Bill McDonald, CFP^®

About Bill

Bill McDonald, CFP®, is a founding partner and senior wealth management advisor at Tidewater Wealth Management. He works with individuals, families, business owners, charities, and trustees to create holistic, tailored financial plans — always grounded in each client's values, goals, and long-term vision for their lives.

As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and registered investment advisor, Bill brings a disciplined, comprehensive approach to financial planning that connects all the pieces of a client's financial picture: retirement income, tax strategy, estate planning, investment management, and legacy goals.

Bill's Background

Before co-founding Tidewater Wealth Management, Bill served as a Wealth Management Advisor at TIAA Financial Services, where he cultivated and managed client relationships representing approximately $750 million in assets under management. In that role, he developed, delivered, and monitored complex financial plans covering investment planning, income distribution, and tax strategy for clients and their families.

Prior to TIAA, Bill served as head of financial planning for a wealth management team at Merrill Lynch — an experience that deepened his expertise in institutional-level planning and built the foundation for the rigorous, process-driven approach he brings to every client engagement at Tidewater.

Bill has an extensive background in trust and estate planning, which allows him to guide clients through complex estate strategies with clarity and precision — ensuring the best possible outcome for clients and the families and causes they care about most.

Bill's Approach

Bill believes that good financial planning begins with genuine understanding — of where a client is, what they've built, and what they want the rest of their life to look like. His planning process is deliberate and thorough: he takes the time to ask the right questions before making a single recommendation, and he builds plans that are specific enough to be actionable and flexible enough to evolve.

Whether he is working with a professional in their peak earning years, a retiree managing estate complexity, or a trustee navigating fiduciary responsibility, Bill's focus is always the same — clear analysis, sound strategy, and advice that puts the client's interests first.

Expertise & Credentials

• CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®)
• Registered Investment Advisor
• B.S. in Applied Economics, University of Rhode Island
• B.A. in Business Administration, University of Rhode Island
• Extensive background in trust and estate planning
• Former head of financial planning, Merrill Lynch wealth management team
• Serves retirees, near-retirees, business owners, charities, and trustees

Serving Connecticut

Bill works out of Tidewater's West Hartford office at 10 N Main Street and serves clients throughout Hartford County and across Connecticut. He works with clients across a broad range of professional backgrounds and life stages — from high-earning professionals in their mid-thirties building long-term wealth strategies, to retirees navigating the complexity of estate transitions and charitable giving plans.

Beyond the Office

When he is not working, Bill enjoys spending time with his close friends and family. He and his wife are actively involved in giving back to the community through several organizations they support together. Bill also loves to travel and is constantly working on his culinary skills — with plenty of help and encouragement from his wife and son.