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Financial Planning Director, Vice President
About Cris Vega
Cris Vega is a vice president and financial planning director, serving Morgan Stanley Wealth Management offices in the Beverly Hills, Pasadena, Palm Desert and surrounding branches in the Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. He is responsible for helping financial advisors with their clients' and prospects' financial planning needs.
Cris began his career in financial services in 2004 and joined Morgan Stanley in 2022. Cris specializes in estate planning for high-net-worth clients and pension analysis for government employees. Prior to his current position, Cris served high-net-worth clients at Mission Square Retirement for over 13 years. Cris also has worked at Merrill Lynch and Banc of America Securities.
Cris graduated from California State University of Fullerton and earned his Master of Arts degree in economics. Cris also has earned his MBA from California State University of Los Angeles. His BS in finance was earned at California State University of Long Beach. Cris holds his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation. He lives in Hacienda Heights, CA, with his wife and daughters. Outside of work, Cris coaches a high school debate team and is also a part-time instructor of economics at CSU Fullerton and Mt. SAC college.
DISCLOSURE:
Important information about your relationship with your Financial Advisor and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC when using a Financial Planning tool. When your Financial Advisor prepares a Financial Plan, they will act in an investment advisory capacity for thirty (30) days after the delivery of your Financial Plan. To understand the differences between brokerage and advisory relationships, you should consult your Financial Advisor, or review our “Understanding Your Brokerage and Investment Advisory Relationships,” brochure available at https://www.morganstanley.com/wealth-relationshipwithms/pdfs/understandingyourrelationship.pdf.
You have sole responsibility for making all investment decisions with respect to the implementation of a Financial Plan. You may implement the Financial Plan at Morgan Stanley or at another firm. If you engage or have engaged Morgan Stanley, it will act as your broker, unless you ask it, in writing, to act as your investment adviser on any particular account.
Morgan 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.
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.
© 2026 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC.
About Sean Lavin
Sean is a Regional Trust Specialist for Morgan Stanley based in Los Angeles. He is responsible for supporting Private Wealth Advisors and their clients’ legal counsel in developing trust and fiduciary solutions for families, institutions and charities. Sean works closely with clients and their legal and strategic advisors to help educate them on appropriate trust vehicles designed to meet the clients’ specific goals and objectives. Sean also provides advice on how to utilize the fiduciary services available through the Morgan Stanley’s comprehensive third party trustee platform that is available to clients.
Sean joined Morgan Stanley in 1999 including several years as a Senior Vice President and Regional Trust Specialist with Smith Barney and Citi Trust. Prior to then, Sean was a Senior Trust Officer with Merrill Lynch / Bank of America.
Sean graduated from the University of Southern California with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and received his master’s degree in business administration from the UCLA Anderson School of Management. Sean holds the Certified Financial Planner and Certified Trust and Financial Advisor designations and is Series 7 and 66 licensed.
Important information about your relationship with your Financial Advisor and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC when using a Financial Planning tool. When your Financial Advisor prepares a Financial Plan, they will act in an investment advisory capacity for thirty (30) days after the delivery of your Financial Plan. To understand the differences between brokerage and advisory relationships, you should consult your Financial Advisor, or review our “Understanding Your Brokerage and Investment Advisory Relationships,” brochure available at
https://www.morganstanley.com/wealth-relationshipwithms/pdfs/understandingyourrelationship.pdf.You have sole responsibility for making all investment decisions with respect to the implementation of a Financial Plan. You may implement the Financial Plan at Morgan Stanley or at another firm. If you engage or have engaged Morgan Stanley, it will act as your broker, unless you ask it, in writing, to act as your investment adviser on any particular account.
Morgan 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.
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.
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 trusts, estate planning, charitable giving, philanthropic planning and other legal matters.
Morgan Stanley 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.
Trusts are not necessarily appropriate for all clients. There are risks and considerations which may outweigh any potential benefits. Establishing a trust will incur fees and expenses which may be substantial. Trusts often incur ongoing administrative fees and expenses such as the services of a corporate trustee, attorney, or tax professional.
Trust services are provided by third parties who are not affiliated with Morgan Stanley. Neither Morgan Stanley nor its affiliates are the provider of such trust services and will not have any input or responsibility concerning a client’s eligibility for, or the terms and conditions associated with these trust services. Neither Morgan Stanley nor its affiliates shall be responsible for any advice or services provided by the unaffiliated third parties. Morgan Stanley or its affiliates may participate in transactions on a basis separate from the referral of clients to these third parties and may receive compensation in connection with referrals made to them.