Ryan Mcpherson is a CFP® with 15 years of industry experience, currently serving at SmartPath Advisors. He has held roles at SmartPath, Inc. since 2017 and is the Vice President of Finance and Operations there, overseeing financial, business, and HR functions. Mcpherson is also the managing member and Chief Compliance Officer of Intelligent Worth, LLC, a financial planning firm. SmartPath Advisors provides planning-focused, short-term advisory services primarily to individuals accessing services through employers or organizations and to high-net-worth clients. The firm emphasizes passive, diversified asset allocation and offers AI-powered ongoing financial guidance without managing client assets or custody.

Arthur Aust is the sole advisor at Aust Financial Advisory, LLC in Atlanta, GA, holding a Series 65 designation with 15 years of industry experience. He has led Aust Financial Advisory since its founding in 2010. Aust Financial Advisory is an independent firm providing fee-only financial planning and discretionary investment management to individuals and families. The firm primarily uses passive, indexed strategies with low-cost, tax-efficient ETFs and mutual funds, and emphasizes client education and customized investment policy statements.

Portia Ryan Gerton is the sole advisor at Transformation Wealth Management, LLC in Atlanta, GA, with 18 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has held prior roles at Ameritas Investment Company, Blue Clover Financial, Mass Mutual Investors Services, and Edward Jones. Outside of financial advisory work, she owns and operates Eye Design Interiors, LLC, an interior design business. Transformation Wealth Management is an independent, single-advisor firm providing investment management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, trusts, estates, and business entities. The firm combines discretionary SEI-sponsored programs with a significant share of non-discretionary assets and offers ongoing portfolio monitoring and planning, including held-away account management and referrals to third-party managers.

Ashish Desai is a CFA charterholder and the sole advisor at Desai Capital Management, Inc. He has 11 years of industry experience and has worked at Navigant Consulting since 2004. Based in Atlanta, GA, he focuses on equity research and portfolio management. Desai Capital Management is a state-registered investment adviser that serves clients meeting specific financial knowledge and risk tolerance criteria. The firm employs an absolute-return, concentrated value strategy primarily focused on domestic and international equities, using fundamental valuation models and selective options strategies.

Jamar Bates is a financial advisor with Bates Financial Group, LLC in Smyrna, GA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 13 years of industry experience. He has led Bates Financial Group since 2014. Outside of advisory services, he is involved with Bates Realty Group, Inc., which engages in residential and commercial real estate brokerage. Bates Financial Group provides financial planning, consulting, and educational seminars to a diverse client base including individuals, trusts, estates, and business entities. The firm integrates advisory services with brokerage, insurance, and mortgage offerings, relying on third-party managers for investment guidance and emphasizing strategic and tactical asset allocation approaches.

Samuel Deane is a financial advisor at Rora Wealth, Inc. in Atlanta, GA, holding a Series 65 designation with four years of industry experience. Prior to founding Rora Wealth in 2018, he worked at Lincoln Financial Advisors and Transamerica Financial Advisors. Outside of his advisory role, he owns a media entity for which he is compensated for writing and public speaking. Rora Wealth, Inc. advises individual clients and families primarily in the technology sector, focusing on employees, executives, and startup founders. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management and comprehensive financial planning, employing diversified portfolios with ETFs, separate accounts, direct indexing, and option strategies, alongside access to an affiliated early-stage technology private fund.

Caroline McInerney is a CFP® with nine years of industry experience currently serving as the principal of HWM Wealth Management LLC in Atlanta, GA. She previously worked with Nicholas Hoffman & Company, Raymond James & Associates, Clements Financial Services, and HD Vest Investment Services. In addition to her advisory role, she operates Owner's Dividend LLC, a separate business that publishes educational content on financial and business planning. HWM Wealth Management LLC provides fee-only investment management and financial planning services to individuals, families, businesses, and foundations. The firm employs a long-term, principles-based investment approach focused on asset allocation, diversification, and tax-aware strategies, managing portfolios primarily on a discretionary basis.

Jonathan White is a financial advisor at Pearson Investment Management, LLC with nine years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at both Pearson Investment Management and AonHewitt since 2015. Pearson Investment Management provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and corporations, with a particular focus on corporate benefit plans and retirement arrangements. The firm’s investment approach integrates fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis across various asset classes and may include frequent trading and short sales, while also utilizing third-party managers and digital custody platforms.

Frank Brannon is a CFP® with 18 years of industry experience and has been the sole advisor at KMR Financial Advisory, Inc. since 1997. He is based in Atlanta, GA, and holds the Series 65 license. KMR Financial Advisory provides discretionary portfolio management and comprehensive financial planning for individual and high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory approach using ETFs, mutual funds, bonds, and CDs, and its client communication includes weekly account summaries and quarterly reports.

James Durden Jr. is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with Edward Wealth Partners in Lithia Springs, GA. He has been with Edward Wealth Partners since 2025 and has over a decade of experience with Edward Financial Group, where he is also an owner and insurance agent. Edward Wealth Partners is an investment manager offering discretionary and non-discretionary asset management and consulting services, with a focus on retirement-plan work. The firm combines direct portfolio management with third-party manager recommendations and provides plan-sponsor fiduciary services as well as participant education.

At Prana Wealth, we help people over 50 invest smarter, lower their lifetime tax bill, and retire sooner. We are a fee-only financial planning firm based in Atlanta that serves clients across the country. Want to retire? Visit our website to learn more: https://www.pranawealth.com ABOUT PATRICK Patrick lives in Atlanta and enjoys travel, fitness, and photography.

Joseph Stacy is a financial advisor with Meranti Capital Partners, INC. in Atlanta, GA, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and possessing 15 years of industry experience. His background includes roles at Kaplan Professional, Primerica Advisors, and Nokia. Outside of advising, he is a licensed real estate instructor and a commercial real estate agent. Meranti Capital Partners offers portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals, families, trusts, estates, and retirement plans. The firm uses a variety of analytical methods and investment strategies, including alternative and private investments, with services tailored through an Investment Policy Statement and may manage accounts on a discretionary basis when authorized by clients.

I’ve spent two decades in an industry that doesn’t always make it easy to know who to trust. Hidden fees, half-answers, and vague promises aren’t good enough. That’s why everything we do is transparent—how we charge, how we plan, how we execute. You should never wonder what’s happening with your money. Our flat fee structure is based on a commitment to placing client interests first, reducing conflicts of interest, providing transparent & predictable pricing, and making financial advisory services more accessible. Financial Review (aka “Try before you buy”) clients and full-service clients will receive a comprehensive financial review & retirement field guide to achieve their retirement field guide to achieve their desired goals. I started Sonas FP to help individuals and families like you understand how a healthy relationship with your money can lead to a lifetime of financial peace, wellness, and freedom. Sonas Financial Planning is owned and operated by Bradley Hilton, a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, MBA, and Tax Planning Certified Professional® with over 18 years of experience as the sole financial advisor to more than 110 clients throughout the U.S., including dentists, small business owners, millionaires next door, and top executives at Fortune 500 companies. We’re constantly asking ourselves how we can do more and make a greater impact – and that is part of the reason Sonas Financial Planning was launched. Every good idea starts with a problem. Here was ours: Quality retirement planning and investment management can be expensive for clients under the traditional asset under management (AUM) fee structure. Also, many people fear working with a financial advisor because of either the high fees or the reputation that advisors earn commissions and will sell you products you don’t need. And finally, many wealth management firms do not emphasize financial planning or deliver data-driven financial roadmaps to guide clients. We take a people-centered approach. Our process begins with a free Zoom call so we can get to know one another and learn about your needs. There is no cost and no pressure to move forward. If we are not a good fit for each other, we will let you know upfront and try to recommend an alternative. Schedule a free consultation by calling 404-545-5368 or email [email protected].

Cass Chappell III is a CFP® professional with 30 years of industry experience. He is the sole advisor at Chappell Financial Group, an independent firm he has led since 2012. Prior to founding his firm, he worked with LPL Financial, LLC for 21 years and PRUCO Securities, LLC for two years. He is also a licensed insurance agent offering various insurance products. Chappell Financial Group serves individuals, families, business owners, and employer plan sponsors through wealth management, financial consulting, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm utilizes a diverse range of securities and incorporates quantitative and qualitative analysis, modern portfolio theory, and charting in its investment process.

Aaron Gaines is a CFP® and Series 66 holder with 10 years of experience in financial services. He currently leads Gaines Capital Management, an independent firm based in Smyrna, GA, and has prior experience with Edward Jones and multiple advisory firms since 2016. Gaines also operates an affiliated insurance agency, GCM Wealthshield LLC, providing a range of insurance products. Gaines Capital Management offers financial planning, discretionary portfolio management, and consulting services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and small businesses. The firm employs fundamental analysis and strategic asset allocation with ETFs and individual equities, focusing on long-term holdings, and provides customized solutions including options and private equity for qualified clients.

Hao Ngo is a CFP® professional with 16 years of experience in financial advising. He has been the sole advisor at Capital Benchmark Partners, LLC since 2014. Ngo serves on the board of Emory University, participating in quarterly meetings and contributing to fundraising and event planning efforts. Capital Benchmark Partners, LLC is an independent investment advisory firm based in Atlanta that manages approximately $56 million for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and employer-sponsored retirement plans. The firm employs an asset-allocation driven investment approach with diversification across mutual funds, ETFs, fixed income, equities, and selected alternatives, integrating financial planning into both discretionary and non-discretionary engagements.

Daniel Mahoney is a CFP® professional with eight years of industry experience. He has worked at True Square Financial LLC since 2017 and previously spent three years at Invesco Ltd. True Square Financial LLC serves individual clients as well as charitable organizations, corporations, and employer-sponsored retirement plans. The firm offers investment management alongside financial planning, tax return preparation, and retirement plan consulting, using a combination of passive allocation and selective fundamental analysis tailored to client objectives.

Clark Jeffries is the sole advisor at Jeffries Wealth Management in Marietta, GA, holding a Series 65 credential with three years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Orion Advisor Solutions and HiddenLevers. Jeffries Wealth Management provides financial planning, investment management, and retirement plan rollover advice to individual clients as well as pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, and other business or charitable entities. The firm emphasizes broad asset-class diversification and uses tax-aware techniques, third-party sub-advisers, and may allocate assets to private and alternative investment funds, operating with a boutique, adviser-driven model.

Jon Ragsdale is a financial advisor at PRIA Strategies, LLC with a Series 65 designation and experience in the industry since 2019. He has previously worked at Lincoln Financial Group and Savings Bank Life Insurance of Massachusetts. Ragsdale is also a licensed insurance agent affiliated with PlanGap Agency, LLC and is a full-time employee of The Secure Companies, Inc., the parent company of PRIA Strategies. PRIA Strategies, LLC provides portfolio management and retirement-focused advisory services for pooled and institutional accounts, along with financial planning offered either as a one-time service or an ongoing subscription. The firm employs a combination of fundamental, quantitative, and modern portfolio theory analyses with a long-term trading approach across multiple asset classes and operates under fiduciary standards when advising retirement accounts.

Anthony Mensah is the sole advisor at Mensah Finance Group, LLC, an independent firm based in Atlanta, GA. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has six years of industry experience. Mensah Finance Group also operates as a CPA/accounting firm providing accounting and tax services to clients, though these services are optional. Mensah Finance Group offers investment advisory and financial planning services primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm employs a fundamental analysis approach and manages accounts using both long-term and short-term strategies across various asset classes, while also providing detailed investment policy statements and regular portfolio monitoring.