

Maria Ross, CFP®, CEPA®, QPFC

My Mission Statement
My Story and Services
Drawing on more than 17 years of investing and wealth planning experience, Maria Ross serves as a trusted advisor to many of the team's clients.
Applying a comprehensive goal-based approach to wealth management, Maria focuses on advanced financial planning for prosperous families. Maria works closely with her clients' tax advisors and attorneys to help ensure their tax optimization and risk mitigation strategies are addressed unilaterally by the entire team working on behalf of each of her clients. She advises clients on complex retirement plan establishment and administration, which includes cash balance, floor offset defined benefit, and 401k plans.
In addition to financial planning, Maria oversees the team's portfolio allocation strategy efforts. In tandem with the development and maintenance of investment models for the group's U.S.-based clients, Maria has been involved in building an offshore model portfolio for those clients who maintain tax residency outside of the U.S. To assist the team's corporate executive clients, Maria also completed training in the areas of Restricted/Performance Stock Units, Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights, Employee Stock Purchase Plans and Rule 10b5-1 Plans.
Maria started her career as an Advisor at Morgan Stanley in 2006. Prior to returning to Morgan Stanley in 2014, to form AGS Wealth Management Group, she spent 6 years at UBS Wealth Management focusing on the needs and goals of private clients and corporations.
Maria holds a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation and has completed advanced Portfolio Management Certification. She earned a Masters of Business Administration degree (MBA) from Long Island University CW Post, and spent a year studying at the European Business School London and Pole Universitaire Leonard de Vinci in Paris as part of the curriculum. She has a Bachelor of Science degree (B.S.) from Lake Superior State University, Cum Laude.
Outside of the office, Maria is a member of the Board of Russian Children's Welfare Society and volunteers in the CFP Board Mentor Program as well serving as a judge for Invest Write, a program of the SIFMA Foundation. She enjoys global travel, golf and reading. Maria is fluent in English and Russian and resides in Weehawken, New Jersey.
- Pre-Liquidity Planning
- Philanthropy Management
- Family Governance & Wealth Education
- Tax, Trust & Estate AdvisoryFootnote1
- Corporate Stock Plans
- 10b5-(1) Programs
- Investment Management
- Retirement & Pension Plans
- Sudden Wealth Financial Planning
NMLS#: 1339283
Our Credentials
Forbes Top Women Best-In-State Wealth Advisors 2025
Source: Forbes.com (Awarded Feb 2025) Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC for the period 9/30/23-9/30/24
Century Club: An elite group comprised of Morgan Stanley's top advisors. The appointment recognizes consistent creativity and excellence in providing a wide range of investment products and wealth management services to clients.
Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) - The CFP® designation identifies those individuals who have met the experience and ethical requirements, have successfully completed financial planning coursework and have passed the CFP Certification Examination covering the following areas: financial planning, risk management, investments, tax-efficient investment planning and management, retirement, employee benefits, and estate planning strategies.
Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA®)- The CEPA® designation is awareded by the Exit Planning Institute (EPI) to professionals who help business owners develop and execute exit strategies that mazximize the value of their businesses before selling or transitioning ownership.
Qualified Plan Financial Consultant - QPFC is the professional credential for financial professionals who sell, advise, market, or support qualified retirement plans. The QPFC program provides an understanding of general retirement planning concepts, terminology, distinctive features of qualified plans and the role of retirement plan professionals.
Insurance Planning Director - Recipients of the Insurance Planning Director designation have demonstrated a commitment to, and understanding of, holistic goals-based wealth management planning through the incorporation of insurance solutions into their practice as a foundational component of risk management.
Portfolio Manager – The designation is given to a select group of financial advisors. It allows them to offer portfolio management services directly to their clients, rather than delegating that responsibility to third-party portfolio managers.
Lending Specialist- This designation is given to advisors that complete a rigorous training program that focuses on evaluating liquidity solutions to complement your existing investment strategy.
Property and Casualty Insurance Specialist- A designation for a high level of understanding of homeowners insurances, personal auto policies, personal liability insurances, title insurance, commercial lines of insurance, and professional liability insurance.
Approach

Location
Meet My Team
About Irina Aristova
Since graduating from the Kazakhstan Institute of Management, Economics & Strategic Research in 2005, her roles have included establishing relationships with international & institutional investors, negotiating capital market deals mainly in the Eurodollar market, and delivering custom solutions to private wealth clients throughout Europe and the United States.
Born in Almaty, Kazakhstan, she is fluent in Russian and conversationally fluent in French. Her passions include reading, architecture, and hiking. In her free time, she supports independent publishing houses and art projects (music/literature/artists).
About Peter Prunty
Peter earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame majoring in finance and philosophy. He earned his MBA from New York University with a concentration in finance.
He is a CFA Charterholder and has also earned the Certificate in Investment Performance Measurement (CIPM) from the CFA Institute. He is a member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society of New York. He currently resides in Little Silver, NJ with his wife Nancy and his two sons.
The Power of Partnerships
About Jane Tarnovsky
Private Bankers partner with Financial Advisors to develop a specialized approach for managing clients’ cash flow, liquidity and financing needs, leveraging our comprehensive suite of cash management and lending solutions.
Jane began her career in financial services in 2004, and joined Morgan Stanley in 2014 as an Interest Rate Derivatives Trade Support Director in Morgan Stanley’s ISG division. Prior to joining the firm, she was in Operations at JVB Financial and an Associate Manager at Prudential Financial.
Jane is a graduate of Rutgers University, where she received a Bachelor of Science in Finance and a Master of Business Administration in Finance. She lives in Brooklyn, New York with her family. Outside of the office, Jane is involved in her community and enjoys working out, cooking, traveling, gardening, and photography.
About Angelo Loumbas
Originally from Chicago, Angelo practiced law for 15 years and represented ultra-high net worth clients and the businesses they owned, as well as major philanthropic organizations. Angelo is admitted to the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. He has spoken on topics such as “Conditions Suggesting a Management Buyout” before the Chicago Bar Association Corporation and Business Law Committee, “Tax Consequences of Intra-Family Loans,” before the Chicago Bar Association Trust Law Committee, and “Conversations about Wealth and Philanthropy with Prospective Donors” before the Chicago Council on Planned Giving.
Prior to rejoining Morgan Stanley in his current position in 2018, Angelo advised wealthy clients in the financial services industry for 10 years, first as a Wealth Strategist with US Trust in Chicago, then a Wealth and Estate Planning Specialist within Family Office Resources in Chicago, and finally as a Senior Wealth Planning Strategist for the Wells Fargo Private Bank in Greenwich, Connecticut. Angelo earned his B.A. from DePauw University, his M.B.A. from the University of Notre Dame, and his law degree from Indiana University at Bloomington. He is Series 7, 66 and 24 licensed. Angelo served as President of the Rotary Club of Chicago (“ROTARY/One”), the world’s first Rotary club, in 2009-2010, and now lives in Armonk, New York with his wife, a native New Yorker, and their two children.
About Kyle Witte
Kyle began his career in financial services with Morgan Stanley in 2012. Prior to his current position, he worked with the financial planning product development team.
Kyle graduated from Florida State University and holds his Certified Financial Planner® designation. He lives on the West Side of Manhattan and appreciates all the perks of a walkable city. Outside of work, he enjoys traveling with friends, reading, football, soccer, and fundraising for a community golf tournament held annually in Florida.
About Andrew Eng
He earned his undergraduate degree from Southern Connecticut State University and received the Financial Planning Specialist® designation from the College for Financial Planning. Andrew is originally from Ridgewood, New Jersey and currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia.
Portfolio Insights
Managing Significant Wealth
- Investment Management
- Wealth Transfer & Philanthropy
- Cash Management & Lending
- Family Governance & Wealth Education
- Signature Access
- Business Services
Insights and Outcomes
Private Wealth Management Podcast
- Intergenerational Planning
- Philanthropic Giving
- Non-Traditional Assets
- Managing Family Wealth
Business Planning
- Succession Planning
- Business Planning
- Qualified Retirement Plans
Retirement
- 401(k) Rollovers
- IRA Plans
- Retirement income strategies
- Retirement plan participants
- Annuities
Financial Wellness
- Reduce employee stress,
- Improve retention and engagement, and
- Set themselves apart by offering comprehensive financial wellness benefits.
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