Jonathan Rao

Advisor at Merrill

Updated today

Location

Sugar Land, TX 77478

Credentials

Series 66

Industry experience

22 years

About

Jonathan Rao serves as Senior Resident Director and is a founding member of The Murgai, Jerding & Rao Wealth Management Group at Merrill. With over 20 years at Merrill, he has developed enduring relationships with clients primarily in the Houston area and across the United States, many of whom are successful business owners and executives with complex financial needs. Jonathan's approach includes thorough review of clients' financial and legal documents and collaboration with their CPAs and attorneys to develop tailored investment, liability management, tax minimization, and estate planning strategies.

Jonathan holds a Bachelor's degree in Business from Texas A&M University and completed an Accredited Certificate Program at Rice University. He is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® certificant, as well as a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor and Personal Investment Advisor. He has been recognized on Forbes' "Best-in-State Advisors" list for multiple years.

Outside of his professional role, Jonathan supports the Texas A&M 12th Man Foundation as a donor and serves on the committees of the Children's Discovery Center of Fort Bend and the JRM Foundation as a Director. He and his wife, Melinda, live in Sugarland with their three children. Jonathan enjoys golfing, hunting, fishing, boating, football, and spending time with his family.

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

General retirement planning Retirement income strategy Income planning Wealth management General estate planning guidance

Occupation focus

Executive

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

13135 Dairy Ashford Rd

Sugar Land, TX 77478

Most active in

Texas

Work history

Bank of America, N.A.

2011 - Present (15 years)

Merrill

2004 - Present (22 years)

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

Natalie K

CFA®, Series 63, Series 65

Houston, TX

Natalie M. Kassenyeva

Natalie Kassenyeva is the principal of Natalie M. Kassenyeva, an investment management firm based in Houston, TX. She holds the CFA® designation along with Series 63 and 65 licenses and has 20 years of industry experience, including roles at BW Energy, McDermott International, and BP NAGP. In addition to her advisory work, she teaches preparatory classes for the Chartered Financial Analyst exam at Rice University. Her firm provides investment consulting and financial planning services focused on mutual funds, pooled accounts, and third-party managers, serving individual retirement, trust, and estate accounts. The practice emphasizes manager selection and due diligence, with non-discretionary advice and quarterly account reviews.

Wealth management Real estate investing Private / alternative investments Retired

Joe W

CFP®, RICP®

Houston, TX

Refined Wealth

After nearly a decade in corporate finance in the energy industry, living through its highs and lows. I saw unique pay structures, pension choices, equity awards, and retirement packages make planning decisions far more intricate than most people realize. Five years ago, I set out to become an expert in retirement planning. I apprenticed with seasoned advisors, earned the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® certification, and added advanced credentials in retirement and tax planning to master the strategies that matter most. At Refined Wealth, every process, service, and conversation is built around helping professionals step into retirement with clarity, confidence, and a plan as specialized as their careers.

General retirement planning Oil & Gas
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William Z

Series 65

Houston, TX

Coastal Wealth Management, LP

William Zickler is a financial advisor with Coastal Wealth Management, LP in Houston, TX. He holds a Series 65 designation and has 22 years of industry experience, all with Coastal Wealth Management since 2004. Coastal Wealth Management, LP is an independent registered investment adviser providing discretionary portfolio management to individuals, trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and private investment funds. The firm emphasizes capital preservation through personalized investment supervision tailored to each client’s risk tolerance, tax situation, and time horizon, with portfolio decisions informed by estate, tax, real estate, and insurance considerations.

Wealth management
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Kurt O

Series 65

Houston, TX

Virescent Financial LLC

Kurt Ours is a financial advisor at Virescent Financial LLC in Houston, TX, holding a Series 65 credential with over a decade of experience, including 11 years at Occidental Petroleum Corporation. He has been with Virescent Financial since 2025. Virescent Financial LLC provides investment management and financial planning services primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients, focusing on retirement, tax, estate, cash flow, and business planning. The firm uses a discretionary, asset allocation approach based on Modern Portfolio Theory and prefers passive investment vehicles such as index mutual funds and ETFs.

Business ownership considerations Cash flow / budgeting College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Retirement income strategy
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Mukul K

Series 63, Series 65

Sugar Land, TX

Quantwealth Advisors LLC

Mukul Khandelia is a financial advisor at Quantwealth Advisors LLC with two years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and previously worked at Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Bank of America, Merrill Lynch. He is also the managing member of Quantroll Capital LLC, a currently dormant entity. Quantwealth Advisors LLC provides discretionary and non-discretionary asset management primarily for high-net-worth individuals, using a combination of quantitative and traditional investment methods. The firm focuses on ongoing portfolio management with quarterly reviews and employs a broad range of strategies tailored to client goals and risk tolerance.

Options & derivatives strategies

Brian C

Series 63, Series 65

Missouri City, TX

Campbell Wealth Partners, LLC

Brian Campbell is a Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, bringing experience since 1983. He provides clients with individually tailored investment and risk management strategies, leveraging comprehensive services across Consumer Banking, Wealth Management & Trust Services, Global Banking, and Global Markets. Brian's expertise includes family wealth management, personal retirement planning, and special needs planning, supported by access to specialized teams for wealth structuring, trust and estate planning, philanthropy, business succession, and specialty asset management. Brian holds Series 3, 5, 7, 8, 15, 31, 63, and 65 FINRA registrations and the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™ (CRPC™) designation. He is a qualified Senior Portfolio Advisor in Merrill Lynch’s Investment Advisory Program and completed the Merrill Lynch Longevity Training Program at the University of Southern California Davis School of Gerontology. A graduate of St. Francis College and a former United States Marine Corps Officer, Brian combines his education and military experience to deliver disciplined, math-based investment processes. Active in community and professional organizations, Brian supports the Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation, the Disability Advocacy Network, the Military Support Assistance Group of Bank of America, and is a member of The Army Navy Club in Washington D.C. and the Order of Malta, USA. Outside of work, he enjoys boxing, gardening, and spending time with his family.

Wealth management General retirement planning General estate planning guidance Planning for children with special needs Retired
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