Scott MacDonald

Scott MacDonald is the founder and leader of the Special Needs Team at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, a group of financial professionals dedicated to enhancing the long-term well-being of special-needs, disabled and elderly individuals by offering financial advice and guidance. Scott joined Merrill in 1987 and has spent his entire career addressing the unique needs of society’s most vulnerable members.

Passionate about his work, Scott provides wealth planning and investment management for Special Needs Trusts and other court-supervised trusts, as well as probate investing for Conservatorships and Guardianships. He offers extensive knowledge of California Probate Code restrictions on investments, as well as the terms of the Uniform Prudent Investor Act. Scott facilitates close collaboration with attorneys, caregivers, trustees, fiduciaries, benefits counselors, and other professionals. A regular lecturer and media contributor, he is the author of numerous articles and publications related to special-needs and elder financial strategy.

Scott earned his B.S. in Finance and his B.A. in Economics with Honors from the California State University system. He is a Senior Portfolio Manager who can help clients pursue their objectives by managing on a discretionary basis his own Personalized or Defined Strategies, which may incorporate individual stocks and bonds, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management model portfolios, and third-party investment strategies. A Senior Portfolio Manager may make their strategies available to clients working with other Merrill Lynch Wealth Management Advisors. Scott is the recipient of the prestigious David Brady award (received in 2016), bestowed upon the Merrill employee who goes beyond expectations in his dedication to clients. Recently, Scott was named to the Forbes “Best-in-State Wealth Advisors” list in 2022, 2021 and 2020* (published annually Jan – April. Rankings based on data as of June 30 of prior year.)

Scott and his wife Meredith live in Incline Village, Nevada with their four children.
*Source: The Forbes “Best-in-State Wealth Advisors” list, published annually Jan – April. Rankings based on data as of June 30 of prior year.

Data provided by SHOOK^® Research, LLC. Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisors ranking was developed by SHOOK Research and is based on in-person, virtual, and telephone due diligence meetings to measure best practices; also considered are: client retention, industry experience, credentials, review of compliance records, firm nominations; and quantitative criteria, such as: assets under management and revenue generated for their firms. Investment performance is not a criterion because client objectives and risk tolerances vary, and advisors rarely have audited performance reports. SHOOK’s research and rankings provide opinions intended to help investors choose the right financial advisor and are not indicative of future performance or representative of any one client’s experience. Past performance is not an indication of future results. Neither Forbes nor SHOOK Research receive compensation in exchange for placement on the ranking. For more information, please see www.SHOOKresearch.com. SHOOK is a registered trademark of SHOOK Research, LLC.

*Bank of America Corporation’s David Brady Community Service Award is named for David Brady, a Merrill financial advisor who died in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. He was highly respected for putting the client first and giving back to his community. The award that bears his name was created in 2007 and seeks to honor individuals within Bank of America Corporation Global Wealth & Investment Management who continue to emulate David’s ethos.

*Merrill, its affiliates, and financial advisors do not provide legal, tax, or accounting advice. You should consult your legal and/or tax advisors before making any financial decisions.