Scott McGraw is the founder & Chief Investment Officer of MERIT. He has over 30+ years of professional experience in investment management, investment banking & consulting in financial services. Scott earned his undergraduate degree in Finance at Boston College and his MBA in Finance at The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Scott resides in Kennett Square, PA with his wife & two children.
MERIT helps client achieve financial success. Our comprehensive service includes financial planning, investment management & financial advisory services. MERIT is an independent Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) & a Fiduciary, working solely in our clients' best interests. We offer clients a high level of service, low fees and great value.
General Information |
| Firm Start Year: | 2009 | |
| No. of Employees: | 1 | |
| Name of Broker/Dealer: | NA. MERIT is a Fiduciary Registered Investment Adviser (RIA) |
| Name of Custodial Firm: | Interactive Brokers (Custody only) |
| States Licensed in: | PA |
| Number of Years with Current Firm: | 15 |
| Work Experience: | Scott's prior work experience includes over 30+ years of professional experience in investment management, investment banking & consulting in financial services. Prior to forming MERIT Investment Management in 2009, Mr. McGraw was an Analyst/Portfolio Manager for a prior institutional investment management firm. Mr. McGraw served as an Analyst on multiple institutional investment strategies and directed a portfolio of equities in excess of ~$700 million. After receiving his MBA, Mr. McGraw worked in investment banking for Banc of America Securities in the Energy & Power sectors and Merrill Lynch in the Technology & Telecom sectors. Prior to graduate school, Scott was a manager in the Financial Services practice at Accenture where his responsibilities included technology development & implementation, process design & engineering and project management. |
| Work with the following types of clients: | Non-Profit Organizations, Individual Investors, Businesses |
| Advisory Services Provided: | Legal Advice and Services, Tax Advice and Services, Financial Advice & Consulting, Investment Advice & Management, Estate Planning & Trusts, Financial Planning for Businesses, Financial Planning for Individuals, Education Funding and Planning, Risk Management, Money Management, Wealth Management, 401K Rollovers, Retirement Planning, Portfolio Management, Financial Planning |
Services |
| Investment Types: | Mutual Funds, Bonds, Stocks, Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), Alternative Investments, Socially Responsible Investments (SRI) |
| Can meet clients in the following ways: | Your Office, Video Conference, Our Office, Phone, Email |
Firm Information |
| Firm's Number of Clients: | 19 |
| Firm's Number of Planning Clients: | 19 |
| Firm's Number of Managed Clients: | 19 |
| Assets Managed by Firm: | $6,500,000 |
| Advisor's Number of Clients: | 22 |
| Advisor's Number of Managed Clients: | 22 |
| Advisor's Number of Planning Clients: | 22 |
| Assets Managed by Advisor: | 12000000 |
Compensation and Fees |
| Fee Structure: | Fee-Only |
| Minimum Portfolio Size for New Managed Accounts: | No Minimum |
| Compensation Methods: | Based on Assets |
| Fee % Based on Assets: | 0.75%-1.0% |
| Additional Details on Charges: | MERIT is a Fiduciary and a fee-only financial advisor. Our fees are based solely on a percentage of the client's assets under advisory. We do not earn commissions or any ancillary adviser fees of any kind. MERIT provides comprehensive financial planning services for each client at no additional charge. |
| Minimum Fee Charged for Managed Accounts: | No minimum |
| Minimum Fee Charged for Hourly Planning Accounts: | No minimum |
Education |
| Bachelor of Science - Finance | Boston College - Chestnut Hill, MA 08/15/1990-05/15/1994 |
| Master of Business Administration - Finance | The Wharton School - The University of Pennsylvania - Philadelphia, PA 08/15/2000-08/15/2002 |
Financial Services |
| Retirement Planning
MERIT helps clients develop a comprehensive financial plan & investment strategy for retirement. We help clients evaluate their options and focuses on improving three key items: 1) expanding the available investment options, 2) lowering overall costs and 3) adding additional investment services. |
| Investment Advice & Management
MERIT helps clients achieve their goals through its three services: financial planning, investment management & financial advisory. We help clients assess their current financial situation and develop a comprehensive Interactive Financial Plan to manage all aspects of their financial life. MERIT develops a customized Investment Strategy for each client. We conduct client discussions to establish each client's investment strategy as well as an effective communication plan based on client preferences. |
| Financial Planning for Individuals
MERIT builds a comprehensive Interactive Financial Plan for all clients to manage every aspect of their financial life. Our financial advisory services include retirement planning, education planning, estate planning, budgeting, debt management, tax assistance, evaluating Medicare options, Social Security options, insurance analysis & advising on all aspects of a client's financial decisions. |
| Financial Advice & Consulting
MERIT advises on all aspects of a client's financial decisions including investing, saving, borrowing and managing wealth. |
| 401K Rollovers
MERIT specializes in helping clients take greater control of their 401k assets before or after their retirement. We can help clients execute '59.5' in-service distributions to gain greater control over their investment options, lower costs and increase flexibility while still employed and contributing to their company 401K plan. MERIT's financial planning services & Interactive Financial Plan projections help clients make a well-informed decision on their retirement. |
| Education Funding and Planning
MERIT helps clients establish education plans for children and grandchildren including utilizing 529 Education savings plans and UTMA accounts (Uniform Transfer to Minors Act). |
| Wealth Management
MERIT implements best practices in investment management to achieve higher long term returns and build long-term wealth. We build model portfolios with low-cost, diversified ETFs across asset classes. MERIT improves diversification & returns through exposure to international markets. We employ a flexible approach to implement tactical investment strategy shifts to improve returns & reduce risk for client portfolios. |
| Portfolio Management
MERIT creates custom investment strategies for clients to build long term wealth and achieve their goals. The investment philosophy is based on the following principles: simplicity, diversification, flexibility & low costs. We build target asset allocations based on a client's investor profile, risk tolerance and investment horizon. |
| Risk Management
MERIT constructs simple, comprehensive portfolios to minimize complexity & transaction costs. We manage portfolio risk through diversification across asset classes, geographies & strategies. MERIT re-balances portfolios to reduce portfolio risk & improve returns. |
| Money Management
MERIT utilizes the best investment accounts to maximize long term investment returns. We continuously review the best investment strategies from all industry providers to utilize in its model portfolios. MERIT eliminates all transaction & custody costs utilizing Interactive Broker's platform. We track client investment strategy performance versus comparable investment strategies & market indexes. |
| Estate Planning & Trusts
MERIT offers estate planning through its comprehensive financial planning service. We also partner with a local legal firm to establish trusts and draft estate planning documents. |
FAQs |
Do you have a customer satisfaction or refund policy?At MERIT we believe every investor deserves to work with a firm they can count on. Our commitment to your satisfaction is backed by a guarantee. If for any reason you're not completely satisfied, we'll refund any eligible fees. There are no contracts, upfront fees or client obligations. |
Why should I choose you as my financial advisor?These are the traits that help us best serve clients: Integrity, Acumen, Excellence, Accessibility, Empathy, Listening, Problem Solving, Discipline, Trustworthiness, Fiduciary - always Acting in the best interests of our clients. |
How do you charge for your services?Our fees are based and calculated as a percentage of the client's assets under advisory. MERIT's fees are generally payable quarterly or monthly in arrears. Fees are generally deducted from client accounts and are detailed in each clients Investment Management Agreement ( IMA ). |
If you are going to manage my account, will you obtain my permission every time you buy or sell something?MERIT manages client assets on a solely discretionary basis. We do not seek client approval to execute investments. |
How many clients do you currently manage?MERIT has 19 clients as of July 31, 2023. |
Disclosures |
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WiserAdvisor provides referrals to financial professionals. WiserAdvisor is not a current client of the advisor or advisory services. Financial professionals pay cash compensation for these referrals, which creates the incentive for WiserAdvisor to make these referrals, resulting in a conflict of interest. |
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Additional Detailed Disclosures |
Disclaimer |
| This information shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any interests in any strategy managed by Merit Investment Management or any of its affiliates. Such an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy interests may only be made pursuant to definitive investment documentation between an investment advisor and an investor. This information is for informational and educational purposes only and shall not be construed to constitute investment advice. This information should be considered only in conjunction with all available investment strategy information which should be considered as a whole in making any investment decision. Merit makes no representation or warranties as to the accuracy, completeness or timeliness of the information, text, graphics or other items contained in public disclosures. Merit expressly disclaims all liability for errors or omissions in, or the misuse or misinterpretation of, any information contained in any marketing materials. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Future returns are not guaranteed. |
Registered Investment Advisor:
Yes
Registered Representative:
Yes
Investment Advisor Representative:
Yes
Acknowledged fiduciary:
Yes
Compliance Disclosures in Last 5 years:
I have a clean record
Criminal Disclosures in Last 5 years:
I have a clean record
| Mon. | 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM |
| Tue. | 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM |
| Wed. | 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM |
| Thu. | 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM |
| Fri. | 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM |
| MERIT's office is located in West Chester, PA. We meet with clients , prospective clients via phone calls, video calls , in-person meetings. |
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