Maureen O'Brien has been an independent financial consultant for over twenty five years. Before entering the financial services field, she practiced law in New York City, gaining experience in estate planning, trusts, real estate, and other areas. Her experience as an attorney enables her to provide her clients with unique insight that sets her apart from most financial advisors.
Maureen has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Nazareth College of Rochester, a Master of Arts degree from the State University of New York at Geneseo, and a Juris Doctor Law degree from The New York Law School. Maureen graduated magna cum laude from New York Law, and received awards for excellence in Constitutional Law, Real Estate Law and Trusts and Estates. She successfully completed the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNING program and she has taken additional course work covering mortgages, structured products, variable annuities, and qualified retirement plans, among others. She holds a general securities (Series 7) registration held with LPL Financial and is an LPL Registered Principal.
Maureen brings a wealth of education, experience and good judgment to the table. She works very hard to make sure her clients' needs, goals and risk tolerance are fully understood, and that her advice and recommendations keep pace with her clients' changing circumstances. She is proud of the fact that her first clients, whom she started working with over twenty five years ago, remain clients today.
Our firm is a client-focused full service investment and financial consulting firm. We have put together a team of very experienced, well-educated and highly trained LPL financial advisors and staff. Our goal is to provide our clients with effective, unbiased advice based on a thorough knowledge of our client's needs, goals, and tolerance for risk.
We have been serving clients for over twenty five years. They come from diverse backgrounds and include individuals, families, businesses, non-profits and trusts. Our clients have widely diverse needs and goals, hopes and dreams. What they have in common is concern for their financial future and an appreciation of the benefits of working with financial professionals.
Although we are a small firm, we are able to offer a full range of financial services for both individuals and businesses through our relationship with LPL Financial, the largest independent broker/dealer in the country*. LPL Financial provides us with deep administrative support, extensive research capabilities, and multiple investment opportunities for our clients. LPL Financial has no proprietary products, which enables our advisors to maintain our independence in making recommendations to our clients based first and foremost on their needs.
*As reported by Financial Planning magazine, June 1996-2015, based on total revenue.
Robert Crowe
Financial Consultant
Robert Crowe graduated from Illinois State University with a major in history and a minor in political science. His hard work earned him the History Department's highest award, the Lucy Lucile Tasher Scholarship. He spent one semester at Salzburg College, Austria studying Politics and the Economics of European Integration, a subject of great importance right now.
Rob went on to study International Affairs at The Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University, where he received his Master of Arts degree. He was awarded a scholarship for language studies in Germany and took advantage of this opportunity to study at the Goethe-Institut in Prien and Dresden.
Upon graduation, Rob spent five years as a senior research analyst at Rapid Access International (RAI), a local Fairfax, Virginia firm that provides corporate and public policy consulting to clients in Japan. His work involved studies that focused on deregulation, tax policy, energy policy, and government performance measurement efforts. He regularly met with corporate executives and government officials in the US and in Japan.
Building on an interest in finance which began as a teenager (in high school he wrote and presented a book report on "The Wealthy Barber", impressing his classmates!) Rob decided to strike out on his own to build a financial services practice where he would emphasize strong interpersonal relationships with his clients. He began his work as a financial advisor at Smith Barney in 2006 and affiliated with LPL Financial in 2009.
Louis Warren
Sr. Financial Consultant
Lou Warren has had a history of success in both his academic and professional life. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War, where he specialized in anti-submarine warfare, after three years of service, he joined the U.S. State Department as a Foreign Service Officer. While there, he earned his Masters in Business Administration from Harvard University.
Lou served in the State Department with distinction, finishing his career as the US Consul General in Mumbai, India. His work at State included analyzing economic, financial and business developments in Oman, Algeria, Indonesia, and India for the U.S.government. He assisted US companies on trade and investment issues, and helped develop finance policies for major Asian and European countries. After retiring from the State Department, Lou began a successful career in financial services. He received training at Suntrust Bank and Morgan Stanley before becoming an independent advisor. Lou's wide-ranging background in Asia, India, the Middle East and north Africa, and his deep understanding of currency issues enable him to help his clients navigate the bewildering changes of a rapidly moving world environment.
Lou's client base includes high net worth individuals and families as well as established business owners.
Lou and his wife Christine live in Fairfax, VA.
Malcolm Harris
Private Wealth Manager
Malcolm oversees a wide range of financial planning, investment advisory and wealth management services for individuals, businesses, trusts and not-for-profits.
Before entering the financial services field, Malcolm was a Management Consultant for several consulting firms, including Deloitte Consulting, and also performed financial services at The World Bank. His experience as a Management Consultant serving Fortune 500 companies and Federal agencies enables him to provide his clients with experienced financial planning insights.
Angelica Temoche
Client Services Associate
Angelica Temoche attended University of Maryland Baltimore County. Angelica is our senior office administrator and she is a great asset to our firm. She is in charge of office management, customer service, and marketing.
Working with our advisors, Angelica assists in the adoption of operations and procedures to keep up with the fast changing regulatory environment of our business. Always willing to learn new processes and modes of communication through new media, her intrepid nature keeps our branch on the cutting edge of adapting new technologies thus gaining efficiency.
General Information |
Firm Start Year: | 1989 | |
No. of Employees: | 5-9 | |
Insurance License#: | 805193 |
Name of Broker/Dealer: | LPL Financial |
Name of Custodial Firm: | LPL Financial |
States Licensed in: | AL, CA, DC, DE, FL, GA, MA, MD, MS, NC, NE, NJ, NV, NY, OH, PA, TN, TX, VA |
Number of Years with Current Firm: | 25 |
Work Experience: | Over twenty five years working with both individuals and businesses providing financial guidance, implementing financial plans, answering questions, etc. |
Work with the following types of clients: | Individual Investors, Non-Profit Organizations, Businesses |
Advisory Services Provided: | Estate Planning & Trusts, Financial Advice & Consulting, Insurance Planning, Education Funding and Planning, Financial Planning for Individuals, Annuities, Financial Planning for Businesses, Tax Advice and Services, Portfolio Management, Retirement Planning, Money Management, Wealth Management, 401K Rollovers |
Services |
Investment Types: | Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), Stocks, Annuities, Insurance, Alternative Investments, Mutual Funds, Bonds, Socially Responsible Investments (SRI) |
Can meet clients in the following ways: | Phone, Your Office, Our Office |
Qualifications & Memberships |
Insurance and Annuity Licenses: | Variable Life, Long Term Care, Variable Annuity, Life, Health, Annuity, Accident, Disability |
Non-Financial Organization Memberships: | Central Fairfax Chamber of Commerce, Women Impacting Public Policy, Women's Bar Association of the District of Columbia |
Firm Information |
Firm's Number of Clients: | Over 100 |
Compensation and Fees |
Fee Structure: | Fee-Based |
Minimum Portfolio Size for New Managed Accounts: | $250,000 |
Compensation Methods: | Hourly, Flat Fee, Commissions, Based on Assets |
Fee % Based on Assets: | 0.75-2.5 |
Hourly Rate: | $250 |
Minimum Fee Charged for Managed Accounts: | $5000 |
Minimum Fee Charged for Hourly Planning Accounts: | $2500 |
Board Positions |
Organization : | Capitol Hill Association of Merchants&Professional |
Position : | Gov't Relations Comittee Chair, Board of Directors |
Education |
BA | Nazareth College of Rochester
September 1965-June 1969 |
MA | State University of New York at Geneseo
September 1969-December 1970 |
JD | New York Law School
September 1972-June 1976 |
Financial Services |
Financial Advice & Consulting
I provide general guidance, portfolio reviews, or information on a specific financial problem or issue on an hourly consulting basis. For clients seeking consultation only, we will discuss your concerns and questions in detail, and I will either address your concerns at that time or tell you what is involved in providing a complete answer or approach. In the interest of efficiency, initial fact-gathering can be done over the telephone and by providing me with copies of documents or statements that you want me to review. I will give you an estimate of the amount of time I think will be needed and the cost, and if you are satisfied, we will proceed from there. |
Financial Planning for Individuals
I provide both comprehensive and single-issue financial planning services for clients, depending on your needs. After determining what you are looking for, I will give an estimate of the amount of time needed and the probable cost. I can provide detailed written plans that provide step by step actions and percentages for asset rebalancing, or a simple letter with recommendations. Once an estimate is given, the cost will not exceed that. Additional services are available at your request. |
Financial Planning for Businesses
Services for business owners generally involve matters such as establishing a value for the business, providing funding for buy-outs between partners or co-owners, assisting with establishing employee benefit plans or executive compensation plans, and establishing qualified retirement plans. We provide services and/or resources in each of those areas. A complimentary initial consultation is the first step in exploring where your business is in its life-cycle and determining what assistance you as the owner are seeking. Recommendations on possible solutions are provided. |
Portfolio Management
We provide portfolio management services tailored to our clientsâ expressed objectives, which we help our clients refine. PM services are fee-based and vary with the amount of money under management and the complexity of the account(s). Fees are agreed upon in advance. |
Retirement Planning
Planning for sufficient income in retirement is one of the greatest areas of concern among my clients. I help my clients work through their financial needs in the retirement years, the assets they are likely to have, possible road blocks and unexpected expenses, and then work with you to design a plan tailored to your goals and needs, to help maximize your retirement income and security. |
401K Rollovers
This is a subject of great concern to people considering retiring in the next few years, and for people changing jobs. I review existing 401(k) plans (or other plans such as the Federal Thrift Savings Plan or the non-profit 403(B) plan) and provide a thorough assessment of the benefits and risks of leaving the funds in the employerâs plan. If you are leaving one position for another, I will help you assess the new employerâs plan. If you are retiring, I will provide you with alternative investment opportunities, should you decide to take your money out of your 401(k) and roll it into an individual IRA. I will also review the possibility of moving some or all of the funds into a Roth IRA, including potential tax consequences. |
Insurance Planning
Our firm provides comprehensive insurance services for you and your family to help you protect what is important to you, and we help you assess your needs. We have relationships with many highly rated insurance companies and can assist in finding insurance policies that meet your needs as well as your budget. This includes life insurance for family protection, estate tax planning, retirement planning, business succession planning, and non-qualified deferred compensation, disability insurance, long term care insurance, and, for employers, group life and health insurance. |
Annuities
Annuities are a tax deferred investment product designed for long term retirement savings and income. Annuities can provide a lifetime income stream that you and, if applicable, your spouse cannot outlive. They provide a good means to save more for retirement after you have âmaxed outâ on your 401(k) savings, and they provide a good way to save on a tax deferred basis. We will help you analyze whether an annuity is right for you, explain the risks; and if appropriate determine the type of annuity that helps you accomplish your goals, whether it be for an immediate income stream, long term savings, etc. |
Estate Planning & Trusts
We work with you and your attorneys to help you take care of those you love while minimizing estate and other taxes. We can help you design an estate plan with financial concerns, not simply legal concerns, in mind. My experience as an attorney, practicing in this field for some time, enables me to provide an extra layer of insight and understanding in this area of financial planning. Actual legal work, including document drafting, is left exclusively to your attorney. |
Tax Advice and Services
We work with our clients and their tax accountants, attorneys or CPAs in finding investments that help minimize taxes now and in the future. We do not provide specific tax advice, but of course take tax consequences into account in making our investment recommendations. |
Education Funding and Planning
We provide basic information on the types of education savings vehicles are available; explain the benefits or disadvantages of any state-sponsored plan, and as part of an overall financial plan, help clients weigh the needs to save for their own retirement while also helping their children with their higher education expenses. |
Investment Advice & Management
This forms the core of our business. We provide individuals with comprehensive financial advice and specific investment recommendations, and design a plan to help our clients juggle their numerous competing goals and responsibilities. Once a plan is agreed upon, we implement the recommendations and provide ongoing oversight of the investment portfolio over time. We hold periodic client meetings or conferences to assure the initial investment decisions remain sound and continue to reflect the clientâs needs, goals, risk tolerance and time horizon, and we make recommendations for changes as necessary. |
Wealth Management
Wealth management means assisting our high net worth clients with all aspects of their financial life including investment management and advice, financial planning, insurance and tax planning, estate planning, retirement planning, charitable giving, legacy planning, and a many other areas. We help our clients pull all of this together and work closely with their other legal, tax and business consultants to help our clients achieve financial security for themselves and their families and to leave the legacy they want for themselves. |
Risk management
In the investment arena, we will help you assess the risk of the many investment opportunities available to you, as well as the potential rewards. We will help you develop a portfolio which takes into account your own tolerance for risk, and we will help you mitigate risk with asset allocation, dollar cost averaging, hedging, and other risk management strategies. In the insurance arena, we will help you determine the risks to yourself and your family that can be insured against and guide you in choosing appropriate insurance products. |
Money Management
We provide money management services tailored to our clientsâ expressed objectives, which we help our clients refine. These services can be either fee-based or commission based, depending on the amount of money to be managed, the number and complexity of the accounts, and the services the client wants. The fee alternatives are explained in detail and our client chooses the fee structure that they are most comfortable with. |
FAQs |
Do you have a customer satisfaction or refund policy?Yes, for our fee-based financial planning accounts. If a client is not satisfied with her/his written financial plan, they are not obligated to accept or pay for it. |
Why should I choose you as my financial advisor?I have a college degree, a masters degree and a law degree. The knowledge of law is particularly helpful in the financial advisory field. I have over twenty years of experience helping clients with their financial needs. |
What are your qualifications? What is your education background?Learn who my client is, get as much detailed information as possible, design a customized strategy that meets the client's assets, needs, time frame and risk tolerance. |
How do you charge for your services?Written financial plans, asset management, investment advice, insurance planning and products, retirement income planning, general financial consulting. Retirement plans for small to mid-size businesses. |
How are you compensated? How will I pay for your services?I personally manage over 100 accounts and supervise the management of over 500 accounts. |
Disclosures |
WiserAdvisor provides referrals to financial professionals. WiserAdvisor is not a current client of 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. http://www.finra.org/ http://www.sipc.org/ |
Additional Detailed Disclosures |
Disclaimer |
Securities and Advisory Services offered through LPL Financial, a Registered Investment Advisor. Member |
Registered Representative:
Yes
Investment Advisor Representative:
Yes
Compliance Disclosures in Last 5 years:
Have a clean record
Criminal Disclosures in Last 5 years:
Have a clean record
Mon. | 9:00 AM - 6:30 PM |
Tue. | 9:00 AM - 6:30 PM |
Wed. | 9:00 AM - 6:30 PM |
Thu. | 9:00 AM - 6:30 PM |
Fri. | 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM |
Alexandria | Arlington |
Broad Run | Burke |
Centreville | Chantilly |
Clifton | Dumfries |
Fairfax | Fairfax Station |
Falls Church | Gainesville |
Great Falls | Haymarket |
Herndon | Leesburg |
Lorton | Mc Lean |
Middleburg | Oakton |
Occoquan | Potomac |
Reston | Springfield |
Vienna |