About Me
Ira Hershkowitz is a Managing Director, Financial Advisor and founding partner of the Hershkowitz-Westphal-Clemens Group at Morgan Stanley in Bellevue. Ira holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification awarded by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. Prior to being at Morgan Stanley, he had been with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management since 1995. He has a J.D. from the U.C.L.A. School of Law (not practicing at Morgan Stanley) and a B.S. in Business Administration with a Concentration in Economics from the Wharton School of Business of the University of Pennsylvania. Ira was named to the Barron's "Top 1,200 Financial Advisors" list in 2021*, 2020, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014 and 2010. He was also recognized in Forbes "Best-in-State Wealth Advisors" list in February 2025*, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019 and 2018.
The most treasured thing I own: An autographed menu from Jilly’s Restaurant, a famous NYC watering hole for the Rat Pack.
Favorite place I’ve travelled: Sicily, it’s like going back in time. Great pizza too.
One piece of advice: ‘Never give in,…-in nothing, great or small, large or petty, -never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense’. Winston Churchill
Hobbies & Interests: Playing and studying the drums…a lifelong aspiration that I realized during the pandemic. I also enjoy going to Trivia Nights at local spots with friends and family.
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP® and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ in the U.S.
The College for Financial Planning Institutes Corp. owns the service marks Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor℠, CRPC®, and the CRPC® logo, and the certification marks Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™, CRPC™, and the CRPC™ logo.
2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2025 Forbes Best-In- State Wealth Advisors
Source: Forbes.com (Awarded 2018-2022). Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based 12-month time period concluding in June of year prior to the issuance of the award.
2010;2014;2015;2016;2017;2020;2021 Barron's Top 1,200 Financial Advisors: State-by-State (formerly referred to as Barron's Top 1,000 Financial Advisors: State-by-State)
Source: Barrons.com (Awarded 2010;2014;2015;2016;2017;2020;2021). Data compiled by Barron's based on 12-month period concluding in Sept of the year prior to the issuance of the award.
Securities Agent: AZ, ID, CO, CA, TX, PA, NY, NV, NM, MI, CT, FL, HI, WY, MD, GA, WA, VA, TN, MN, IN, DC, NJ, MT, UT, OR, NC, LA, SC, OH, MA, IL; General Securities Representative; Investment Advisor Representative; Managed Futures
NMLS#: 526535