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James Francis Welde

Investment Adviser Representative at Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated

Bala Cynwyd, PACRD #8114567Dual-registered
No disclosures on record
Sourced from SEC IAPD & FINRA BrokerCheck
Years of Experience
1 yrs
Exams Passed
3

Professional summary

Compiled by AdvisorFinder from public regulatory records. This advisor has not provided a personal biography.

James Francis Welde is an investment adviser representative with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated in Bala Cynwyd, PA, where they have been registered since 2025. They have worked in the securities industry since 2025 and were previously registered with Equitable Advisors, LLC. They have passed 3 industry qualification exams, including the Series 66 (combined investment adviser and state securities agent) and Series 7 (general securities representative). They are registered to provide investment advice in Pennsylvania and Texas.

Office

2 Bala Plz
Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004

Advisors at this office: 39

Branch office as filed with FINRA, counting current advisors in the directory who work there.

Registrations & licenses

Registration type
Dual-registered
As of August 16, 2026, from the advisor's current registrations on SEC IAPD
State registrations
Investment adviser:
Pennsylvania, Texas
Broker:
35 states and territories

Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin

Registration requirements vary by state and service. Contact the advisor's firm to confirm whether they can serve you.

Examinations passed
Series 66
Uniform Combined State Law Examination
Passed 7/23/2025
Series 7
General Securities Representative Examination
Passed 7/1/2025
SIE
Securities Industry Essentials Examination
Passed 5/9/2025

Financial-firm registration history

Registration history as reported to FINRA, most recent first.

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith IncorporatedCurrent
11/13/2025 – Bala Cynwyd, PA
Equitable Advisors, LLC
7/31/2025 – 9/2/2025Havertown, PA

Reported employment history

Employment the advisor reported on their SEC/FINRA filings, as of October 8, 2026. It may not be a complete history.

  1. Unemployed
    Jun 2025 – Sep 2025Havertown, PA
  2. Villanova University
    Aug 2021 – May 2025Villanova, PA
  3. Tropion Capital Partners
    May 2024 – Jul 2024Miami, FL
  4. Donohue Funeral Home
    Jun 2021 – Jan 2024Upper Darby, PA
  5. Monsignor Bonnor and Archbishop Prendergast High School
    Sep 2017 – Jun 2021Drexil HIll, PA
  6. Cardinal John Foley Middle School
    Sep 2014 – Jun 2017Havertown, PA
  7. Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
    Sep 2025 – no end date reportedBala Cynwyd, PA
  8. Firstrust Financial Resources - Equitable Advisors
    Aug 2025 – Sep 2025Bala Cynwyd, PA
  9. Bank of America, N.A.
    Nov 2025 – no end date reportedBala Cynwyd, PA

Official records & sources

Data as of August 10, 2026 · Source: SEC IAPD & FINRA BrokerCheck

About Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated

These details describe the firm overall. Individual advisors' services, clients, and fees may differ.

Fee arrangements the firm reports

  • Percentage of assets under management
  • Commissions
  • Fixed fee

Arrangements the firm reports on its Form ADV; this advisor may not charge every fee listed. Estimated from the firm's Form ADV — individual terms may differ. Not a quote.

Services the firm offers

Small Business 401(k) plans including Group 401(k) and Individual 401(k), SEP IRA, SIMPLE IRA, investment fiduciary services, recordkeeping, trading, custodial and financial wellness services, and call center educational support for employees.

Portfolio Management for Individuals and Small BusinessesPortfolio Management for Businesses and InstitutionsPension ConsultingSelection of Other AdvisersEducational Seminars and Workshops
Firm areas of expertise
Small Business 401(k)Retirement PlansSEP IRASIMPLE IRAInvestment FiduciaryTax DeductionsRecordkeepingFinancial Wellness

Client types the firm serves

IndividualsHigh Net WorthPension/Profit SharingCharitable OrganizationsInsurance CompaniesCorporationsOther

Firm assets under management

$25B+

Firm disclosures (Form ADV)
No disciplinary history reportedVerify on SEC IAPD
Advisors listed on AdvisorFinder:
25,472
Offices listed on AdvisorFinder:
26
Main office:
New York, NY
SEC file number:
801-14235

Counts reflect AdvisorFinder directory coverage, not necessarily the firm's complete network.

Form ADV data as of September 24, 2026

View full firm profile

Other advisors at Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated

Showing 12 of 25,472 in the directory

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About this profile

This profile was compiled and published by AdvisorFinder as editorial content using publicly available information from the SEC's IAPD database and FINRA BrokerCheck. James Francis Welde has not reviewed, approved, or endorsed this profile and is not responsible for its accuracy. Regulatory records change over time — always verify the current record directly on BrokerCheck or SEC.gov before making any decision. AdvisorFinder may be compensated for referrals generated through this page.

BrokerCheck data is used subject to the FINRA BrokerCheck Terms of Use. Found something inaccurate? Report inaccurate data and we will correct any error we introduced. Errors in the underlying BrokerCheck record itself are referred to FINRA, which maintains that record.

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James Francis Welde (Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith)