Deerfield, IL Office

Team
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Merit Financial Advisors logo

Merit Financial Advisors

Multi-team

Firm-wide stats for Merit Financial Advisors

Total advisors

287

Across 94 offices

Clients per advisor

70 High

Avg AUM per client

$897,421 High

HNW client ratio

22% Typical

About

Merit Financial Advisors is a multi‑team registered investment adviser with 264 advisors serving roughly 20,040 clients across 66 offices and managing about $23.9 billion in client assets. The firm provides coordinated wealth‑management services including asset management, financial planning, retirement plan advice and participant consulting, employee financial‑wellness programs, and educational workshops as described in its ADV brochure.

The firm’s investment approach centers on long‑term, diversified portfolios built from centrally managed “sleeves” and standard model allocations overseen by an internal Investment Management team and Investment Committee; advisors can customize models, use separate account managers, or manage accounts directly. Merit implements both discretionary and non‑discretionary authority, relies primarily on fundamental analysis (with technical and cyclical methods as supplementary tools), and uses third‑party platforms and an internally sponsored wrap program to support client account management and held‑away assets.

Noteworthy distinctions include that many of its investment advisor representatives are dually registered as broker‑dealer registered representatives and the firm maintains an affiliated broker‑dealer entity, arrangements the brochure highlights as creating potential conflicts between commission and advisory activities that are managed through supervisory and disclosure practices. The firm also offers specialized services less common among peers — including independent fiduciary and trustee services for ESOPs and other qualified plans, a defined wrap program available to legacy accounts, and disclosed business relationships (including a financial‑wellness provider and custodian referral arrangements) that the firm identifies and addresses in its compliance documents.

Based on Merit Financial Advisors

Expertise

Options & derivatives strategies Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business ownership considerations

Based on Merit Financial Advisors

Occupation focus

Founder/Business Owner Retired Executive

Based on Merit Financial Advisors

Location

570 Lake Cook Road, Suite 128

Deerfield IL 60015

Advisors at this office

4

Advisors at this office

user avatar

Timothy B

Series 63, Series 65

Deerfield, IL

Merit Financial Advisors

Timothy Brennan is a financial advisor at Merit Financial Advisors with 37 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and previously worked at Pinnacle Financial Group and Commonwealth Financial Network for 26 years. He is also a notary public. Merit Financial Advisors is a multi-team registered investment adviser with over 260 advisors serving more than 20,000 clients across 66 offices. The firm offers coordinated wealth-management services and employs a long-term, diversified investment approach with customizable portfolio models overseen by an internal Investment Management team.

Options & derivatives strategies Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business ownership considerations Founder/Business Owner Retired Executive
user avatar

Kimberly S

CFA®

Deerfield, IL

Merit Financial Advisors

Kimberly Spence is a CFA® charterholder with nine years of industry experience. She has worked at Merit Financial Advisors since 2026 and previously held roles at Savant Wealth Management, Savant Capital Management, and Huber Financial Advisors. Merit Financial Advisors is a multi-team registered investment adviser with 264 advisors serving over 20,000 clients across 66 offices and managing approximately $23.9 billion in assets. The firm offers coordinated wealth-management services, emphasizing long-term, diversified portfolios managed through centrally overseen models, with flexibility for advisor customization.

Options & derivatives strategies Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business ownership considerations Founder/Business Owner Retired Executive
user avatar

Joseph E

Series 63, Series 65

Deerfield, IL

Merit Financial Advisors

Joseph Emme is a financial advisor at Merit Financial Advisors with three years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. His prior work includes positions at Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, The Pinnacle Financial Group, and Commonwealth Financial Network. Merit Financial Advisors is a multi-team registered investment adviser with over 260 advisors serving approximately 20,000 clients across 66 offices, managing about $23.9 billion in assets. The firm offers coordinated wealth-management services with a focus on long-term, diversified portfolios supported by an internal Investment Management team and Investment Committee.

Options & derivatives strategies Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business ownership considerations Founder/Business Owner Retired Executive
user avatar

Nicholas R

CFP®, Series 66

Deerfield, IL

Merit Financial Advisors

Nicholas Rossetti is a CFP® professional with four years of industry experience, currently serving at Merit Financial Advisors in Deerfield, IL. His prior experience includes roles at Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, The Pinnacle Financial Group, Commonwealth Financial Network, and Northern Trust Corporation. Merit Financial Advisors is a multi-team registered investment adviser with over 260 advisors serving more than 20,000 clients across 66 offices. The firm offers coordinated wealth-management services utilizing a long-term, diversified investment approach supported by an internal Investment Management team and customizable portfolio models.

Options & derivatives strategies Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business ownership considerations Founder/Business Owner Retired Executive
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