Chris Birozes
My Mission Statement
My Story and Services
Chris graduated from Wingate University. As a student-athlete, he was the starting punter for the Wingate Football team, earning multiple distinctions, including Academic All-American honors and the SAC Scholar-Athlete Award. His personal experiences have shaped his commitment to providing thoughtful financial guidance to his clients.
During college, Chris faced a major health challenge that gave him a deep appreciation for the impact professionals can have during life's most difficult moments. That experience inspired him to help others in a different way—helping guide families toward financial confidence. His goal is to make your life easier, so you can focus on what matters most.
Professionally, Chris began his career as an Advisor at Bank of America Merrill Lynch in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he spent over five years developing personalized financial planning and investment strategies for clients.
Outside of work, Chris and his wife, Gabby have four children—Brooks, Lucile, Mary Lowen, and Lenora. When he is not taking care of his four young kids, he enjoys running, playing golf, and traveling with his wife, Gabby.
- Wealth PlanningFootnote1
- Estate Planning StrategiesFootnote2
- Financial PlanningFootnote3
- Business PlanningFootnote4
- Executive Financial ServicesFootnote5
- Alternative InvestmentsFootnote6
- Structured ProductsFootnote7
- Planning for Education FundingFootnote8
- Professional Portfolio ManagementFootnote9
- Corporate Retirement PlansFootnote10
- Stock Plan ServicesFootnote11
- Philanthropic ManagementFootnote12
- Cash Management and Lending ProductsFootnote13
NMLS#: 1944213
Ask ten investors to define wealth management. Actually, ask ten financial advisors to do so. You will almost certainly get ten different answers, with most heavily focused on investing. I believe that many high-net-worth investors would value a second opinion on their portfolio or wealth plan.
• How are you measuring that you are on track for the goals you want to achieve?
• Are you paying too much in taxes?
• What's your "number" and what can you do today to have the greatest impact on it?
• Are your will and trusts and other legal documents up-to-date? …and protecting what's truly important?
• How can you get better control of rising insurance costs?
• Is your retirement plan structured in the most efficient way possible to help meet your goals?
• and more!
Disclaimers:
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC offers insurance products in conjunction with its licensed insurance agency affiliates.
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC does not accept appointments nor will it act as a trustee but it will provide access to trust services through an appropriate third‐party corporate trustee.
Proper guidance can be a critical component of your long-term success.
If you would like more information, let's have a conversation about your unique financial situation to determine how I might be able to serve you.
Individual Plans for Individuals Like You
Goals you set today will evolve over time. My process is designed to evolve with them- and with the changing circumstances of your life. Holistic in its approach, my planning process will encompass all the elements of your financial and personal life, making sure they align with your current and future goals.
Leveraging a sophisticated suite of analytical tools, as well as decades of industry experience, I can help you take charge of your financial future and achieve your goals.
LifeView is a suite of planning tools that includes goal-specific analysis that we can use with our clients to create a realistic, integrated strategy that incorporates the various aspects of an individual's financial life, including investments and cash management needs.
Fill out the questionnaire to get started talking with us about creating a personalized strategy for your long-term goals.
Building wealth is a means to an end. Taxes can eat up a significant portion of your assets upon withdrawal. Therefore, it's vital to look at your entire portfolio and coordinate liquidation to help reduce the impact of taxes and potentially improve investment results.
The decisions you make today can help you save for years to come. Use the resources found in the link below to help get started.
There's a chance your portfolio may be at risk, but how you manage that risk is what matters.
Portfolio Risk Platform – Powered by Aladdin is a risk management platform that provides comprehensive risk estimation and reporting across a broad range of asset classes and security types. This platform provides both an overview and a detailed view to better enable risk to be effectively monitored and managed.
One way to manage savings is by using Morgan Stanley's Spending and Budgeting tool. These tools help advisors monitor client cash flows across both internal and external accounts. It also tracks spending patterns and produces an income and expense analysis to help clients achieve their goals by adjusting their spending behavior when necessary.
Estate planning is the process of making arrangements to pass down wealth and assets after a person's death. Creating an estate plan early is crucial as it ensures that your wishes are precisely reflected in your estate plan. Proper estate planning gives careful consideration to your future plans, preferences and goals.
Ultra-high net worth individuals and families often have unique and complex planning needs. Here at Morgan Stanley, we have a variety of Family Office Resources that can assist our family office clients in assessing and coming up with solutions to their goals; no matter how complex they may be.
HOW I CAN HELP YOU WITH EQUITY COMPENSATION
I assist my clients in determining how to best use their equity compensation in the context of a greater financial strategy that is tailored to their specific needs. Learn more about my approach and some of the common types of equity compensation I deal with:
Employee Stock Options (ESOs) give an employee the right - not the obligation - to purchase company shares at a fixed, predetermined price. ESOs typically have a vesting period, during which the employee must remain with the company to be able to exercise the options.
Another form of equity compensation, RSUs represent a promise by the company to issue shares of stock to an employee. When granted RSUs, they do not receive any actual shares of stock. They are instead awarded a number of units that represent the right to receive shares at a specified point in the future, and they tend to vest over a period of time.
An optional benefit offered by certain companies that allows employees to purchase company stock at a discounted price. ESPPs typically operate through payroll deductions, where employees contribute a portion of their salary to purchase company stock. They can be either qualified or non-qualified, each having different tax treatment.
Your Guide to Tax-Efficient Planning
The tax decisions you make today can help you save for years to come. Consider these smart tax strategies for your financial plan.
The countdown to Tax Day has begun. Here are some steps you can take as the deadline approaches.
Tax-efficient investing techniques may help you lower your tax burden and increase your long-term wealth.
Taking steps to minimize the impact of taxes on your retirement portfolio can help you enjoy more of your nest egg.
Whether you want to donate to charity or invest in a loved-one's future, there are tax‐aware ways to make your giving go further.
Location
Portfolio Insights
Retirement
- 401(k) Rollovers
- IRA Plans
- Retirement income strategies
- Retirement plan participants
- Annuities
Investing
- Asset Management
- Wealth Planning
- Traditional Investments
- Alternative Investments
- Impact Investing
Family
- Estate Planning Strategies
- 529 Plans / Education Savings Planning
- Long Term Care Insurance
- Special Needs Planning
- Trust Services
Business Planning
- Succession Planning
- Business Planning
- Qualified Retirement Plans
Philanthropy
- Endowments
- Foundations
- Donor Advised Funds
- Impact Investing
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors and Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Clients should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for matters involving trust and estate planning, charitable giving, philanthropic planning and other legal matters.
For more information, please see the Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC Client Relationship Summary.
2Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors and Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Clients should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for matters involving trust and estate planning and other legal matters.
3Morgan Stanley offers a wide array of brokerage and advisory services to its clients, each of which may create a different type of relationship with different obligations to you. Please consult with your Financial Advisor to understand these differences or review our Understanding Your Brokerage and Investment Advisory Relationships brochure available at www.morganstanley.com/wealth-relationshipwithms/pdfs/understandingyourrelationship.pdf.
4Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors or Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Clients should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for legal matters.
5Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors or Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Clients should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for legal matters.
6Alternative Investments are speculative and include a high degree of risk. An investor could lose all or a substantial amount of his/her investment. Alternative investments are appropriate only for qualified, long-term investors who are willing to forgo liquidity and put capital at risk for an indefinite period of time.
7Structured Investments are complex and not appropriate for all investors. An investment in structured investments involves risks. These risks can include but are not limited to: fluctuations in the price, level or yield of underlying asset(s), interest rates, currency values and credit quality, substantial loss of principal, limits on participation in appreciation of underlying asset(s), limited liquidity, credit risk, and/or conflicts of interest. Many structured investments do not pay interest or guarantee a return above principal at maturity. Investors should read the security’s offering documentation prior to making an investment decision.
8When Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors and Private Wealth Advisors (collectively, “Morgan Stanley”) provide “investment advice” regarding a retirement or welfare benefit plan account, an individual retirement account or a Coverdell education savings account (“Retirement Account”), Morgan Stanley is a “fiduciary” as those terms are defined under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), and/or the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the “Code”), as applicable. When Morgan Stanley provides investment education, takes orders on an unsolicited basis or otherwise does not provide “investment advice”, Morgan Stanley will not be considered a “fiduciary” under ERISA and/or the Code. For more information regarding Morgan Stanley’s role with respect to a Retirement Account, please visit www.morganstanley.com/disclosures/dol. Tax laws are complex and subject to change. Morgan Stanley does not provide tax or legal advice. Individuals are encouraged to consult their tax and legal advisors (a) before establishing a Retirement Account, and (b) regarding any potential tax, ERISA and related consequences of any investments or other transactions made with respect to a Retirement Account. Individuals should always check with their tax or legal advisor before engaging in any transaction involving 529 Plans, Education Savings Accounts and other tax-advantaged investments.
9Morgan Stanley’s investment advisory programs may require a minimum asset level and, depending on your specific investment objectives and financial position, may not be appropriate for you. Please see the Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC program disclosure brochure (the “Morgan Stanley ADV”) for more information in the investment advisory programs available. The Morgan Stanley ADV is available at www.morganstanley.com/ADV.
10When Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors and Private Wealth Advisors (collectively, “Morgan Stanley”) provide “investment advice” regarding a retirement or welfare benefit plan account, an individual retirement account or a Coverdell education savings account (“Retirement Account”), Morgan Stanley is a “fiduciary” as those terms are defined under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), and/or the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the “Code”), as applicable. When Morgan Stanley provides investment education, takes orders on an unsolicited basis or otherwise does not provide “investment advice”, Morgan Stanley will not be considered a “fiduciary” under ERISA and/or the Code. For more information regarding Morgan Stanley’s role with respect to a Retirement Account, please visit www.morganstanley.com/disclosures/dol. Tax laws are complex and subject to change. Morgan Stanley does not provide tax or legal advice. Individuals are encouraged to consult their tax and legal advisors (a) before establishing a Retirement Account, and (b) regarding any potential tax, ERISA and related consequences of any investments or other transactions made with respect to a Retirement Account. Individuals should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for matters involving trust and estate planning, charitable giving, philanthropic planning and other legal matters.
11Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors or Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Clients should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for legal matters.
12Products and services are provided by third party service providers, not Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”). Morgan Stanley may not receive a referral fee or have any input concerning such products or services. There may be additional service providers for comparative purposes. Please perform a thorough due diligence and make your own independent decision.
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors and Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Clients should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for matters involving trust and estate planning, charitable giving, philanthropic planning and other legal matters.
13Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC is a registered Broker/Dealer, Member SIPC, and not a bank. Where appropriate, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC has entered into arrangements with banks and other third parties to assist in offering certain banking related products and services.
Investment, insurance and annuity products offered through Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC are: NOT FDIC INSURED | MAY LOSE VALUE | NOT BANK GUARANTEED | NOT A BANK DEPOSIT | NOT INSURED BY ANY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY
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