Why We Do What We Do

I'm Sergio Mariaca and I opened Mariaca Wealth to provide clients with an honest, fully transparent option to high-fee, high-commission brokers.

I grew up in Puerto Rico with parents who were both successful entrepreneurs. They taught me how hard work and perseverance can help a family achieve great financial success. Unfortunately, their experiences also taught me how quickly life’s curveballs can decimate everything a family has built.

Shortly after my parents retired, my father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. They had limited insurance coverage, which led to over $1,000,000 in medical bills. My father passed away, and my mother was left alone with a terribly depleted nest egg. To make matters worse, her broker had invested a large amount of her remaining nest egg in dot.com stocks that were about to come crashing down.

It's impossible to see people you love go through that kind of experience and not be affected by it. I immediately shifted my focus from the law to finance and became a wealth advisor. After working in the field for a few years, I saw how brokers constantly padded their pockets with hidden commissions and unnecessary fees that their clients were paying without even realizing it. And, while it was legal, it just wasn't right.

That's why I joined the 3% of wealth managers held to a higher legal standard, that of a fee-only fiduciary. As a fee-only fiduciary, I always make recommendations that are in my clients "best interests." I also use my expertise and fiduciary status to strip away unnecessary fees and commissions and I help my clients invest in low-fee, long-term products with zero commissions and 100% transparency.

Bottom line? I love helping families enjoy rich full lives and the financial freedom they've worked so hard to earn.