Michael Joseph Steelman

Advisor at Merrill — Rancho Santa Fe, CA El Tordo

Updated today

Credentials

Series 63, Series 65

Experience

28 years

Location

Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067

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

Michael Steelman is a Wealth Management Advisor with over 25 years of experience in investing and wealth management. He works closely with business owners, company founders, senior executives, and their families to pursue their life goals through a purposeful approach to wealth, careers, and legacies. Michael provides oversight of his clients' financial affairs, helping them regain precious time to focus on their personal and professional priorities. He also contributes to investment selection and team oversight within his team and facilitates access to an integrated approach through wealth management, investment banking, commercial banking, and personal banking services at Bank of America.

Michael began his career in New York City in 1994, focusing on financial strategies for institutional and high-net-worth individuals, families, and foundations. He also has experience raising capital for hedge fund and private equity firms. He holds the Certified Investment Management Analyst® designation awarded by the Investments & Wealth Institute™ in conjunction with the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and earned a Bachelor's degree in International Business from King's College in Pennsylvania, where he was an Academic-All-American wrestler. He has received national recognition, including being named in Forbes' "Best-In-State Wealth Advisors" list in 2022.

Within his community, Michael is a member of the CFO Roundtable and supports First Step House of North County and the Challenged Athletes Foundation. He and his wife Stephanie live in Carlsbad and have three sons and identical-twin daughters. In his free time, Michael enjoys running, surfing, practicing yoga, coaching his children's sports teams, and participates actively in the triathlon community as a two-time Ironman triathlon finisher through both racing and fundraising.

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 Business exit / sale strategy Business ownership considerations Liquidity event planning

Occupation focus

Executive Founder/Business Owner

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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

Rancho Santa Fe, CA El Tordo

6006 El Tordo, Pwm

Rancho Santa Fe CA 92067

Advisors at this office

38

Most active in

California · Illinois · Texas

Work history

28 years of industry experience

BANK of AMERICA, N.A.

2010 - Present • 16 years

Rancho Santafe, CA

Merrill

2009 - Present • 17 years

Rancho Santafe, MA

Banc Of America Investment Services, Inc.

2009 - 2009 • 1 year

Bofa Advisors, LLC

2006 - 2008 • 2 years

San Diego, CA

PGIM Investments LLC

2003 - 2006 • 3 years

San Diego, CA

UBS Financial Services

1999 - 2003 • 4 years

La Jolla, CA

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

Skyler S

Series 66

Cardiff, CA

Aloha Wealth Partners

Skyler Stokes is a financial advisor with Aloha Wealth Partners in Encinitas, CA, holding a Series 66 designation and 11 years of industry experience. He has worked at several firms, including Retirement Wealth Advisors and Independent Financial Group. Outside of financial advising, he is the CEO of Pair It!, a food and wine pairing app for restaurants. Aloha Wealth Partners provides financial planning, consulting, and retirement plan services to high-net-worth individuals, businesses, and pension/profit-sharing plans. The firm typically recommends third-party advisers to manage client portfolios while overseeing goals, risk tolerance, and adviser selection.

Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business exit / sale strategy Business succession planning

Kevin M

Series 63, Series 65, Series 7

Carlsbad, CA

Stirlingshire Investments

Kevin Meyer is a financial advisor at Stirlingshire Investments with 15 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at firms including Equitable Advisors, Morgan Stanley, and Ameriprise Financial Services. Outside of his advisory role, he occasionally sells annuities as a sole proprietor. Stirlingshire Investments provides discretionary portfolio management to individuals, trusts, and other entities, serving both non‑high-net-worth and high-net-worth clients. The firm employs a range of investment strategies combining quantitative, fundamental, technical, and modern portfolio theory, offering access to diverse investment types and model strategies through its Advyzon marketplace.

Options & derivatives strategies Active portfolio management Private / alternative investments Annuities
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Frederick P

Series 65

Poway, CA

Pearson, Frederick, Norman Jr.

Frederick Pearson is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with 15 years of industry experience. He operates as a self-employed advisor through his independent firm, Pearson, Frederick, Norman Jr., based in Poway, CA. His firm provides discretionary portfolio management primarily for individual investors, focusing on IRA accounts. The investment strategy centers on income through dividend-paying stocks and ETFs, with a smaller allocation to growth equities managed under a strict money-management framework.

Income planning Active portfolio management
user avatar

Terrence G

CFP®, Series 63

Oceanside, CA

Gustafson Financial Solutions

Terrence Gustafson is a CFP® with over 22 years at Gustafson Financial Solutions and five years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 designation and operates his independent firm in Oceanside, CA. Gustafson also prepares client tax returns as an Enrolled Agent. Gustafson Financial Solutions provides fee-only financial planning and tax services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm emphasizes quantitative screening of mutual funds and ETFs, asset allocation, diversification, and low-expense investments while focusing significantly on tax preparation and broader financial planning.

General retirement planning General tax planning College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Debt management
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John O

Series 65

Carlsbad, CA

O'Reilly Wealth Advisors

John O'Reilly is the sole advisor at O'Reilly Wealth Advisors in Carlsbad, CA, holding a Series 65 designation with 19 years of industry experience. He has been the principal of O'Reilly Financial Services, LLC since 2006. In addition to his advisory role, Mr. O'Reilly is a licensed insurance agent affiliated with various companies. O'Reilly Wealth Advisors serves individuals, corporations, and pension/profit-sharing plans, offering investment management, financial planning, retirement advisory, and insurance services. The firm employs a risk-tolerance questionnaire to construct diversified model portfolios primarily using low-expense mutual funds and reviews accounts quarterly.

Wealth management Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) General retirement planning
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Clair L

Series 63, Series 65

Rancho Santa Fe, CA

Leedom Asset Management, Inc.

Clair Leedom is the principal of Leedom Asset Management, Inc., an independent firm based in Rancho Santa Fe, CA. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 20 years of industry experience. Prior to founding Leedom Asset Management in 2007, he has been involved with California Equity Research since 2003, where he also serves as chairman of the board. Leedom Asset Management provides discretionary portfolio management for individual investors, charitable organizations, and pension/profit-sharing plans. The firm manages equity and fixed-income portfolios, operates a private pooled investment vehicle, and employs a growth-oriented strategy focused on small- to mid-cap emerging-growth stocks using a proprietary strength indicator and a combination of fundamental and technical analysis.

Active portfolio management Concentrated stock management Options & derivatives strategies Private / alternative investments Founder/Business Owner
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