(614) 481-4455

Our Fiduciary Financial Planning Approach

A seven-advisor team process covering tax strategy, succession, estate planning, and investments for business owners and families in Columbus, Ohio.

HomeApproach

Our Approach

Lead withpurpose.

Pursuing growth, building vision, together. Our home turf is the complexity of business ownership: entity, equity, exits. Our door is open to anyone who wants that same rigor working for their family.

What We Believe

Five convictions we don't compromise.

01

Relationships outlive markets.

Portfolios change; trust compounds.

02

Complexity deserves experience.

Businesses, taxes and legacies are our home turf.

03

Planning is a conversation, not a PDF.

Co-planned, co-created, revisited often.

04

Small is a feature.

A boutique team means we know your name, and your plan.

05

Experience is earned, not claimed.

Michelle has been in this business since 1992.

Our Niche

Fluent in ownership. Open to everyone.

Most of our clients built something: a company, a practice, a payroll. We speak that language fluently: entity structure, equity, cash-flow juggling, and an exit you only sell once.

But you don't need a business to belong here. Family decision-makers steering generational choices — alongside executives and retirees — get the same bench, the same process, the same direct line. The niche is our depth, not our door.

  • Business owners
  • Family decision-makers
  • Executives & professionals
  • Retirees & pre-retirees
How It Works

Five steps. One ongoing conversation.

01 / 05Discover
Step 01

Discover

A real conversation, not a questionnaire. We learn your family, business, goals, and what keeps you up at night.

Step 02

Design

We co-create your roadmap: investments, taxes, estate, cash flow, and for owners, entity, equity and exit planning, all in language you'll actually use.

Step 03

Build

Portfolios and structures implemented with discipline: evidence-based, tax-aware, cost-conscious.

Step 04

Coordinate

We sit at the table with your CPA and attorney so nothing falls between advisors.

Step 05

Walk with you

Quarterly rhythms, open phone lines, life-event pivots. The plan breathes as your life does.

Fiduciary · Always

The Merkel Team

Side by Side

The difference is structural.

Dimension
Compensation
The Typical FirmCommissions + hidden fund fees
MerkelFully disclosed, fiduciary-first
Client load
The Typical Firm1,000+ households per advisor
MerkelBoutique roster, deliberately small
Planning
The Typical FirmAnnual PDF review
MerkelContinuous co-planning
Coordination
The Typical Firm"Talk to your accountant"
MerkelWe call your accountant
Access
The Typical Firm1-800 call center
MerkelYour advisor's direct line
Tenure
The Typical FirmRotating reps
MerkelA team that's stayed for decades
Ready for the difference? Schedule a Discovery Call

Schedule a Discovery Call