About Us

Through tailored and timely financial and investment advice, our goal is to help clients succeed financially and work toward their life goals. Whether you’re in the early stages of building wealth or facing complex retirement- or estate-planning choices later in life, we’re ready and equipped to help you make decisions for your future.

Marat Kushner

Managing Principal

Email Address

mkushner@wfafinet.com

Phone Number

(410) 654-0114

Professional Certifications:

  • Yale School of Management (Executive Education), October 2022
  • Harvard University (Professional Development Program) May 2022
  • The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, (Wharton Direct Course), 2000

Education:
  • Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland, 1994

Work Experience:
  • Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC 2001 - present
  • Legg Mason 1999-2001
  • Morgan Stanley 1996-1999
  • Prudential Securities 1994-1996
  • In practice for over 30 years
  • Entrusted with over $630 million in assets under management as of July 26, 2025

Awards & Recognition:
  • Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors 2018, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025*
  • Five Star Wealth Manager 2012 - 2025 as seen in Baltimore Magazine**
  • Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network Platinum Council*** 2005 – 2025

Memberships & Registrations:
  • Member of the Baltimore Estate Planning Council
  • Member of the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce
  • Carroll Community College Foundation
  • Professional Registrations: Series 7, 63, 65, 24

Family:
  • Married to Leah for 26 years
  • Children: Sam, senior at the University of Maryland College Park
  • Abby, freshman at Tulane University
  • Enjoys spending time with family and traveling
  • Marathon Runner


CA Insurance License number: 0H82634. Resident State: MD.

*2025 Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors: Awarded April 2025; Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based on the time period from 6/30/23 - 6/30/24. 2024 Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors: Awarded April 2024; Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based on the time period from 6/30/22 - 6/30/23. 2023 Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors: Awarded April 2023; Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based on the time period from 6/30/21 - 6/30/22. 2022 Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors: Awarded April 2022; Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based on the time period from 6/30/20 - 6/30/21. 2020 Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors: Awarded January 2020; Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based on the time period from 6/30/18 - 6/30/19. 2018 Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors: Awarded February 2018; Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based on the time period from 6/30/16 - 6/30/17 (Source: Forbes.com). The Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisors rating algorithm is based on the previous year’s industry experience, interviews, compliance records, assets under management, revenue and other criteria by SHOOK Research, LLC. Investment performance is not a criterion. Self-completed survey was used for rating. This rating is not related to the quality of the investment advice and based solely on the disclosed criteria.

**The Five Star Wealth Manager award was issued on 01/01/2024 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 04/10/2023 through 11/03/2023. Wealth managers do not pay a fee to be considered or placed on the final list of Five Star Wealth Managers. The award is based on 10 objective criteria. Eligibility criteria – required: 1. Credentialed as a registered investment adviser or a registered investment adviser representative; 2. Actively licensed as a registered investment adviser or as a principal of a registered investment adviser firm for a minimum of 5 years; 3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review (As defined by FSP, the wealth manager has not; A. Been subject to a regulatory action that resulted in a license being suspended or revoked, or payment of a fine; B. Had more than a total of three settled or pending complaints filed against them and/or a total of five settled, pending, dismissed or denied complaints with any regulatory authority or FSP’s consumer complaint process. Unfavorable feedback may have been discovered through a check of complaints registered with a regulatory authority or complaints registered through FSP’s consumer complaint process; feedback may not be representative of any one client’s experience; C. Individually contributed to a financial settlement of a customer complaint; D. Filed for personal bankruptcy within the past 11 years; E. Been terminated from a financial services firm within the past 11 years; F. Been convicted of a felony); 4. Fulfilled their firm review based on internal standards; 5. Accepting new clients. Evaluation criteria – considered: 6. One-year client retention rate; 7. Five-year client retention rate; 8. Non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered; 9. Number of client households served; 10. Education and professional designations. FSP does not evaluate quality of services provided to clients. The award is not indicative of the wealth manager’s future performance. Wealth managers may or may not use discretion in their practice and therefore may not manage their clients’ assets. The inclusion of a wealth manager on the Five Star Wealth Manager list should not be construed as an endorsement of the wealth manager by FSP or this publication. Working with a Five Star Wealth Manager or any wealth manager is no guarantee as to future investment success, nor is there any guarantee that the selected wealth managers will be awarded this accomplishment by FSP in the future. 2,149 Baltimore-area wealth managers were considered for the award; 259 (12% of candidates) were named 2024 Five Star Wealth Managers. Visit www.fivestarprofessional.com.

2012: Award issued on 01/01/2013 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 04/10/2012 through 11/03/2012. 1,470 Baltimore wealth managers were considered for the award; 262 (18% of candidates) were named Five Star Wealth Managers. 

2013: Award issued on 01/01/2014 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 04/10/2013 through 11/03/2013. 1,490 Baltimore wealth managers were considered for the award; 452 (30% of candidates) were named Five Star Wealth Managers. 

2014: Award issued on 01/01/2015 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 04/10/2014 through 11/03/2014. 1,484 Baltimore wealth managers were considered for the award; 384 (26% of candidates) were named Five Star Wealth Managers.


2015: Award issued on 01/01/2016 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 04/10/2015 through 11/03/2015. 1,749 Baltimore wealth managers were considered for the award; 418 (24% of candidates) were named Five Star Wealth Managers.   

2016: Award issued on 01/01/2017 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 04/10/2016 through 11/03/2016. 1215 Baltimore wealth managers were considered for the award;, 356 (29% of candidates) were named Five Star Wealth Managers. 

2017: Award issued on 01/01/2018 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 04/10/2017 through 11/03/2017. 1093 Baltimore wealth managers were considered for the award;, 355 (32% of candidates) were named Five Star Wealth Managers.                                                                                                                    

2018: Award issued on 01/01/2019 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 04/10/2018 through 11/03/2018. 1759 Baltimore wealth managers were considered for the award;, 232 (13% of candidates) were named Five Star Wealth Managers.                                                                                                                    

2019: Award issued on 01/01/2020 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 04/10/2019 through 11/03/2019. 1865 Baltimore wealth managers considered for the award; 265 (14% of candidates) were named Five Star Wealth Managers.

2020: Award issued on 01/01/2021 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 04/10/2020 through 11/03/2020. 1898 Baltimore wealth managers considered for the award ; 234 (14% of candidates) were named Five Star Wealth Managers.

2021: Award issued on 01/01/2022 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 04/10/2021 through 11/03/2021. 2078 Baltimore wealth managers considered for the award ; 224 (11% of candidates) were named Five Star Wealth Managers.

2022: Award issued on 01/01/2023 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 04/10/2022 through 11/03/2022. 2126 Baltimore wealth managers considered for the award ; 263 (12% of candidates) were named Five Star Wealth Managers.

*** The Platinum Council (previously known as Premier Advisor) distinction is held by a select group of Financial Advisors within Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network as measured by completion of educational components, business production based on the past year, and professionalism. Additional criteria, best practices and team structure, may also be used to determine recipients. Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC (WFAFN), Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. WFAFN uses the trade name Wells Fargo Advisors.