Rickie Ames is a CFP® professional with 40 years of experience at Ames Financial Services in Anaheim, CA. He is also an Enrolled Agent and provides tax preparation services during tax season, in addition to selling life insurance. Ames Financial Services offers financial planning, investment management, retirement, estate, and tax planning, as well as insurance planning and consulting to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and corporate pension and profit-sharing plans. The firm employs a needs-based investment approach using primarily no-load mutual funds and manages assets on a non-discretionary basis.

Mazi Malekafzali is a financial advisor at Afzali Investments, LLC, holding a Series 65 designation with seven years of industry experience. He has worked at Afzali Investments since 2019 and is also involved with the Palos Verdes Peninsula School District since 2018. Afzali Investments provides discretionary investment supervisory and portfolio management services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and select entities such as trusts and charitable organizations. The firm employs a client-specific, long-term growth approach using fundamental, economic, and technical analysis, and distinguishes itself by utilizing margin and derivatives within separately managed accounts and negotiating performance-based fee arrangements.

Amin Khakiani is the sole advisor and owner of his independent firm, with 21 years of industry experience. The firm provides discretionary investment advisory and portfolio management services to individual investors and select institutions, including charitable organizations and foundations. It manages approximately $19.3 million in regulatory assets from a single office in Torrance, CA. The firm’s investment approach emphasizes diversified asset allocation across multiple asset classes, utilizing equities, mutual funds, and ETFs, with portfolios managed on a discretionary basis and reviewed quarterly.

Rainee Handley is a CFP® professional at Wentworth-Baer Wealth Management with two years of experience in financial advisory and related roles. Prior to joining Wentworth-Baer, Handley worked at the Law Office of Raymond Green and Ashland Investment Advisors. Wentworth-Baer Wealth Management provides investment management and financial planning services primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm offers customized portfolios using both passive and active investment vehicles, operates on a fee-only basis, and emphasizes client approval for trading decisions.

Marcos Chavira is the sole advisor at TaxDude Financial Advisor, an independent firm based in Long Beach, CA. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has 25 years of industry experience. Prior to founding TaxDude Financial Advisor, he worked at H.D. Vest Advisory Services and Valic Financial Advisors. Outside of financial advising, he owns Big Ass Fortune Cookie.com, a business selling oversized fortune cookies. TaxDude Financial Advisor offers investment management, financial planning, and educational workshops to individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, and other business entities. The firm operates on a non-discretionary basis, tailoring investment decisions to client goals, time horizons, and risk tolerances, and is notable for its close affiliation with an operating accounting and tax practice.

Brian Cleugh is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with nine years of industry experience. He is the principal of Rhubarb Investments, LLC, an independent firm he has led since 2016. Prior to founding Rhubarb Investments, he worked at Flinn West from 2008 to 2021. Cleugh holds an active California real estate broker’s license, though he is not currently engaged in real estate activities. Rhubarb Investments provides discretionary portfolio management and individualized investment advice to both non-high-net-worth and high-net-worth individual clients. The firm employs a model-driven investment process that combines fundamental, quantitative, and qualitative analysis, with a focus on asset allocation across diverse proprietary portfolios. It also accepts performance-based fee arrangements for qualified clients and uses derivatives in managed accounts, practices that are relatively uncommon among similarly sized independent advisers.

I'm Jason Stein, CFP®, RICP®, founder of Bluepoint Wealth Advisors, an independent, fee-only firm serving Irvine and Orange County. I started my career at Vanguard in 2013 and spent years at large firms. I saw how hard it is to give personal advice when each advisor carries too many clients. I built Bluepoint around the opposite: fewer clients and more time with each one. I work with people approaching or in retirement who have spent their careers saving and making good decisions, but are at a stage of life where the decisions ahead change: when to claim Social Security, how to draw from savings, Roth conversions, and how those decisions fit together over time. As a fiduciary, I'm paid only by my clients. No commissions and no products to sell. We work together over the long term.

Kevin McGuan is the principal of Kevin P. McGuan, LLC, an independent advisory firm based in Long Beach, CA. He holds a Series 63 designation and has 37 years of industry experience, including prior roles at Bank of America and Merrill Lynch. Outside of his advisory work, he is the owner of a real estate investment trust. Kevin P. McGuan, LLC provides investment advisory and portfolio management services to individuals, high net worth clients, pension and profit sharing plans, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm offers both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, employing a range of analytical techniques and tailored strategies, with ongoing account monitoring and periodic reviews.

Pablo Lopez is a financial advisor at PFL Partners LLC with Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and four years of industry experience. He has been with PFL Partners since 2017 and was self-employed for one year prior. Outside of investment advisory services, he provides Consulting CFO and strategic advisory services to early and mid-stage companies. PFL Partners LLC offers investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and businesses. The firm focuses on evaluating and recommending third-party Outside Managers, employs passive investing and fundamental analysis strategies, and provides consulting CFO services as a distinct business line.

Suzan Hall is a financial advisor with Hall Financial Wellness in Newport Beach, CA, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and 14 years of industry experience. Her career includes roles at Edward Jones, TRPC Advisory Services, and The Retirement Plan Company. Outside of financial advising, she teaches group exercise classes and owns an online fashion jewelry store. Hall Financial Wellness primarily serves employer-sponsored retirement plans by providing plan-level management, fiduciary consulting, and investment advice. The firm emphasizes mutual-fund based allocations and analytics, focusing on pension consulting and non-discretionary plan assets while offering hands-on services such as employee education and plan design review.

Yuanming Mao is a financial advisor at Sapphire Wealth Advisory in Westminster, CA, holding a Series 65 designation with one year of industry experience. Prior to founding Sapphire Wealth Advisory, Mao has been involved in various business activities including roles at Siam Sapphire Inc, Navigators Real Estate, Inc., Bittalk Tech Inc., and An Francis LLC. He also has experience in education, having worked at University of California, Berkeley and Long Beach City College. Sapphire Wealth Advisory provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals and families, including both retail and high-net-worth clients. The firm focuses on long-term, diversified portfolio construction using a variety of asset classes and offers non-discretionary portfolio management alongside financial planning on fixed-fee or hourly terms.

Edward Runyon is the sole advisor at Sagevest Financial Advisors, LLC in Newport Beach, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 22 years of industry experience. He has led Sagevest since 2012. In addition to his advisory role, he is a licensed insurance agent. Sagevest Financial Advisors provides discretionary investment management and wealth management services primarily to high-net-worth individuals and corporate pension and profit-sharing plans. The firm employs a long-term, diversified investment approach using no-load mutual funds, index funds, and ETFs, tailoring portfolios to clients’ risk tolerance and conducting regular reviews.

Joseph Guo is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 designation, with eight years of industry experience. He has worked at Empath Wealth LLC since 2024 and previously spent seven years at Ameriprise Financial. Empath Wealth LLC is a fee-only registered investment adviser serving individuals and high-net-worth clients through financial planning and investment management. The firm emphasizes asset allocation using a combination of passive and active strategies and coordinates with outside managers and model-portfolio providers to implement client portfolios.

Harry Woo is a financial advisor at SC Advisory with Series 65 and Series 63 licenses. He has 11 years of industry experience, including a decade at Ares Management and recent tenure with SC Advisory. SC Advisory is a fee-only registered investment adviser serving individuals, small businesses, and non-profit organizations. The firm offers investment management services with a focus on diversified portfolios that include equities, fixed income, cash, and digital asset ETFs, notably incorporating Bitcoin-related products while addressing their specific risks.

Isai Juarez is a financial advisor at Journey Equity Wealth Management LLC in Downey, CA, with 11 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked previously at Centaurus Financial, Inc., NEST EGG ETFs, LLC, and J.P. Morgan Chase bank. Juarez operated a business called Premier Hookah Supplies in 2018. Journey Equity Wealth Management serves individual clients, trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, and business entities with asset management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a fiduciary approach with tailored portfolios using a variety of investment strategies and offers a broad range of services despite its relatively small size.

Paul Lo is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) with 35 years of industry experience. He is the sole advisor at Hypo Financial Services and Investment Adviser, an independent firm where he has worked since 2012, with prior roles at firms including Unicredit Financial Services and Key West Investments. Outside of investment advising, he works as an independent contractor with fixed life insurance companies such as Assurity, AIG American General, and Allianz. Hypo Financial Services and Investment Adviser provides portfolio management and financial planning primarily to individual clients, utilizing a strategic, long-term asset allocation approach supplemented by tactical adjustments. The firm employs both fundamental and technical analysis in selecting securities and offers discretionary and non-discretionary management services.

Wayne Park is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional with four years of industry experience. He is currently the sole advisor at Ridgepoint Wealth Partners LLC, an independent wealth management firm. His prior experience includes positions at Mariner Wealth Advisors, Validus Capital LLC, and other financial services firms. Ridgepoint Wealth Partners LLC provides wealth management, investment management, and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm employs a fee-only model with an investment approach based on modern portfolio theory, utilizing both passive and active strategies while offering in-house tax-preparation services.

David Sweet is a CFP® professional with 23 years of industry experience. He has been with DES Financial Group, LLC since 2014 and has also maintained an affiliation with LPL Financial since 2009. DES Financial Group provides investment management and financial planning services primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm constructs portfolios using a range of securities including stocks, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs, options, and alternative investments, and employs active strategies such as options and short sales while tailoring portfolios based on clients’ goals, time horizon, and risk tolerance.

Jason Prole is a CFA® credentialed financial advisor with seven years of industry experience. He has worked at the County of Orange from 2022 to 2024 and has been with Capital Risk Management since 2016. Capital Risk Management is an independent, single-advisor firm providing non-discretionary portfolio management, consulting, and financial planning to institutional and high-net-worth clients. The firm’s investment process emphasizes risk-focused portfolio design and asset-allocation analysis, with a focus on alternative assets and asset-liability analysis, serving a variety of public-sector and institutional clients.

Todd Jones is the sole advisor at Strategic Portfolio Advisors, Inc. in Long Beach, CA, with 39 years of industry experience. He has led the firm since 2008. Strategic Portfolio Advisors, Inc. provides discretionary portfolio management to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $87 million in discretionary assets through a wrap fee program, employing a mix of analytical approaches and both long- and short-term strategies tailored to client objectives and risk tolerance.