Riley A Stafford

Advisor at Merrill — Chattanooga, TN 2 Union Sq

Updated today

Credentials

Series 66

Experience

3 years

Location

Chattanooga, TN 37402

Merrill logo

Merrill

Institution

Total advisors

25,448

Across 3,098 offices

Clients per advisor

70 Very Low

Avg AUM per client

$860,085 Very High

HNW client ratio

29% High

About

Riley Stafford is a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, specializing in guiding young professionals, families, and retirees through personalized, long-term financial strategies. He focuses on building confidence in clients' financial lives by creating customized plans that address their goals and values, with an emphasis on generational wealth and legacy building.

Riley holds a Bachelor's degree and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Tennessee System. He holds professional designations including CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). He works collaboratively with a team possessing over 100 years of combined experience to provide comprehensive planning support.

Outside of his professional role, Riley is involved with community organizations such as the East Tennessee Alliance for Animals and Habitat for Humanity. His personal interests include boating, music, photography, reading, soccer, spending time with family, traveling, watching movies, and practicing yoga.

Client services

Based on Merrill

Portfolio management Pension consulting Selection of other advisers Educational seminars or workshops
Performance measurement reports, allocation modeling, ips, research reports and services, see schedule d

Expertise

General retirement planning Retirement income strategy College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Planning for children with special needs Charitable giving & philanthropy

Demographic focus

Young Families Retired Women Professionals

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Fee options

Commissions

SEC-reported: Commissions on certain transactions, including foreign securities and fixed income; mark-ups, markdowns and dealer spreads may apply to some trades.

Location

See office

Chattanooga, TN 2 Union Sq

2 Union Sq

Chattanooga TN 37402

Advisors at this office

21

Most active in

Tennessee · Texas

Work history

3 years of industry experience

Bank of America, N.A.

2023 - Present • 3 years

Chattanooga, TN

Merrill

2023 - Present • 3 years

Chattanooga, TN

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

2021 - 2022 • 1 year

Chattanooga, TN

University of Tennessee at Knoxville

2017 - 2020 • 3 years

Knoxville, TN

Notre Dame High School

2013 - 2017 • 4 years

Chattanooga, TN

Disclosures

Exclamation point means they have disclosures of this type. Check mark means no disclosures of this type were found.

Business activities & affiliations

user avatar

Bret R

CFA®, Series 66

Chattanooga, TN

Glean Financial, Inc.

Bret Robertson is a CFA charterholder and holds a Series 66 license with four years of industry experience. He is the principal of Glean Financial, Inc. in Chattanooga, TN, and has prior experience at firms including Gradient Advisors LLC and Western Asset. In addition to his advisory role, he works as an independent insurance agent. Glean Financial, Inc. provides discretionary and non-discretionary asset management and financial planning services to individual investors and small business owners. The firm combines fundamental analysis with Modern Portfolio Theory, using customized asset allocation and model portfolios, and may employ third-party managers to implement strategies across various investment instruments.

Founder/Business Owner
user avatar

Kevin L

Series 66

Chattanooga, TN

Lattice Wealth Advisors

Kevin Laman is the sole advisor at Lattice Wealth Advisors, an independent firm based in Chattanooga, TN. He holds a Series 66 designation and has 18 years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Innovative Advisory Partners, LPL Financial, Franklin Wealth Management, and Solomonwood Financial Advisors. Lattice Wealth Advisors provides individualized portfolio management and comprehensive financial planning to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and small businesses. The firm combines fundamental security analysis with passive, asset-class-based portfolio construction, using index mutual funds and ETFs alongside tailored security selection, and offers discretionary management and ongoing client reporting.

Business exit / sale strategy Cash flow / budgeting College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.)

Roland M

CFP®, ChFC®

Chattanooga, TN

Mountaintop Wealth

We are a flat fee financial advisory firm that provides comprehensive financial planning that connects every part of your financial life. We create a clear, actionable roadmap to: Fund College with Confidence: We’ll help you save for college, find more scholarship money and tax-efficient ways to invest so you can lower the cost of a high-quality college education. Secure Your Retirement: We'll build a solid retirement plan that won't be derailed by tuition bills, ensuring you have the freedom to enjoy your later years. Create Cohesion: We'll simplify your complex financial picture, bringing all your assets and goals into one unified strategy. It's about having a clear plan that allows you to achieve both of your most important goals without compromise.

College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) General retirement planning African Americans/Black Gen X (Born 1965-1980)
user avatar

David H

CFP®

Chattanooga, TN

Integra Wealth

David Hodges is a CFP® professional with 17 years of industry experience, currently serving at Integra Wealth since 2009. Based in Chattanooga, TN, he works at a firm specializing in discretionary portfolio management and financial planning for individuals, trusts, estates, and employer-sponsored retirement plans. Integra Wealth provides investment management through growth, balanced, or conservative strategies using domestic and international mutual funds and ETFs, guided by modern portfolio theory and multi-factor models. The firm also offers ERISA fiduciary services and manages held-away retirement accounts via a third-party platform, supporting approximately 200 client relationships with institutional custodial and operational services.

Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) General retirement planning Wealth management Retirement income strategy Founder/Business Owner Retired
user avatar

Frenise M

Series 66

Chattanooga, TN

Mann Financial Consulting Services

Frenise Mann is a financial advisor at Mann Financial Consulting Services in Chattanooga, TN, with six years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Edward Jones and Thrivent Financial. Mann also serves as Secretary of Empowerment Church and is a board member of Covenant Keypers and Indelible Legacy, Inc. Mann Financial Consulting Services serves individual clients, charitable organizations, and business entities, managing approximately $1.14 million across about 132 accounts. The firm provides financial planning, portfolio management, tax preparation, and educational programs, using a primarily non-discretionary investment approach that incorporates multiple analytical methods.

General retirement planning College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Annuities Wealth management
user avatar

Russell B

Series 66

Chattanooga, TN

Bigham Wealth Advisory LLC

Russell Bigham is the sole advisor at Bigham Wealth Advisory LLC in Chattanooga, TN, holding a Series 66 designation with 17 years of industry experience. His work history includes prior roles at Woodbury Financial Services and Questar Asset Management. Outside of financial advising, he owns MC Salon Services, an LLC focused on coordinating and overseeing sales meetings. Bigham Wealth Advisory LLC is an independent firm that offers discretionary asset management primarily to individuals and high-net-worth clients, along with financial and basic estate planning services. The firm uses a combination of fundamental, technical, charting, and cyclical analysis methods, managing accounts on a discretionary basis with the option for performance-based fees for qualified clients.

Options & derivatives strategies
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