Shannon Csapilla is a Wealth Management Client Associate at Merrill Lynch, based in Stamford, Connecticut. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the University of Rhode Island, she combines her academic foundation with years of experience in financial services to help clients navigate their financial goals with confidence and clarity.
Intro
Shannon began her career in administrative roles, honing her organizational and client relationship skills at M&R Builders LLC and later transitioning to mortgage administration at Luxury Mortgage Corp. As a Funding Authorizer and Closing Administrator, she gained firsthand knowledge of financial transactions and compliance processes, setting the stage for her work in wealth management.
Since joining Merrill Lynch in December 2022, Shannon has specialized in creating tailored financial plans for her clients, focusing on investment strategies, retirement planning, and overall wealth management. She emphasizes the importance of listening closely to client needs and crafting strategies that reflect their unique goals.
“I believe that financial planning isn’t just about numbers—it’s about understanding people’s dreams and helping them feel secure about their future,” Shannon says.
Outside of work, Shannon enjoys reading mystery thrillers, walking outdoors, and spending time with friends. She’s passionate about lifelong learning and is particularly interested in sustainable investing. Shannon also hopes to mentor young professionals, especially women, entering the finance industry.
With a focus on building strong relationships and providing clear, actionable advice, Shannon is dedicated to empowering her clients to achieve financial stability and long-term success.
Shannon’s Wealth Investing Strategies
Shannon has built a career on crafting personalized financial strategies that help individuals navigate their financial futures with confidence and clarity. She combines her academic background in Economics from the University of Rhode Island with years of hands-on experience in financial services to provide comprehensive wealth management solutions. Since joining Merrill Lynch in 2022, Shannon has honed her expertise in investment strategies, retirement planning, and long-term financial security, specifically for high-net-worth individuals.
When working with clients who have a net worth of $1 million or more, Shannon’s approach is meticulous and tailored to each individual’s unique financial goals. Her philosophy centers on long-term wealth preservation, sustainable growth, and alignment with clients’ personal values. “Financial planning isn’t just about numbers,” Shannon often says. “It’s about understanding people’s dreams and helping them feel secure about their future.”
#1 Understanding the Client’s Goals and Values
For Shannon, the foundation of every wealth management strategy begins with understanding her clients. She believes that effective wealth management is as much about listening as it is about advising. “I take the time to understand what’s important to my clients—whether it’s providing for their children’s education, ensuring a comfortable retirement, or leaving a legacy for future generations,” Shannon explains. “Once I have a clear understanding of their values, I can begin to build a financial plan that supports those aspirations.”
By engaging in open, in-depth conversations with her clients, Shannon ensures that the investment strategies she recommends align with their life goals, risk tolerance, and timeline. She views wealth management as a collaborative process, in which both the advisor and the client are equal partners.
#2 The Importance of Diversification
One of Shannon’s core investment principles is diversification. For high-net-worth individuals, diversification is an essential tool for mitigating risk and ensuring long-term stability. Shannon takes a holistic approach to building diversified portfolios that span multiple asset classes, including equities, fixed income, alternative investments, and real estate. This ensures that clients’ portfolios remain resilient against market fluctuations while providing ample opportunities for growth.
“I believe in a balanced approach to investing,” Shannon says. “A diversified portfolio helps smooth out the ups and downs of the market, reducing the risk of significant losses during downturns. The goal is to create a portfolio that provides steady returns over the long term, regardless of short-term market conditions.”
In addition to traditional asset classes, Shannon also emphasizes the importance of incorporating alternative investments such as private equity, hedge funds, and venture capital, when appropriate for the client. These investments can offer higher returns and greater diversification, but they also come with higher risk. Therefore, she ensures that clients are well-educated about the potential benefits and challenges before adding them to their portfolios.
#3 Sustainable Investing for the Future
Sustainable investing has become a focal point in Shannon’s approach, particularly as her clients become more aware of the social, environmental, and governance (ESG) factors that can impact their investments. With a growing number of investors seeking to align their portfolios with their values, Shannon has made sustainable investing a cornerstone of her strategy.
“I believe that the future of investing is sustainable,” she notes. “It’s not just about making money; it’s about making a positive impact on the world. By incorporating ESG factors into investment decisions, we can help clients build wealth while also supporting businesses that are contributing to a better future.”
Shannon works closely with her clients to identify their values and find investment opportunities that align with those values. Whether they’re interested in renewable energy, social justice, or ethical business practices, she ensures that their portfolios reflect their personal commitment to sustainability.
#4 Retirement Planning and Tax Efficiency
For high-net-worth individuals, retirement planning is one of the most significant aspects of long-term wealth management. Shannon advises her clients to begin planning for retirement early and to focus on building a tax-efficient strategy that maximizes their retirement savings.
She helps her clients navigate the complexities of retirement accounts, including IRAs, 401(k)s, and taxable investment accounts, ensuring that they are contributing enough to secure a comfortable retirement while minimizing their tax liability. She also emphasizes the importance of asset location, which involves strategically placing investments in tax-deferred, tax-free, or taxable accounts depending on the tax treatment of each asset class.
“Tax efficiency is key to long-term wealth preservation,” Shannon explains. “By strategically managing your investments, you can reduce the amount you pay in taxes and keep more of your returns working for you.”
#5 Legacy Planning and Charitable Giving
Many of Shannon’s clients are focused not only on building wealth but also on leaving a legacy for future generations. Shannon works with these clients to develop estate plans that ensure their wealth is transferred according to their wishes, while minimizing estate taxes and other costs.
In addition to traditional legacy planning, Shannon also helps her clients incorporate charitable giving into their overall wealth strategy. Whether through donor-advised funds, charitable remainder trusts, or direct giving, Shannon ensures that her clients’ philanthropic goals are met while maximizing the tax benefits of their charitable contributions.
“Charitable giving can be an incredibly rewarding part of a wealth management strategy,” Shannon says. “It allows clients to make a lasting impact on the causes they care about while also receiving significant tax advantages.”
#6 Continuous Education and Lifelong Learning
Shannon is passionate about lifelong learning, both for herself and her clients. She believes that staying informed about financial markets, new investment products, and regulatory changes is essential to providing the best possible advice. Shannon regularly attends industry conferences and takes continuing education courses to stay at the forefront of the wealth management field.
“I want to be the best advisor I can be for my clients,” Shannon says. “That means constantly learning and adapting to the changing financial landscape.”
#7 Wrapup
Shannon Csapilla’s wealth management strategies for $1 million net-worth individuals are built on a foundation of trust, personalized advice, and long-term planning. By emphasizing diversification, sustainable investing, retirement planning, and tax efficiency, Shannon helps her clients build and preserve wealth while staying aligned with their values. With a focus on listening to her clients’ goals and offering clear, actionable advice, Shannon empowers them to feel confident and secure about their financial futures. Through her dedication, expertise, and commitment to lifelong learning, Shannon has become a trusted advisor who helps individuals not only build wealth but also achieve the financial freedom and peace of mind they deserve.
Movie Buff
Shannon has a deep appreciation for the world of cinema, making her a true movie buff. Outside of her professional life, she enjoys immersing herself in a wide variety of films, from classic masterpieces to modern blockbusters. She’s particularly drawn to mystery thrillers, relishing the suspense and intricate plots that keep her on the edge of her seat. Whether it’s a mind-bending whodunit or a psychological drama, Shannon enjoys the intellectual challenge of piecing together clues and predicting twists before they unfold.
For her, movies provide more than just entertainment—they’re an escape and a way to explore different perspectives. She loves how films can capture the human experience, provoke thought, and offer emotional depth. Her taste spans genres, and she often enjoys discussing movies with friends, analyzing characters, themes, and cinematography.
Her passion for film also influences her work as a wealth management professional. She finds parallels between the strategic planning involved in filmmaking and the meticulous approach she takes in crafting financial strategies for her clients. For Shannon, both are about understanding the story, anticipating the future, and making sure every piece falls into place.
One of my favorites is The Pursuit of Happyness. It’s a reminder that determination and resilience pay off, even when things feel impossible. The story shows how important it is to keep working toward your goals, no matter how tough the journey gets.
Baking Hobby
When she isn’t doing finance or watching movies, she enjoys baking. It provides her with a creative outlet and a way to unwind after a busy week. While she enjoys experimenting with various recipes, her true passion lies in making the perfect cheesecake. Whether it’s a classic New York-style cheesecake or a more adventurous flavor like salted caramel or raspberry swirl, Shannon is dedicated to perfecting the art of this beloved dessert.
Baking allows Shannon to slow down and focus on the process, which is something she appreciates in her often fast-paced professional life. She finds joy in measuring the ingredients precisely, mixing them with care, and watching the transformation as the cheesecake bakes to perfection. The scent of a cheesecake cooling on the counter fills her kitchen with warmth and satisfaction, a tangible reward for her time and effort.
For Shannon, baking is about more than just following a recipe—it’s about the joy of creating something from scratch and sharing it with others. She enjoys making cheesecakes for friends and family during gatherings or for special occasions. It’s not uncommon for her to bring a homemade cheesecake to a dinner party, where it’s often the highlight of the evening. She loves the reaction of her guests when they take that first bite, and the compliments are always appreciated.
Over the years, Shannon has developed her own signature cheesecake recipe, which she’s continually refining to achieve the perfect balance of richness and creaminess. She’s also embraced the challenge of making gluten-free and vegan versions, expanding her skills and ensuring that everyone can enjoy her creations. For Shannon, baking is more than just a hobby; it’s a way to express her creativity, indulge her love for flavors, and create memorable experiences with the people she cares about.