Welcome

I help clients manage their risk, liability and assets through the accumulation, preservation and distribution phases of their lives. I will also assist in positioning those assets to pass from one generation to the next. The demands of the financial markets heighten the need for the objectivity, experience and evaluation of an investment management consultant. As a Certified Investment Management ConsultantSM, I will assist you in establishing realistic objectives, evaluate compatible investment philosophies and pursue the appropriate investment strategy. If you are looking for an overall plan or an evaluation of your portfolio and would like to work with a professional who has earned the certification that represents experience and knowledge, please contact me.
Services Include
Securities Agent: HI, TN, OR, DC, PA, NY, GA, FL, NV, MI, LA, CT, CA, ME, NE, NC, MA, IL, WY, MT, CO, AL, KY, VA, UT, TX, SC, NM, MD; General Securities Representative; Investment Advisor Representative; Managed Futures
NMLS#: 1255723
CA Insurance License #: NMLS # 1255723 CA Insurance #4125896
Check the background of Our Firm and Investment Professionals on FINRA's BrokerCheck.*
Biography
Mike began his career as a financial consultant in 1989 when he joined Smith Barney, a predecessor firm of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney. He concentrates his practice on fee-based Investment Management Consulting, and serves a diverse clientele that includes Endowments, Foundations, and entrepreneurial and professional individual investors.

Mike is a Certified Investment Management Consultant, which is earned through the Investment Management Consultants Association (IMCA) in association with The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. The certification, which reflects experience, education, examination, and ethical standards, integrates a complex body of investment knowledge to provide objective investment advice to individuals and institutions. That knowledge is applied systematically and ethically to assist clients in making prudent investment decisions. Mike has also been recognized as an outstanding service professional and awarded the Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors four consecutive years, 2021-2024.

Mike has earned the Family Wealth Advisor Designation (FWA). The FWA designation is granted to those Financial Advisors who have successfully completed an accreditation program focused on the skills needed to help families communicate about money and values, share their goals, and grow and protect wealth across generations. With this specialized knowledge, FWAs are able to provide strategic guidance to families and deliver wealth management strategies that put families – and their collective values and goals first.

He is a graduate of the University of Georgia and a lifelong resident of the Atlanta area. Mike is a resident of Johns Creek, where he lives with his wife and two children. In his leisure time, he enjoys, mountain biking, camping and fly fishing.

Award Disclosure:
Source: Forbes.com (Awarded 2021 - 2024). Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based 12-month time period concluding in June of year prior to the issuance of the award.
Charitable/Community Foundations
- Bighorn River Alliance
- Chattahoochee Riverkeeper
- Food Bank of Northeast Georgia
- Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta
- Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation

My Process

As your dedicated wealth manager, my role is to tailor a personalized financial strategy which fits your needs. Through my experience of working with clients, I have developed a step-by-step approach to service.
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    Step 1: Discovery Process
    We take the time to fully understand you and your family-whether you're planning for retirement, purchasing a home, or living out your golden years-we consider all of your challenges, goals, and aspirations when building your financial picture.
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    Step 2: Forming Your Strategy
    Using your life goals as our compass, we create a risk-balanced strategy which is designed to map a clear path to achieving your success.
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    Step 3: Implementing Your Plan
    We apply extensive research and analysis, and also utilize Morgan Stanley's full suite of resources, to help ensure swift decisive action in all market scenarios.
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    Step 4: Measuring Your Success
    We check in with you to deliver metrics around your portfolio, and ultimately measure trajectory towards your goals. Our ultimate mission is your success and well-being.

A FINANCIAL PLAN MADE FOR 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.
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    LifeView Intelligent Planning
    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.
    Complete Questionnaire Here
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    Strategy - Intelligent Withdrawals
    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 your make today can help you save for years to come. Use the resources found in the link below to help get started.
    View Tax-Aware Strategies Here
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    Aladdin - Intelligent Risk Management
    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.
    Portfolio Risk Platform – Powered by Aladdin
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    Spending and Budgeting Tool
    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.
    Start Using the Tool Today
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    Estate Planning
    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.
    Learn More Here
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    Family Office Resources
    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.
    Family Office Resources

Certifications and Awards

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    Family Wealth Advisor (FWA)
    The FWA designation is granted to Financial Advisors who have successfully completed an accreditation program focused on the skills needed to help families communicate about money and values, share their goals, and grow and protect wealth across generations. With this specialized knowledge, FWAs are able to provide strategic guidance to families and deliver wealth management strategies that put families – and their collective values and goals first.
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    Certified Investment Management Consultant® (CIMC®)
    The CIMC® certification, which reflects experience, education, examination, and ethical standards, integrates a complex body of investment knowledge to provide objective investment advice to individuals and institutions. That knowledge is applied systematically and ethically to assist clients in making prudent investment decisions.
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    Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC®)
    The CRPC® designation is arguably the nation’s premier retirement planning credential. Individuals who hold the CRPC® designation have completed extensive coursework encompassing pre- and post-retirement needs, asset management, estate planning and the entire retirement planning process using models and techniques from real client situations.
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    Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors
    Mike Rothfarb was named as a Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors from 2021-2024.

    Source: Forbes.com (Awarded 2021 - 2024). Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based 12-month time period concluding in June of year prior to the issuance of the award.
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    Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Management Teams
    The Rothfarb Cherniak Group at Morgan Stanley was named to the 2024 Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Management Teams rankings.

    Source: Forbes.com (Awarded Jan 2024) Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based for the period from 3/31/22–3/31/23.
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    Atlanta Magazine Five Star Wealth Manager
    Mike Rothfarb was named an Atlanta Magazine Five Star Wealth Manager from 2012-2023.

    Source: fivestarprofessional.com (Awarded 2012-2023) These awards were determined through an evaluation process conducted by Five Star Professional, based on objective criteria, during the following periods:

    2012 Award - 2/4/12 - 7/22/12
    2013 Award - 2/4/13 - 7/22/13
    2014 Award - 2/4/14- 7/22/14
    2015 Award - 2/4/15 - 7/22/15
    2016 Award - 2/4/16 - 7/22/16
    2017 Award - 12/30/16 - 7/14/17
    2018 Award - 12/29/17 - 7/24/18
    2019 Award - 12/10/18 - 7/23/19
    2020 Award - 12/23/19 - 7/10/20
    2021 Award - 11/30/20 - 6/25/21
    2022 Award - 12/13/21 - 6/10/22
    2023 Award - 11/14/22 - 5/31/23

Client Service Team

    Janet Ash - Senior Client Service Associate
    Phone:
    (770) 643-7605(770) 643-7605
    Email:Janet.L.Ash@morganstanley.com
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    Team Photo
    Phone:
    (770) 643-7633(770) 643-7633
    Email:mike.rothfarb@morganstanley.com
    Securities Agent: HI, TN, OR, DC, PA, NY, GA, FL, NV, MI, LA, CT, CA, ME, NE, NC, MA, IL, WY, MT, CO, AL, KY, VA, UT, TX, SC, NM, MD; General Securities Representative; Investment Advisor Representative; Managed Futures
    NMLS#: 1255723

Location

2400 Lakeview Pkwy
Suite 300
Alpharetta, GA 30009
US
Direct:
(770) 643-7633(770) 643-7633
Toll-Free:
(800) 965-3168(800) 965-3168
Fax:
(470) 558-3525(470) 558-3525

The Power of Partnerships

By partnering with experienced individuals across wealth disciplines, Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors can align specialized resources with your custom needs and deliver strategic guidance through the familiarity and trust of existing relationships

About Nikki Roberts

Nikki Roberts is a Private Banker serving Morgan Stanley Wealth Management offices in Georgia.

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.

Nikki began her career in financial services in 2007, and joined Morgan Stanley in 2017. Prior to joining the firm, she was a Senior Wealth Management Lending Officer at Merrill Lynch. She also served as a Private Banker and Investment Analyst at JP Morgan’s Private Bank.

Nikki is a graduate of The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where she received a Bachelor of Science in Economics. She lives in Alpharetta, Georgia. Outside of the office, Nikki enjoys reading, listening to live music, and skiing. She volunteers with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and the University of Pennsylvania Alumni Club.
NMLS#: 821883

About Lisa Bingaman

Lisa is a Vice President and Financial Planning Director serving Morgan Stanley’s Wealth Management offices in the state of Georgia. She is responsible for helping Financial Advisors’ clients and prospects with their financial planning needs.

Lisa is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and Chartered Financial Consultant® who began her career in Financial Services in 2007. She has been Series 7 and Series 66 registered, and Life/Health/Variable Annuities Licensed for 17 years. Before joining Morgan Stanley, Lisa was one of five Internal National Certified Financial Planners for Nationwide Financial, but the bulk of her experience was with Wells Fargo Advisors, where she collaborated with several teams and Financial Advisors in the Southeast region to consult on processes and procedures for implementing Financial Planning into the practice. Here, she mentored under a Branch Manager and CFP®, while working towards her own designations.

In addition to her degrees in Business Management and Psychology, Lisa holds a Bachelor of Science in Consumer Economics with a Concentration in Financial Planning from the University of Georgia. She lives in Middle Georgia with her husband and their 2 children, where they spend most of their free time on the baseball and soccer fields.

About Michael Cheung

Michael Cheung is a Planning Associate at Morgan Stanley providing dedicated financial planning support to Advisors and their teams. Operating as an extension of the FA/Team, he collaborates with clients to discover and define goals that matter most to them. Leveraging state of the art technology, he will evaluate various alternatives and their potential outcomes to help clients confidently choose the appropriate course of action. Michael provides expertise across a wide suite of Morgan Stanley planning tools designed to assist in the areas of investment accumulation, retirement, education, major purchase, cash flow, risk management, tax efficiency, and wealth transfer planning.

He earned his undergraduate degree from Nebraska Wesleyan University and [received the Financial Planning Specialist® designation from the College for Financial Planning. Michael is originally from Hong Kong and currently resides in New York City, NY.
Wealth Management
Global Investment Office

Portfolio Insights

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.

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.

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 Mike Rothfarb today.
Market Information Delayed 20 Minutes
1Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is the trade name of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, a registered broker-dealer in the United States.

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2Morgan 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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3Morgan 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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4Morgan 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 (“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.

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6Morgan 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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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.

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and federally registered CFP (with flame design) in the U.S, which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.

The use of the CDFA designation does not permit the rendering of legal advice by Morgan Stanley or its Financial Advisors which may only be done by a licensed attorney.  The CDFA designation is not intended to imply that either Morgan Stanley or its Financial Advisors are acting as experts in this field.

Awards Disclosures
CRC 6491812 (04/2024)