This Merrill Advisor Believes in Tailoring Services to Each Client, Rejecting ‘One Size Fits All’ Approach

Robert Waldele is a wealth management advisor at Merrill Wealth Management in New York, NY. With team assets totaling $5.1 billion, Waldele has been recognized by Forbes for his achievements, including being named one of America’s Top Wealth Advisors and leading one of the Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams. With a background in history, Waldele started his career at Merrill in fixed income marketing before transitioning to become an advisor in 1981. Over the years, he has built a successful team that focuses on personalized service for each client, with a particular emphasis on working with corporate executives, hedge fund managers, and private equity managers. Additionally, Waldele and his team have expanded their reach internationally, catering to clients abroad.

One of Waldele’s key strengths is his commitment to building relationships with his clients. He believes in a personalized approach to wealth management, understanding that each client has their own unique goals and needs. With a team of advisors who have been trained by Waldele himself, he emphasizes the importance of learning from past mistakes in order to better serve clients in the future. This hands-on approach has allowed Waldele to establish long-lasting relationships with his clients, many of whom he has worked with for years.

In terms of investment philosophy, Waldele focuses on thorough planning and stress testing to ensure that his clients’ assets are protected in all market conditions. He believes in maintaining a balance of asset allocation and having an equity bias, while also investing in fixed income and municipal bonds for stability. Looking ahead to 2024, Waldele remains optimistic about the market, despite concerns about rising interest rates. He continues to favor quality dividend-paying stocks and strong companies with solid balance sheets to weather market cycles.

Waldele’s best advice for clients is to remain calm and rational during times of market volatility. Emotions can often cloud judgment, leading to hasty decisions that may not be in the best interest of long-term financial goals. Instead, he recommends taking a step back and conducting a thorough analysis before making any investment decisions. By sticking to a well-thought-out plan and staying disciplined during turbulent times, clients can better navigate the ups and downs of the market self.