Merrill's Kim Hammond, Brett Howell named to top advisor list

Merrill wealth management advisors Kimberly Hammond and Brett Howell have been recognized by the Financial Times as two of the top financial advisors in the nation.

Hammond and Howell were named to the 2020 Financial Times annual "401 Top Retirement Advisors" list. The list recognizes the top financial advisers who specialize in serving defined contribution (DC) retirement plans across the U.S. Hammond is based in Muskegon. Howell's offices are in Grand Rapids.

Kimberly Hammond and her team combine their industry knowledge and capabilities to provide a full range of wealth management services to corporate executives and their families. During her 30-plus year tenure with Merrill, Kimberly has helped clients integrate their corporate benefits into a long-term financial strategy that focuses on risk management. Hammond has a BA in economics from Michigan State University.

Brett Howell is a founding partner of the Howell & Sharp Group at Merrill. Since joining Merrill in 2000, Brett has focused his efforts in the area of Retirement Planning for individuals as well as qualified and non-qualified retirement plans for corporations and non-profit organizations. In addition to providing traditional advice and guidance, Howell can draw from his experience to help clients pursue their objectives by building and managing custom investment strategies. Howell has a bachelor's degree in business marketing from Michigan State University.