Merrill Lynch Fires Veteran Advisor for Ignoring Mandated Commission Discounts

Posted on April 29th, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Merrill Lynch Fires Veteran Advisor for Ignoring Mandated Commission Discounts

From the desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law

Merrill Lynch has terminated Daniel G. Diaz, a 37-year industry veteran, for refusing to apply commission discounts to certain client accounts as instructed by management, according to his Central Registration Depository (CRD) record.

AdvisorHub reports that the discharge cited Diaz’s failure to “follow management’s decision to apply discounts to the commissions applicable to certain customer accounts.”

As reported by AdvisorHub, the incident comes amid broader tensions in the brokerage industry over pricing and perceived advisor value. Merrill has recently warned advisors about declining average fees and urged them to better justify their compensation. Late last year, executives emphasized the need to “re-establish” the firm’s value proposition and promised further training on fee discussions and annual review practices.

 

Eccleston Law LLC represents investors and financial advisors nationwide in securities, employment, transition, regulatory, and disciplinary matters.

Tags: eccleston, eccleston law

Return to Archive

TESTIMONIALS

Previous
Next

Fantastic news!!!!  Your professionalism, support and expertise were greatly appreciated.  You made a difficult situation much more bearable.

Marci M.

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

May 13, 2025
Merrill's Investment Solutions Chief Outlines Growing Role for Alternatives in Client Portfolios

At Merrill and Bank of America Private Bank, alternative investments have become a core focus of portfolio construction, according to Financial Planning.

May 12, 2025
FINRA Clarifies Proposed Changes to Outside Activities Rule

FINRA released a statement this week addressing misconceptions surrounding its proposed updates to the rules governing outside business activities by associated persons of broker-dealers.

May 9, 2025
FINRA Suspends Former Wells Fargo Advisor Over Unauthorized Transfer in Elderly Client's Account

FINRA has fined and suspended former Wells Fargo financial advisor Jarrett Thomas after he executed a $50,000 transaction for an elderly client despite being informed that she was no longer capable of managing her finances.