Our Team
Meet Our Team
Teams
- Wealth Management
Locations
- Bellevue
Roles
- Investment Strategy Group
- Wealth Manager
- Wealth Strategy Group
Rich Merrifield, CFP®, AIF®
Wealth Manager
(Pronouns: he/him/his)
Bringing over two decades of technical skills in asset selection and portfolio management, Rich brings a unique perspective to the Coldstream team. A strong proponent of comprehensive financial planning with considerable focus applied to tax strategy and investment portfolio construction, Rich loves the challenge of a complex financial plan. Before joining Coldstream, Rich functioned as a consultant to professional investment managers, helping them develop their portfolio management systems, and worked with American Express as a Financial Planner, Portfolio Strategist and Training Manager. Rich earned a Bachelors of Science degree in Latin American Affairs from Ohio University. He also holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP™) certification and Accredited Investment Fiduciary® designation.
Outside of the office, Rich has contributed thousands of hours in the roles of founder, officer and board member for several non-profit organizations in Arizona and Washington. He also delights in being outdoors and loves any opportunity where he can travel, run the trails, and be in nature.
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®. CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and CFP® in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.
My favorite days are spent running the trails with my dog, Jake. I travel across the country to find the best trails, including one called ‘El Vaquero Loco’ – a 50k run with 8800 ft. of climbing.
COLDSTREAM SHAREHOLDER
Coldstream is an employee-owned wealth management firm. We believe that by having broad employee ownership, we can attract and retain the industry’s best talent – in turn furthering our mission of enhancing people’s lives.
Recent Article Contributions
February 1, 2023
Reflecting on 2022’s Respect for Marriage Act: How does it impact the lives and finances of American same-sex marriages?
On December 13, 2022, the Biden Administration passed the Respect for Marriage Act. Thinking about our clients who are impacted, we wanted to offer perspective on what this means today and for the future. To provide context, let’s look at the relevant legal history of the subject over the past few decades: The Defense of [...]
Contributions from: Alex Schrempf, Katie Quick, CFP®, Rich Merrifield, CFP®, AIF®
April 5, 2022
How Do I Estimate My Spending?
One of the most common questions we receive at the onset of a new relationship is, “how do I know if my spending is reasonable?” High-income families often lack clarity on what their annual budget is and how that spending may change when they decide to retire. Our goal in reviewing expenses is to provide [...]Contributions from: Rich Merrifield, CFP®, AIF®
February 15, 2022
Retiring Early? Don’t Forget Health Insurance
If you’re planning to retire early, remember to include the cost of health insurance in your financial plan. Medicare eligibility begins at age 65, but until that time you’ll need to enroll in a private insurance plan. Be sure to check your eligibility with COBRA from your prior employer as well. COBRA premiums can be [...]
Contributions from: Eric Schuehle, Rich Merrifield, CFP®, AIF®