Judith Lee
Wealth Management Advisor/Senior Vice President
Merrill Lynch
Bedminster, NJ
At Merrill Lynch, Judith Lee, senior vice president and wealth management advisor, advises individuals and families in many different aspects of financial well-being, including college saving, retirement plans, cash deposit options, and access to lending options. She focuses on individualized, goals-based advice, tailoring strategies to the objectives of her clients, with particular emphasis on women and the issues that can impact their financial health. Longevity, for example, can pose the risk of women outliving their assets. Lee provides information that empowers women investors to make better decisions to mitigate that risk.
Lee emigrated from Jamaica with her family as a young girl. Her parents played a key role in shaping her future by instilling in her high standards of achievement and excellence, she says. Other mentors played important roles as well, one of whom encouraged her to take a chance by transitioning from retail fashion merchandising to banking. Recognizing how critical mentorship can be to one’s career growth and development, Lee’s daughter, Simone, recently joined her mother’s wealth management team.
Mother and daughter recently were featured in a podcast hosted by Investment News, an industry publication. In February, Lee was named to “Best-in-State Wealth Advisor” list for the second year in a row. Lee is committed to giving back to her community, especially in causes that affect women and youth. She serves on the Women’s Leadership Council of the Northern New Jersey United Way, helping to support women who may be in need of additional resources.
An avid traveler and connoisseur of various cultures and cuisines, Lee declares her native Jamaica her happy place! Married and a proud mother to two adult daughters, Lee earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Hofstra University and is a Certified Financial Planner™.
