Robert Barnett is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He began his financial services career at American Express Financial Advisors while still in college and joined Merrill in 2007 to provide clients with a comprehensive range of services. He serves women, men, and multiple generations with significant wealth, often senior-level corporate executives, across Minnesota and 15 other states. His expertise includes managing complex financial situations involving concentrated company equity, restricted stock, grants, options, and strategies for hedging, cash flow, and tax minimization. His services address areas such as college education planning, executive compensation, portfolio management, retirement income, and tax minimization.
Rob holds several professional designations, including CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP®), Certified Investment Management Analyst® (CIMA®), CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Benefits Consultant (RBC). He earned a Bachelor's degree in Finance from the University of St. Thomas. His practice involves continuous collaboration with clients from initial goal-setting to implementing and reviewing financial strategies. Rob holds the firm's Portfolio Manager designation, allowing him to manage personalized or defined investment strategies on a discretionary basis.
Robert was named to the Forbes/SHOOK "Best-In-State Wealth Advisors" list in 2024 and 2025 and was previously recognized in Forbes' "America's Top Next-Generation Best-In-State Wealth Advisors" list in 2019. A lifelong resident of the Twin Cities, he lives in Prior Lake with his wife, two daughters, and two Labrador retrievers. He is also a private pilot and involved with the Minnesota Center for Advanced Professional Studies (MNCAPS).