Sam Saleh, MBA, ChFC®

With a diverse background spanning the construction industry and entrepreneurship, I have built a solid foundation in leadership and business management. After earning my MBA from Cal Poly, I was presented with global opportunities that led me to work overseas in various C-suite roles, including founding and successfully growing two business ventures over 13 years. My passion for the financial services industry eventually drew me to wirehouse firms. Still, it was upon returning to Southern California with my family that I chose to pivot into financial services.

At New York Life Securities, I honed my risk management and financial planning experience, providing clients with strategic solutions aimed at helping them safeguard their wealth. To further deepen my knowledge and refine my investment strategies, I joined Merrill Lynch, where I expanded my capabilities and built a robust client base. Today, as a Wealth Manager at Savvy, I leverage my unique blend of business acumen and financial expertise to deliver tailored, comprehensive wealth management solutions that help clients achieve their financial goals and build a lasting legacy.

I specialize in working with high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, including C-suite executives, family offices, foundations and endowments, startup founders, and small business owners. My focus is on delivering highly personalized financial planning and investment strategies designed to address the distinct needs of each client. By offering tailored solutions, I help optimize wealth management, enhance asset protection, and ensure seamless wealth transfer across generations.

‍As a financial planner and wealth manager, my experience spans a wide range of specialized areas tailored to meet the unique needs of high-net-worth (HNW) and ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) individuals. 

These include:

• Comprehensive Wealth Management: Crafting personalized financial strategies that integrate investment management, tax efficiency, and asset protection to target asset preservation and growth across generations.

• Retirement and Income Planning: Designing customized retirement solutions that ensure long-term financial security, with a focus on income optimization and risk mitigation for a sustainable lifestyle.

• Estate and Legacy Planning: Developing strategic estate plans endeavoring to preserve family wealth, minimize estate taxes, and ensure a seamless wealth transfer to future generations, while addressing both philanthropic goals and family dynamics.

My other areas of expertise include tax optimization strategies, investment management, business succession and exit planning, and more. 

My goal is to provide a holistic and personalized approach to wealth management that addresses the complexities of HNW and UHNW clients, ensuring financial success both today and for future generations.

I also hold a Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) from the American College of Financial Services.

To help clients achieve their financial goals, I employ a comprehensive approach that integrates strategic financial, investment, and tax planning tailored to each individual’s unique circumstances and objectives. 

Through goal-based financial planning, I work with clients to clearly define their objectives, understand their risks and prioritize savings and investments accordingly. I then recommend a range of investment strategies based on their investment profile—such as strategic/tactical asset allocation models, dollar-cost averaging, direct indexing, alternative investments, options hedging, equity buffering, and bond laddering strategies to optimize growth, income and manage risk.

Given the increasing importance of tax efficiency, I utilize a variety of sophisticated strategies to help minimize the tax impact on investment gains. These include tax-bracket management, tax-deferred accounts, tax-loss harvesting, capital gains planning, and Roth conversions, all designed to maximize after-tax net returns, where appropriate.

In addition, I focus on estate planning and wealth transfer strategies, including the use of trusts, life insurance, gift tax exclusions, and charitable giving. These tools allow clients to transfer wealth to heirs and philanthropic causes while minimizing tax liabilities.

By combining these strategies, my goal is to grow and preserve wealth, minimize taxes, and ensure financial security at every stage of life. Customizing these solutions to align with each client’s specific situation, risk tolerance, and long-term goals is key to delivering sustained financial outputs.

My approach as a financial planner and wealth manager is rooted in a deep commitment to understanding the unique needs, goals, and complexities of each client. What sets me apart is my holistic, customized strategy that integrates both the financial and personal aspects of wealth management. I don’t simply focus on managing investments or retirement plans in isolation; I take a comprehensive view that aligns all aspects of your financial life to help you build, preserve, and transition wealth seamlessly.

Some key elements that distinguish my approach include:

• Personalized, Client-Centric Plans: I prioritize long-term relationships over transactional engagements, getting to know you and your family’s aspirations intimately. By understanding not only your financial goals but also your values, family dynamics, and legacy ambitions, I endeavor to design bespoke strategies that reflect your unique vision.

• Intergenerational Wealth Strategy: I emphasize the importance of legacy planning and wealth transfer, aimed at ensuring that your financial success is preserved and passed on efficiently. This includes multi-generational estate planning, tax minimization, and education on wealth stewardship for heirs

• Cross-Disciplinary Experience: With extensive experience across multiple industries, including high-level corporate leadership, small business ownership, and global financial services, I bring a wide-ranging perspective to the table. This allows me to address not only investment and retirement needs but also intricate concerns around executive compensation, business succession, and international tax planning.

I also prioritize risk management, collaboration and concierge-level service for HNW and UHNW clients. By combining sophisticated financial strategies with personalized service and a focus on long-term success, I strive to help my clients achieve their most important financial goals, both for today and for future generations. My approach is not just about wealth management—it's about crafting a financial legacy that endures.

My favorite part about working with clients is the opportunity to truly make a difference in their lives by helping them achieve their financial goals and secure their future. It's incredibly rewarding to build long-term relationships based on trust, and to know that the strategies we implement together are helping them navigate life’s transitions—whether it’s preparing for retirement, growing their wealth, or creating a lasting legacy for future generations.

What I find especially fulfilling is the opportunity to customize solutions for each client’s unique needs, values, and aspirations. Every conversation is an opportunity to better understand their vision, and to craft a plan that not only helps them achieve their financial goals but also aligns with their personal story. The collaborative nature of the relationship allows me to continuously evolve and adapt strategies, which keeps the work dynamic and impactful.

At the end of the day, it’s about building a partnership where clients feel confident, informed, and empowered to make decisions that support their long-term success—whether that’s through smart investment strategies, tax planning, or wealth transfer solutions. That’s what drives me every day. 

Savvy is a fintech industry disruptor that brings AI-powered platforms to the wealth management ecosystem, giving advisors and clients a seamless engagement experience on the front and back end. In my opinion, superior customer service is a hallmark that sets Savvy apart from the noise in the financial services market.   

I like that Savvy is a fintech start-up founded by an entrepreneur who had two successful start-up exits under his belt, backed-up by heavy-weight VC firms.I always wanted to be part of a startup and contribute to the growth and success story. Working for a startup means having close contact with leadership and therefore more pulse on the business direction and developing family knit relationships. Less bureaucracy and silos culture means more room for innovation, collaboration and inspiration.