Practitioner’s Brief

by John Cervantes, CFA

✓ CFA® Charterholder · ✓ $1.25B Managed at Merrill Lynch · ✓ Crisis-Tested Since '08

Making Sense of Markets

A practitioner’s perspective on investing and managing wealth.

Clear thinking on the decisions that matter, wherever you are in life.

A man with dark hair and a beard wearing a black suit and white shirt, sitting on an ornate chair, smiling at the camera.

Managing Wealth Gets Complicated. I Help Provide Clarity.

You earn well, but you’re pulled in every direction: kids, parents, career, your own future. Your finances are complicated and you don’t have time to make sense of them.

stock market volatility

Successful but Stretched.

  • I help high earners cut through the complexity

You’ve built something. Now the stakes are higher. When to claim Social Security, how much to withdraw, how to protect what you’ve earned…these decisions don’t come with a do-over.

stress related to finances

Accumulated, Now What?

  • I help you think through the transitions that matter most

Markets Move. What does it mean for you?

Headlines scream. Pundits predict. Markets swing. Most of it is noise. Understanding what actually matters helps you stay rational while others panic.

confidence with your financial plan

  • I make sense of markets, and help build confidence and financial clarity

Meet the Practitioner

Your Guide: A Seasoned Professional, Not a Talking Head

John Cervantes, CFA

John Cervantes is a Chartered Financial Analyst® and Partner, Senior Investment Advisor at Prime Capital Financial in San Antonio, TX.

Prior, John served as Executive Director at Texas Capital Bank, where he was a voting member of the banks Investment Strategy Committee.

He also held the position of Senior Investment Manager at Merrill Lynch, managing $1.25 billion in client assets for one of the largest wealth management practices in the country.

He started his investment career in 2008, right as the financial crisis unfolded…

CFA Institute CFA Charterholder certificate awarded to John Michael Cervantes in 2014.

  • The Practitioner’s Brief is a free educational resource. It is intended to provide insights on how John thinks about financial markets and various financial planning topics. It is for a wide audience, not for individualized advice.

  • The CFA® is a global professional designation. Per The CFA® Institute:

    Obtaining the CFA® designation demonstrates superior competency in advanced portfolio management, financial expertise, and technical skills, underpinned by ethical conduct and the highest standards of practice. To become a charterholder, candidates must

    • Pass all three levels of the CFA Program examinations.

    • Have at least 4,000 hours of qualified work experience, completed in a minimum of 36 months. Qualified hours must be directly related to the investment decision-making process.

    • Provide 2-3 professional references. 

    • Be a member in good standing of CFA Institute.

    • Learn More Here

  • John is a partner and senior advisor at Prime Capital Financial, details about his professional services can be found at Prime Capital Financial San Antonio. Click here for details.

  • A strategy call is a complimentary meeting via zoom or over the phone to discuss your specific situation and to determine if I can help further. Topics can be investment, or financial planning related. Currently, it is free, and there’s no obligation.