I’m Carter Michaelson, CFP®, CSLP®, and the founder of illumiFI Wealth. I started this firm to help people cut through financial complexity and make confident, tax-smart decisions about their money. With a focus on financial planning, investments, and tax strategies, I work alongside clients to create a clear path toward financial freedom. At illumiFI Wealth, I believe financial advice should be independent, transparent, and values-driven. That’s why the firm is fee-only — no commissions, no hidden agendas. Our approach is also rooted in behavioral finance: helping clients overcome the biases and emotions that can get in the way of good decisions. My favorite moments are when a concept clicks — those “lightbulb” moments where clients feel clarity and confidence about their next steps. I launched illumiFI Wealth because I’ve seen firsthand how overwhelming money can feel — from student loans to charitable giving to retirement planning. My mission is to provide clarity, confidence, and purpose so clients can focus on what truly matters: living generously and pursuing the life they’re called to live.

Thomas Hallberg is the principal advisor at Wealth Transitions, an independent firm based in Forest Lake, MN. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 26 years of industry experience, including 25 years at Edward D. Jones & Co., L.P. Outside of his advisory work, Hallberg is engaged in life and spiritual coaching and public speaking. Wealth Transitions provides investment management and financial planning services primarily to individual clients, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary options. The firm also conducts public seminars on topics such as estate transfer, tax reduction, and preparing heirs, using client-specific strategies that incorporate fundamental analysis, Modern Portfolio Theory, and Monte Carlo simulations.

Christine Thomas is a CFP® professional with eight years of industry experience. She is the founder of CMT Financial, LLC, where she has served since 2026, and has previously worked with True Vision MN LLC and Berger Financial Group. Outside of financial advising, she is involved in book publishing as president of My Book, LLC, which focuses on self-help topics, and also works as an independent consultant selling cleaning products. CMT Financial, operating as Ideal Life Advisory, is a fee-only fiduciary wealth management firm providing discretionary portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and estates. The firm emphasizes retirement, education, tax, risk-management, and estate planning with a consultative approach that customizes portfolios primarily using mutual funds and ETFs under discretionary authority.

Luke Eberly is a CFP® certificant with one year of industry experience, currently advising at Drost Financial. He previously worked at CWM, LLC, Shilanski & Associates, Inc., and Accredited Investors. The firm serves individual investors, including high-net-worth clients, young families, and corporate executives, offering discretionary portfolio management and comprehensive financial planning with a focus on fundamental security analysis and modern portfolio theory.

Steven Drost is a CFP® and CFA® with nine years of industry experience. He is the principal advisor at Drost Financial, where he has worked since 2021. Prior to that, he held roles at Private Client Services LLC, Affiance Financial, and Echo Wealth Management. Outside of his advisory work, Mr. Drost is the Co-Founder and CEO of Quivr CRM, a Salesforce OEM partner focused on customer experience development. Drost Financial serves individual investors, including high-net-worth clients, young families, and corporate executives, providing discretionary portfolio management and comprehensive financial planning. The firm combines fundamental security analysis with modern portfolio theory, using both passive and active investment vehicles to implement individualized portfolios.

Patrick Schmitz is a financial advisor at Triton Investments, LLC with six years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked in real estate brokerage since 2022 while also owning and managing Atlas Rental LLC, a real estate investment company. Prior to his current roles, he was employed at Xcel Energy and Dakota Gasification Company. Triton Investments, LLC provides discretionary portfolio management primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, employing a long-term investment approach centered on passively managed index ETFs and active rebalancing. The firm manages approximately $17 million in assets and customizes portfolios based on client objectives documented in Investment Policy Statements.

Thomas Koehn is a financial advisor with Ascent Advisors who holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has 16 years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at American Senior Benefits, Corestone Wealth Management LLC, and Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America. He is also involved in insurance sales through American Senior Benefits. Ascent Advisors is a team-based firm serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, and business entities with portfolio management, financial planning, pension consulting, and Delaware Statutory Trust consulting. The firm integrates modern portfolio theory with quantitative, fundamental, technical, and charting analysis, emphasizing long-term trading and regular portfolio monitoring.

Ethan Favre is a CFP® and Series 66-licensed financial advisor with one year of industry experience. He is affiliated with SimplyRIA Advisor Network, a team firm based in Blaine, MN. Ethan has previously worked at Northwestern Mutual Investment Services LLC and Edward Jones. Outside of his advisory role, he operates a vending machine route. SimplyRIA Advisor Network serves individuals, trusts and estates, and qualified retirement plans by providing investment management, financial planning, and retirement plan fiduciary support. The firm combines long-term strategic asset allocation with active and passive management through both discretionary and non-discretionary arrangements.

Brian Senske is a financial advisor at Guardian Wealth Advisors, LLC with 10 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at All Star Financial Inc. for seven years. Outside of his advisory role, Senske provides CFO and management consulting services to small- and mid-size companies through his sole proprietorship, 3T Advisory Services LLC. Guardian Wealth Advisors offers investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting to individuals, retirement plans, and institutional clients. The firm employs a systematic investment approach using mutual funds, ETFs, bonds, options, and equities, combining fundamental and technical analysis to manage portfolios.

Charles Taylor is a financial advisor with World Equity Group, Inc. in Minneapolis, MN, holding a Series 66 designation and 18 years of industry experience. He has been with World Equity Group since 2013. Outside of his advisory role, Taylor is a part-time musician and coordinates a seasonal youth hockey program for high school players. World Equity Group, Inc. provides fee-based investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm offers managed portfolios through its wrap-fee programs, combining discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and access to third-party money managers.

Paul Underdahl is a financial advisor with Focus Financial who holds a Series 66 designation and has 24 years of industry experience. His prior experience includes 15 years at Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Outside of advising, he serves as a trustee for a family trust and owns several rental property businesses. Focus Financial Network serves a diverse client base including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and corporate entities, providing managed accounts, financial planning, and consulting services. The firm emphasizes personalized investment strategies aligned with client profiles and coordination with other professionals for estate and tax planning.

Matthew Cosgriff is a CFP® professional with 12 years of experience in financial advising. He is currently with Apella Wealth and has previously worked at Creative Planning, SageView Advisory Group, KDV Wealth Management, and All Star Financial. Apella Wealth serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth families, trusts, retirement plans, and insurance companies. The firm employs a largely model-driven, quantitative investment approach incorporating factor-based equity strategies and fixed-income considerations, and it offers a variety of solutions such as separately managed accounts, held-away portfolio advice, and automated advisory services.

Paul Stein is a CFP® with 36 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at AdvisorNet Wealth Partners. He has worked at Advisornet Financial, Inc. since 1992 and was previously with CETERA Advisor Networks LLC from 2013 to 2019. Stein also sells fixed life, health, disability, annuities, and long-term care insurance and refers clients to an online banking service. AdvisorNet Wealth Partners provides investment management, financial planning, retirement-plan and participant consulting, and related advisory services to individuals, trusts, corporations, and qualified plans. The firm constructs diversified portfolios using a range of investment vehicles and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary management options.

Vince Darling is a CFP® professional with seven years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Focus Financial. His work history includes roles at OSAIC and Focus Financial Network since 2018, alongside involvement with Darling Sales and Service Company since 2012. He is active in the Financial Planning Association of Minnesota’s NexGen Committee as a volunteer and board member. Additionally, he occasionally provides pet sitting services through the Rover app. Focus Financial Network, Inc. is an enterprise investment adviser managing approximately $6.3 billion across 118 advisors. The firm serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, charitable organizations, and corporate clients, offering a range of managed accounts, retirement plan consulting, and financial planning services with a diversified investment approach.

Richard Luckow is a financial advisor at Advisor Share Wealth Management, LLC with 26 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has worked at firms including Cetera Wealth Services, Gradient Advisors LLC, and Virtue Capital Management. Luckow has also been a self-employed insurance agent since 1993, selling fixed insurance products. Advisor Share Wealth Management, LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, professional advisers, and pension and profit-sharing plans. The firm offers portfolio management, retirement-plan services, and a web-based platform for independent advisers, typically using third-party sub-advisers and model portfolios to implement client strategies.

Jan Barnes is a financial advisor at Larson Financial Group, LLC with nine years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including Comprehensive Asset Management & Servicing, Inc. and Counsel Wealth Management, Inc. She is currently involved with Larson Wealth Partners in a client services role. Larson Financial Group, LLC provides financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement-plan consulting to individuals, trusts, corporations, nonprofits, and pension plans, with a focus on doctors and related businesses. The firm uses a combination of model portfolios and custom discretionary programs incorporating strategic and tactical approaches, and it employs AI-assisted tools alongside human review for research and recommendations.

Gregory Gorman is a financial advisor at J. W. Cole Advisors, Inc. with 29 years of industry experience. He has previously worked at Parkland Securities and Sigma Planning Corporation. Outside of his advisory role, he occasionally competes in demolition derbies at local county fairs. J. W. Cole Advisors serves individuals, charities, corporations, and retirement plans through a network of more than 400 independent investment adviser representatives, offering portfolio management, financial planning, access to third-party managers, and multiple managed account solutions.

Jacob Mc Alpine is a financial advisor with Transamerica Retirement Advisors, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and 11 years of industry experience. He has worked at Transamerica Retirement Solutions and Transamerica Investors Securities Corporation since 2018 and previously at Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. from 2016 to 2018. Transamerica Retirement Advisors serves participants in employer-sponsored retirement plans and IRA owners by providing managed advice programs and investment education, utilizing proprietary software and model portfolios from Morningstar Investment Management. The firm operates at scale primarily with non-discretionary assets and does not target high-net-worth or corporate clients in these programs.

Randell Chumley is a financial advisor at J. W. Cole Advisors, Inc. with 29 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 63 designation and has worked at Parkland Securities and SPC prior to joining J. W. Cole Advisors. Outside of his advisory role, he is president of Highland Money Management, Inc. and participates in local community service by delivering food to a local food shelf. J. W. Cole Advisors is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, charities, corporations, retirement plans, and other entities through a national network of more than 400 independent investment adviser representatives. The firm provides portfolio management, fee-based financial planning, access to third-party managers, and multiple managed account solutions, with investment decisions made on discretionary or non-discretionary bases.

Joseph Sullivan is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor at Creative Planning with three years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at BerganKDV Wealth Management, Principal Financial Group, and Wells Fargo. Creative Planning offers wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals and institutional clients. The firm employs a financial-planning-led investment approach emphasizing low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, supplemented by private market investments and tax-efficient management.