$555 million team of advisers jumps to Merrill Lynch from Morgan Stanley

A group of financial advisers managing $555 million in assets has left Morgan Stanley for Bank of America Merrill Lynch, joining the firm in part for the fee-based investment advisory platform it began offering less than three years ago.

The Pohlen Terris and Kasper Group joined the firm’s office in Bloomington, Minn. on April 29, Bank of America spokeswoman Susan Atran said Monday. The six-person team includes Larry Pohlen, his brother David, Marc Terris, Michael Kasper, Kathleen Vaughan and Deborah Smith.

“They came to Merrill for the lending capabilities through Bank of America, our strong technology, our specialist network and our Merrill One platform,” Mark Eckerline, a market executive at the Minnesota office, said in a statement.

Merrill Lynch One is a fee-based platform that advisers use to provide goals-based wealth management services instead of charging commissions for individual transactions.

Many see brokerage firms increasing their fee-based revenue streams because of new regulation this year from the Department of Labor, which requires advisers to demonstrate commissions they collect from retirement accounts are in the best of interest of their clients.

Christine Jockle, a spokeswoman for Morgan Stanley, confirmed the departures but declined further comment.