updated today

Credentials

Series 66

Experience

12 years

Location

Westlake Village, CA 91361

Merrill logo

Merrill

Institution

Total advisors

25,478

Across 3,094 offices

Clients per advisor

70 Very Low

Avg AUM per client

$860,085 Very High

HNW client ratio

29% High

About

Bryon W. Smith, CFP®, CEPA®, CPFA® is a Financial Advisor and Senior Portfolio Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management based in Westlake Village, California. He serves a diverse clientele including business owners, veteran entrepreneurs, nonprofit organizations, retirement plan sponsors, families, and mission-driven leaders. Bryon's professional focus is on providing personalized financial planning and developing long-term wealth management strategies to help clients make informed financial decisions with confidence and clarity.

With experience at firms such as Merrill Lynch, UBS Financial Services, Morgan Stanley, and RBC Wealth Management, Bryon has been in the financial services industry since 2013. His approach coordinates investment management, retirement planning, risk management, estate considerations, business transitions, charitable giving, and employer-sponsored retirement plans. He holds FINRA Series 7 and 66 registrations and licenses in Life, Health, and Long-Term Care insurance. Bryon earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from California State University, Northridge, an Associate of Science in Fire Science from Los Angeles Valley College, and a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from Pepperdine University's Graziadio Business School.

Bryon is a United States Coast Guard veteran and founding member of the Department of Homeland Security. He actively participates in veteran advocacy, homelessness prevention, food insecurity, and community development. He serves on the Audit Committee of Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County and holds leadership roles within the American Legion, including Finance Officer for California's 24th District and Treasurer of the American Legion Riders Chapter 61 aboard the Battleship IOWA. Outside work, he enjoys traveling, exploring art museums, fishing, hiking, riding motorcycles, and sports. Bryon resides in Agoura Hills, California, with his wife Tess, their children Cash and Hunter, and their dog Daisy.

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 General retirement planning Business exit / sale strategy Charitable giving & philanthropy Business succession planning

Occupation focus

Founder/Business Owner Military & Veterans

Demographic focus

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

Westlake Village, CA Townsgate Rd

2815 Townsgate Rd

Westlake Village CA 91361

Advisors at this office

56

Most active in

California · Texas

Work history

12 years of industry experience

Bank of America, N.A.

2024 - Present • 2 years

Westlake Village, CA

Merrill

2024 - Present • 2 years

Westlake Village, CA

M.S. Howells & Co.

2023 - 2024 • 1 year

Scottsdale, AZ

Planned Asset Management, LLC

2021 - 2024 • 3 years

Calabasas, CA

RBC Capital Markets

2020 - 2021 • 1 year

El Segundo, CA

UBS Financial Sercices, Inc.

2020 - 2020 • 1 year

Los Angeles, CA

Morgan Stanley

2015 - 2020 • 5 years

Los Angeles, CA

Disclosures

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

Business activities & affiliations

Aaron K

CFP®

Calabasas, CA

Greenup Wealth

Aaron Kirsch is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional and founding partner of GreenUp Wealth Management. He works primarily with individuals and couples who are approaching or living in retirement, helping them design financial plans that support both long-term security and a fulfilling retirement lifestyle. Aaron began his career in financial services in 2001 at a major Wall Street firm and has since worked with clients across a wide range of life stages, both at large institutions and through his own independent wealth management firm. This experience informs his comprehensive approach to financial planning, which integrates retirement income planning, investment management, tax-aware strategies, risk management, and estate planning considerations. He is the co-author of The Rewarding Retirement Workbook, a resource designed to help people think beyond the mechanics of retirement and focus on how they want to live during this stage of life. Aaron’s work emphasizes aligning financial decisions with personal values, priorities, and legacy goals. Aaron holds himself to fiduciary standards and takes a client-centered approach to planning, helping individuals and families navigate financial decisions with clarity and confidence as they transition into and through retirement.

General retirement planning Retirement income strategy General tax planning Wealth management General estate planning guidance Retired Executive Founder/Business Owner Consultant Self-Employed Approaching retirement Retired Baby Boomers (Born 1946-1964) Gen X (Born 1965-1980) Life coaching / goal alignment

Grant B

CFP®, Series 66

Westlake Village, CA

FMB Wealth Management

Grant Blindbury is a Partner and key member of the management team at FMB. He leads many of the Strategic Planning initiatives at the firm, both in design and execution. His leadership responsibilities include establishing the firm's vision, continually advancing client experience and creating opportunities and space for professional development. He’s also a member of the executive and investment committees. Grant began his career in the Investment Advisory industry in 2001 with Fields Financial Associates. As Fields Financial Associates grew, Grant eventually became a Partner in 2008, and the firm’s name was changed to FMB Wealth Management. Grant earned his bachelor’s degree in Business & Economics at the University of California at Los Angeles in 2001. He is also an active member and past president of the Board of Directors for the Conejo Valley Estate Planning Council.

Wealth management Liquidity event planning Business exit / sale strategy Multi-generational wealth transfer Inherited wealth Founder/Business Owner Professional Athlete Executive Biotech Professional Entertainment Industry
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Charles C

Series 63, Series 65

Thousand Oaks, CA

Carty Financial, Inc.

Charles Carty is the sole advisor at Carty Financial, Inc., an independent firm based in Thousand Oaks, CA. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has 27 years of industry experience. He has led Carty Financial since 2007. Carty Financial provides personalized, fee-only investment management and financial planning services to individuals, trusts, estates, small businesses, charitable organizations, and pension and profit-sharing plans. The firm operates primarily on a non-discretionary basis and emphasizes client approval for transactions, using a mix of individual equities, ETFs, mutual funds, bonds, and selective covered-call options.

Concentrated stock management
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Bruce B

Series 63, Series 65

Thousand Oaks, CA

Bassin, Bruce

Bruce Bassin is the sole advisor at Bassin, Bruce, an independent firm based in Thousand Oaks, CA. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 28 years of industry experience. Prior to founding his sole proprietorship in 1998, he worked at Southeast Investments, N.C. Inc. from 2016 to 2018. In addition to his advisory role, he is a licensed insurance agent selling life and fixed insurance products. The firm provides financial planning, third-party manager recommendations, and retirement plan consulting to pension and profit-sharing plan sponsors, plan participants, corporations, and high-net-worth individuals. It develops written financial plans using economic and quantitative analysis but does not offer discretionary portfolio management or hold client assets.

General retirement planning Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Tax strategies for small businesses
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Matthew B

CFP®, Series 66

Santa Rosa Valley, CA

Opes MVB Capital, LLC

Matthew Benson is a CFP® professional with 13 years of industry experience. He is the principal of Opes MVB Capital, LLC, an independent advisory firm where he has worked since 2022. His prior experience includes roles at Merrill, JP Morgan Securities, Morgan Stanley, and US Trust/Merrill Lynch. In addition to advisory services, he is licensed to sell insurance and is involved in real estate investment and development on a part-time basis. Opes MVB Capital primarily serves high-net-worth individuals and select business clients, offering wealth advisory and portfolio allocation services. The firm combines management of a private commercial lending fund with primarily non-discretionary portfolio management, utilizing cyclical, fundamental, and technical analysis to guide investment strategies.

Real estate investing General estate planning guidance Charitable giving & philanthropy

Terri S

CFP®, CFA®

Malibu, CA

Zuma Wealth LLC

You deserve to feel financially empowered. The problem can be that you feel overwhelmed, overlooked or underserved in your financial lives. Terri understands. It’s why she has taken all her experience over a quarter-century of bull and bear markets managing billions of dollars for hundreds of people to create Zuma Wealth. Zuma Wealth is a firm by women for women. We’ve busted the myth that women aren’t interested in money and wealth topics. Many women thirst for knowledge and continuously seek out opportunities to grow and learn in many areas. Terri understands! Terri’s clients recognize the value of a trustworthy partner and seek her out because she offers support, understanding and an attentive ear. Importantly, she provides tailored advice and guidance so clients achieve their unique aspirations, never the one-size-fits-all that defines the industry. A renowned expert, Terri is a regular guest on CNBC and Bloomberg, and a sought-after industry speaker. She has been interviewed and quoted in hundreds of publications and lauded for making complex concepts simple. Her real world expertise is rooted in a suite of top financial credentials: the CFA charter, the CFP® certification, an MBA in Finance from Columbia University and an AB in Economics with Honors from the University of Michigan. Terri started investing when her father introduced her to the concept of compound interest and she learned she could make money in her sleep.

Divorce financial planning Divorced Women Women Professionals
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