

The Lockhart Sanders Group at Morgan Stanley

Our Mission Statement
Our Story and Services
- Professional Portfolio ManagementFootnote1
- Wealth PlanningFootnote2
- Estate Planning StrategiesFootnote3
- Retirement PlanningFootnote4
- Executive Financial ServicesFootnote5
- Trust AccountsFootnote6
- Business Succession PlanningFootnote7
- Alternative InvestmentsFootnote8
- 401(k) Rollovers
- Endowments and FoundationsFootnote9
- Corporate Investment SolutionsFootnote10
RISK MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENT SOLUTIONS
Who likes paying taxes? No one. Being Portfolio Managers with a personalized plan in place, we can effectively manage your finances, minimize taxes, and make smart investment decisions.
Just as your lifestyle is ever changing, the investment portfolio should evolve with it. Risk management is key to minimizing market volatility in the unforeseen event of a large withdrawal. Utilizing our award winning risk analysis platform, Aladdin, we help to ease your overall risk to capture opportunistic timing.
- Evaluating our Global Investment Committee’s Approved/Focus Lists, AAA 2.0, Risk, and Value Scoring measurements to align your ideal portfolio and goals
- With over + 50years of experience, we screen individual investment product to customize your portfolio in order to achieve your goals
Let's ensure your legacy rests in good hands.
Under the guidance of our trusted team, you can feel a sense of relief knowing that we dedicate our practice to safeguarding what's most important to you:
Legacy & Estate Planning Strategies
- When the time comes, you may want to transfer your assets to your loved ones. It can be difficult to decide which financial products are right for you, based on your unique financial needs and risk tolerance. It can be even more difficult to ensure that these policies are updated to incorporate major changes in your family, such as: children, marriage, death, and divorce. Ultimately, legacy planning with The Lockhart Sanders Group allows you to ensure the safety of your family and assets without the stress of constantly adjusting to changing circumstances and laws.
Business Succession Planning
- Your business practice deserves strategies in place to safeguard the legacy of all your hard work throughout the years. Let's work together to ensure you're prepared for any potential changes to the business environment and equip your successors to seamlessly transition into their future roles.
Charitable Giving & Philanthropy
- Achieve your financial goals while maintaining your environmental, social and governance ideals. While making investments with impact can seem daunting, there are several ways to implement investments that benefit you and the world around you.
Life Insurance
- Life insurance may be a powerful tool for investors when applied in context of other strategic decisions. It's prudent for investors to consider life insurance with their overall wealth and trust, tax and estate plans so that the features of life insurance may be complementary to other decisions taken. The Lockhart Sanders Group is positioned to reliably and effectively manage your life insurance policy in light of changing market and personal conditions.
Intergenerational Wealth Transfer & Taxes
- Intergenerational wealth transfers may reduce or eliminate estate taxes by not only getting assets out of the first generation's future estate through gifting, but also by funding the purchase of insurance to provide a death benefit to pay estate taxes, if any. It is critical for the insurance policy to be excluded from the estate so that the death benefit will not be included in the first generation's estate and therefore will not be subject to estate tax.
Estate equalization
- Estate equalization using insurance may be appropriate for blended families, or in situations when a family has assets that are meant to benefit a specific individual but, in doing so, would disinherit one or more of the beneficiaries of the estate.
- For example, one child runs the family business that compromises the majority of the parent's estates and the other children are not active in the business and have no interest in participating. Another example, includes proceeds from a life policy are left to the children of a prior marriage to ensure that those children don't have to wait for the surviving step-parent to pass in order to receive their inheritance.
Location
Meet The Lockhart Sanders Group
About Me
My mission is to positively affect the lives of people I come in contact with whether it be through a smile, a laugh, or by guiding a family to help achieve their financial dreams. My strength is the ability to discern what clients are really saying about their financial and life priorities.
I lead an experienced team of professionals at Morgan Stanley. Along with my partner and wife, Linda Sanders, and our team, The Lockhart Sanders Group has more than 100 years of combined experience. Having obtained the Certified Investment Management Analyst® (CIMA®) designation and combined with Linda’s Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) certification, we are well positioned to plan for your financial goals and objectives.
During my first 25 years at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, I worked with some of the largest hedge fund and trading accounts on Wall Street. I was exposed to a high-level of financial intellect and learned what moves smart money. I bring this wealth of knowledge and experience to the clients we serve today.
We focus on addressing the needs of today’s affluent investor. It is with a complete analysis of each client’s set of goals and circumstances that we are able to offer specific planning and financial recommendations. Frequent review sessions allow us to assess progress and when necessary, adjust investment strategies to help better position clients for their future.
The partnership with my wife, Linda, has complemented our team’s approach to wealth management planning. As a married couple, we’re positioned to understand the psychology of marriage and the affects positive money decisions can have on a family.
MICHAEL'S HONORS & RECOGNITION:
Michael was named to Forbes “Best in State Wealth Advisors” list in 2023 for the sixth consecutive year.
2018-2023 Forbes Best-In- State Wealth Advisors
Source: Forbes.com (Awarded 2018-2023). Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based 12-month time period concluding in June of year prior to the issuance of the award.
In 2023 Michael and his team, The Lockhart Sanders Group was also names to the Forbes “Best in State Wealth Management Teams”.
Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Management Teams
Source: Forbes.com (Awarded Jan 2023) Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based on time period from 3/31/21-3/31/22.
In 2009, Michael was honored to be awarded to the Barron’s “Top 1,000 Financial Advisors: State by State” list.
Barron's Top 1,000 Financial Advisors: State-by-State
Source: Barron's.com (Awarded Feb 2009) Data compiled by Barron's based on time period from Sept 2007 - Sept 2008.
NMLS#: 579033
About Me
Each client is assisted with quantifying and qualifying financial goals. A personalized plan including a net worth statement, an asset allocation, a retirement projection, and estate planning strategies are outlined. We design and implement an investment strategy and regularly monitor and report on performance. Access is provided to innovative and timely investment opportunities delivering our vast industry experience and the intellectual capital of Morgan Stanley.
I am a graduate of the University of Virginia with a B.A. in Economics and earned a master’s degree in Public Policy from Stony Brook University. I am a Senior Vice President at Morgan Stanley and hold the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) certification awarded by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc.
My business partner Michael Lockhart and I are married and have two grown sons, John and Andrew. After running separate businesses for fifteen years, we merged our practices to form The Lockhart Sanders Group. Our work together has enriched our lives and allows us to share our distinctive experiences and skill sets with clients.
I enjoy work within my community. My current involvements include board service on the Frank Melville Memorial Foundation, a private park for public enjoyment, and The Sunshine Center, providing resources for families to prevent addiction, and active membership in the Caroline Episcopal Church. In my free time, my husband and I enjoy going on biking excursions together and taking in new experiences throughout our travels.
NMLS#: 579045
About Brenda C. Connolly
About Benjamin J. Cotter
Benjamin and his wife, Samantha, live in Huntington.

Contact Michael G. Lockhart

Contact Linda L. Sanders
Portfolio Insights
Retirement
- 401(k) Rollovers
- IRA Plans
- Retirement income strategies
- Retirement plan participants
- Annuities
Investing
- Asset Management
- Wealth Planning
- Traditional Investments
- Alternative Investments
- Impact Investing
Family
- Estate Planning Strategies
- 529 Plans / Education Savings Planning
- Long Term Care Insurance
- Special Needs Planning
- Trust Services
Business Planning
- Succession Planning
- Business Planning
- Qualified Retirement Plans
Philanthropy
- Endowments
- Foundations
- Donor Advised Funds
- Impact Investing
Financial Wellness
- Reduce employee stress,
- Improve retention and engagement, and
- Set themselves apart by offering comprehensive financial wellness benefits.
1Morgan Stanley’s investment advisory programs may require a minimum asset level and, depending on your specific investment objectives and financial position, may not be appropriate for you. Please see the Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC program disclosure brochure (the “Morgan Stanley ADV”) for more information in the investment advisory programs available. The Morgan Stanley ADV is available at www.morganstanley.com/ADV.
For more information, please see the Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC Client Relationship Summary.
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.
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.
3Morgan 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.
4When 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.
5Morgan 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.
6Morgan 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.
7Morgan 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.
8Alternative Investments are speculative and include a high degree of risk. An investor could lose all or a substantial amount of his/her investment. Alternative investments are appropriate only for qualified, long-term investors who are willing to forgo liquidity and put capital at risk for an indefinite period of time.
9Morgan 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.
10Morgan 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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