My Story and Services

Maria has over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry, utilizing her in-depth knowledge of both credit and capital markets to service a variety of clients while ensuring a level of trust that their best interests will always be the foremost priority. Maria provides both institutional consulting services to various entities including corporations, Superfund sites, and ERISA plans as well as working closely with high-net-worth individuals and families.

Prior to joining Morgan Stanley in 2023, Maria was a Senior Vice President at RBC Wealth Management, as a member of the Institutional Consulting Group and as a Senior Portfolio Manager. She was consistently a member of the President and Chairman’s council. Maria began her investment advisory career at Wells Fargo, where after a 9 year tenure, she transitioned her practice to A.G. Edwards as an institutional consultant.

Maria holds the Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA®) and Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF®) designations, the Series 7, 31, and 66 securities licenses, as well as life, health and long-term care insurance licenses.

Maria was born in Romania and moved to Los Angeles at a young age. She currently lives in Pacific Palisades with her two beloved Wheaten Terriers and spends her free time playing competitive tennis, traveling around the world and figuring out her new real estate remodeling project. Maria graduated from Pepperdine University in Malibu and is very involved with her community and member of the advisory board at the Riviera Country Club.

“I’ve always enjoyed working in the capital markets and finding ways to use them to help our clients succeed. One of my biggest enjoyments in my practice is interacting with clients and becoming familiar with the diverse backgrounds of the people we work with and understanding what their specific needs are. Getting to know them as well as we do really helps energize us in our work and help align our team’s extensive experience with our clients’ goals.
Services Include
Securities Agent: CT, FL, HI, IL, MA, NC, NJ, NV, NY, OK, OR, TN, TX, WA, AL, AZ, CA, CO; General Securities Representative; Investment Advisor Representative; Managed Futures
CA Insurance License #: 0D21649
Check the background of Our Firm and Investment Professionals on FINRA's BrokerCheck.*

ENVIRONMENTAL SETTLEMENT FUNDS

The Lupu Group offers comprehensive institutional consulting services to fiduciaries such as superfunds, retirement plans, foundations, and endowments, to help them address the challenges they face when overseeing large pools of assets.

We provide a clear, prudent process to help you mitigate investment and fiduciary liability risks. Designed to understand and fulfill your responsibilities at every stage of a funds lifecycle, we'll work with you to clearly define your objectives and develop tailored strategies to meet your goals.
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    Cash Flow Modeling Analysis
    Whether in the collection phase or well into their lifecycle, we organize your data of anticipated cash flows and the effects on the corpus of the fund to help determine the appropriate target rate of return.
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    Investment Policy Statement (IPS) Consulting Maintenance
    We'll assist in establishing a formalized document that defines the roles and responsibilities of individuals, in the context of the explicit objectives and assumptions for the assets, to provide current and future fiduciaries a basis for continuity and guidance.
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    Customized Asset Allocation
    Taking everything into account, we'll work with your investment committee to implement a prudent set of targets and ranges for broad asset class inclusion and weightings designed to achieve the appropriate risk/reward profile for the fund.
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    Passive vs. Active Management Analysis
    We believe in controlling investment expenses however possible through low-cost vehicles and maximizing returns from efficient markets where appropriate.

    Additionally, we believe in selecting best in breed active portfolio managers in spaces that warrant a higher degree of expertise.
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    Regular Performance Reporting
    We'll assist the circulation of quarterly reviews to your investment committee to monitor the fund's progress and adherence to its stated IPS goals and parameters.

    We ensure each review is comprehensive and encompasses customized benchmarks and detailed attributions on equity and fixed income components in the context of the overall market.

SOLUTIONS FOR HIGH-NET-WORTH INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES

The Lupu Group offers a holistic approach towards managing wealth by simplifying the often complex lives of high-net-worth individuals and their families. As your primary advisor, we'll coordinate an internal team of multi-disciplinary professionals on your behalf to deliver a full suite of solutions and strategies.
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    Investment Management
    We design and provide a comprehensive review of asset allocation with respect to risk tolerance, return expectations, tax treatment, security concentration, and other considerations required by the client based on their financial circumstance.

    Asset Allocation does not assure a profit or protect against loss in declining financial markets.

    Morgan 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 matters involving trust and estate planning and other legal matters.
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    Customized Income Portfolios
    Our experience in credit markets coupled with Morgan Stanley's intellectual capital and skilled trading partners allow us to provide our clients with bond portfolios that are designed to align their cash flow objectives with their liquidity needs.
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    Retirement Planning
    Whether in the accumulation phase, nearing or already in retirement, we offer a complete review of retirement and taxable assets with respect to income needs to help determine appropriate investment and savings strategies.
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    Legacy and Estate Planning
    We have access to a team of dedicated internal wealth strategists that focus on reviewing existing trust and estate plans to help simplify the process of achieving your goals and how you'd wish to have your assets continue to serve your family and/or philanthropic endeavors.
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    Wealth Protection Strategies
    In addition to estate planning, we offer analysis of existing insurance policies to identify potential opportunities to improve cost or coverage and determine if there are gaps in protecting your beneficiaries.
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    Cash Management & Lending Solutions
    Morgan 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

PURSUING YOUR GOALS TOGETHER

We've developed a strong and active practice that includes a broad range of clients who need professional guidance from managing life-changing events and retirement planning to financing major acquisitions and achieving philanthropic goals.

Our mission is to provide quality strategies customized to your needs. Our goal is to be your primary source of financial advice. To this end, we concentrate our efforts on developing long-term relationships through a commitment to quality client service.
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    Discovery Process
    We'll take time to fully understand you, your family, and your goals when it comes to leaving a legacy you can be proud of. Whether you’re funding education, managing insurance risks, or looking to purchase a home we consider all your objectives beyond retirement planning when building your financial roadmap.
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    Forming Your Strategy
    Using your life goals as our compass, We’ll leverage the resources of Morgan Stanley to create a risk-balanced asset allocation and portfolio management strategy to help guide you towards success.
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    Implementing Your Plan
    We'll pair extensive investment research with planning analysis to provide prudent and proactive advice with the goal of encompassing changes that may impact our approach such as with personal circumstances and the financial environment.
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    Measuring Your Success
    We'll maintain an open, ongoing dialogue to share metrics around your portfolio and the capital markets environment. Ultimately, we’ll measure your progress towards your planning goals of comfort, success, and well-being into and throughout retirement.

Location

100 Wilshire Blvd
Ste 1900
Santa Monica, CA 90401
US
Direct:
(310) 319-5223(310) 319-5223

Meet My Team

About Lauren Mobley

With over 15 years of industry experience, Lauren began her career on the insurance side of the financial services industry and shortly thereafter accepted a position with Lupu Wealth Strategies to pursue her interests in the capital markets and portfolio management. Lauren is dedicated to serving the needs of our clients in a multifaceted capacity. While attending to daily account and client portfolio maintenance, Lauren focuses on investment manager due diligence, performance reporting, reconciliation, and trade execution. Additionally, she provides a formalized framework to help fiduciaries adhere to their duties on institutional relationships.

Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, Lauren worked at RBC Wealth Management, as a Senior Financial Associate. She originally joined the team at their former firm, A.G. Edwards and moved to RBC Wealth Management in the fall of 2008. Lauren holds the Series 7 and 66 securities licenses, as well as life, health and long-term care insurance licenses.

Lauren was born and raised in California, growing up in a small town in Silicon Valley. She later moved to Los Angeles to attend the University of Southern California with an academic scholarship, earning her Bachelor of Arts degree in Global Business & International Finance. She lives in Beverly Hills and enjoys cooking, skiing and traveling around the country to visit her friends and family.
CA Insurance License #: 0F82364
Wealth Management
Global Investment Office

Portfolio Insights

Retirement

Working with you to understand your life goals and develop a personalized wealth strategy. Today and for the years to come.
  • 401(k) Rollovers
  • IRA Plans
  • Retirement income strategies
  • Retirement plan participants
  • Annuities
4 Financially Smart Ways to Take Money Out of Retirement Accounts
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4 Financially Smart Ways to Take Money Out of Retirement Accounts

Discover how planning for required minimum distributions from retirement accounts can help you fund future needs and support loved ones.

Investing

Working closely with you to guide your wealth and investments through the most challenging market cycles.
  • Asset Management
  • Wealth Planning
  • Traditional Investments
  • Alternative Investments
  • Impact Investing
2025 Global Economic Outlook: U.S. Policies May Temper Global Growth
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2025 Global Economic Outlook: U.S. Policies May Temper Global Growth

Global growth is likely to be around 3% in 2025 and 2026, as tariff and immigration policies begin to slow the U.S. economy late next year, and China's underperformance restrains emerging markets.

Family

Creating customized financial strategies for the challenges that today’s families face.
  • Estate Planning Strategies
  • 529 Plans / Education Savings Planning
  • Long Term Care Insurance
  • Special Needs Planning
  • Trust Services
Are You Prepared for Tax Day?
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Are You Prepared for Tax Day?

The countdown to Tax Day has begun. Here are some strategies to consider as the deadline approaches.

Business Planning

Helping you on key aspects of your business such as ownership, liquidity and developing opportunities.
  • Succession Planning
  • Business Planning
  • Qualified Retirement Plans
Financial Planning for Life After Selling a Business
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Financial Planning for Life After Selling a Business

Selling your business can mean big changes for your life, both personally and financially. Know how to make the most of your windfall.

Philanthropy

Making sure your philanthropic dollars are managed with the same high quality service as the rest of your wealth.
  • Endowments
  • Foundations
  • Donor Advised Funds
  • Impact Investing
Donor Advised Funds: A Smart Way to Manage Your Giving 
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Donor Advised Funds: A Smart Way to Manage Your Giving 

There’s more to charitable giving than you may realize. Here’s one method that may be a tax-efficient way to give and can help maximize your impact.
Ready to start a conversation? Contact Maria Lupu today.
Market Information Delayed 20 Minutes
1Morgan 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.

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2Morgan 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.

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3When 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.

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4Morgan 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.
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.

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5Morgan 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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6Products 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.

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Check the background of our Firm and Investment Professionals on FINRA's BrokerCheck*.

The information, products and services described here are intended only for individuals residing in states where this Financial Advisor is properly registered as described in this site.

Morgan Stanley reserves the right, to the extent permitted under applicable law, to retain and monitor all electronic communications. Morgan Stanley will not accept purchase or sale orders via any Internet site, social media site and/or its messaging systems. Morgan Stanley does not endorse and is not responsible and assumes no liability for content, products or services posted by third-parties on any Internet site, social media site and/or its messaging systems. All electronic communications are subject to terms available at the following link:
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The securities/instruments, services, investments and investment strategies discussed in this material may not be appropriate for all investors. The appropriateness of a particular investment, investment strategy or service will depend on an investor's individual circumstances and objectives. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC recommends that investors independently evaluate particular investments, strategies and services, and encourages investors to seek the advice of a Financial Advisor or Private Wealth Advisor. This material does not provide individually tailored investment advice. It has been prepared without regard to the individual financial circumstances and objectives of persons who receive it.

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors or Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Individuals should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for legal matters.

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”) is not implying an affiliation, sponsorship, endorsement with/of the third party or that any monitoring is being done by Morgan Stanley of any information contained within the website. Morgan Stanley is not responsible for the information contained on the third-party website or the use of or inability to use such site. Nor do we guarantee their accuracy or completeness.

The views, opinions or advice contained within third party websites or materials are solely those of the author, who is not a Morgan Stanley employee, and do not necessarily reflect those of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, or its affiliates. The strategies and/or investments referenced may not be appropriate for all investors as the appropriateness of a particular investment or strategy will depend on an investor's individual circumstances and objectives.

*References to length of service at Morgan Stanley include years at Morgan Stanley and predecessor firms.

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Awards Disclosures
CRC 6491812 (04/2024)