Five Questions With: Tricia S. O’Neil

Tricia S. O’Neil is a certified financial adviser and senior vice president with Morgan Stanley Wealth Management in Providence. The Financial Times recently announced its 400 Top Financial Advisors of 2015 and O’Neil not only made the list, but she is also the only Rhode Island representative on it.
The Financial Times considered advisers with more than 10 years’ experience with more than $200 million in assets under management. O’Neil works with high to ultra-high net families. She joined Morgan Stanley in 2013 and works and prior to joining the team, she worked as a vice president, portfolio manager with BNY Mellon Wealth Management since 1997 – both jobs in Providence.
She discusses some of her investment strategies and philosophies here with Providence Business News, taking into consideration the market’s current economic condition.

PBN: Congratulations on the accolade. How does it feel to receive such recognition?
O’NEIL:
I work hard to earn the confidence and trust of my clients every day, so to be recognized for these efforts is rewarding.

Tell our readers a little bit about what you do at Morgan Stanley and what makes you different than other financial advisers?
O’NEIL: I manage wealth for high and ultra-high net worth families. I spend a large amount of time encouraging clients to discuss their financial situation and goals, and I listen carefully. Ultimately, my job is to make my clients’ lives easier and to do that you need to understand what they truly want and need from their wealth.

PBN: What tends to weigh the heaviest on the minds of high-net individuals and as their financial adviser how do you accommodate?
O’NEIL:
Part of what makes my job so interesting is that no two clients are alike. Customizing my services to accommodate divergent needs is a large part of the value that I add. For some clients, that means coordinating a strategy that integrates external investments they make or long-term cash flow planning to help meet future goals or striving to coordinate their current, day-to-day financial needs. The common ground is making certain their particular financial needs are addressed, allowing them to pursue other meaningful goals in their lives.

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PBN: Given the market’s current economic condition, what is your investment philosophy?
O’NEIL:
Investing is for the long-term, so it is important to build a solid, core portfolio of companies, augmented with fixed income that can weather the various stages of the economic cycle. As the economy and the markets prepare for future interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve, diversification remains important, not just within asset classes but amongst them as well.

PBN: How do you build the right investment portfolio for someone who is five years versus 20 years from retirement?
O’NEIL:
Whether planning for retirement or any other life goal, time horizon is an important factor; it is part of what drives the asset allocation decision. A shorter time horizon means less time to recover from a market correction, typically leading to a more conservative asset allocation. However, there are many other factors (asset base, future cash flow needs, risk tolerance, etc.) that contribute to that decision.

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