Merlin Ames
Merlin Ames is a registered investment advisor at Arete Wealth Advisors, LLC, based in Lancaster, WI, with 19 years of industry experience. Merlin operates on a fee-only basis, meaning they do not earn commissions from product sales. Their practice areas include Estate Planning, Financial Planning & Coaching, Investment Management, Retirement Planning. Their firm serves 5,426 clients with $2.7B in assets under management.
Compensation
Firm Size
Number of Clients
Average Client Portfolio
Assets Under Management
Fee Structure
Portfolio-Based Fees (Tiered)
| Portfolio Value | Annual Fee |
|---|---|
| Up to $249K | 3.00% |
| $249K - $750K | 2.50% |
| $750K - $1.5M | 2.00% |
| $1.5M - $5.0M | 1.75% |
| $5M+ | 1.50% |
Fees are negotiable. A $50,000 initial minimum account balance is generally required, but may be waived.
Fee Estimator
Location
207 W Maple Street, Suite B, Lancaster, WI, 53813
Get directionsHistory
Regulatory History (4)
Regulatory
June 2012Employment Separation After Allegations
March 2011Customer Dispute
February 2011Criminal
December 1984Other Business ActivitiesSells Insurance
Merlin sells fixed insurance products since 2016 and owns Ames Investment and Retirement, dedicating significantly more than full-time hours to these activities. He is also a registered representative/advisor for Fincadia LLC, Fincadia Wealth Management LLC, and Fincadia Capital Partners LLC, all since 2022 and requiring full-time commitment.
Employment History
Current Registrations
Arete Wealth Advisors, LLC
Arete Wealth Management, LLCBroker
Previous Registrations
National Asset Management, INC.
National Securities CorporationBroker
Ridgeway & Conger, INC.Broker
Edward Jones
Edward JonesBroker
State Registrations3 states
You can work with an advisor not registered in your state. Most advisors can legally serve a small number of clients across state lines without registering.