Michael Hoffman is a CFP® with 18 years of industry experience, currently serving as Co-Managing Director of Forty W Advisors. He previously worked at Verdence Capital Advisors and held roles at Hightower Securities and Hightower Advisors. Forty W Advisors delivers comprehensive wealth management across three critical areas: financial administration, proactive tax-aware planning, and investment management with institutional access. Together, these services help align your personal wealth, family priorities, and business strategy into one coordinated plan, with the goal of reducing complexity and maximizing post-tax wealth.

Stanley Liu is the principal of DocEmpowered, LLC, a fee-only financial advisory firm based in Baltimore, MD. He holds a Series 65 designation and has one year of industry experience. Prior to founding DocEmpowered in 2023, he worked for eight years at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. In addition to his advisory role, Mr. Liu practices part-time as a non-invasive cardiologist. DocEmpowered, LLC provides comprehensive financial planning and consulting primarily for physicians and their adult household family members. The firm emphasizes long-term, passive investment strategies based on Modern Portfolio Theory and behavioral finance, offering project-based and ongoing services without discretionary management or custody of assets.

Robert Clark is a CFP® professional with 26 years of experience in the financial advisory industry. He founded Clark Company in 2017 after 12 years at National Planning Corporation. Clark also provides tax preparation and fixed insurance services as part of his practice. Clark Company advises individual clients as well as pension and profit-sharing plans, offering portfolio management and financial planning services. The firm primarily manages client accounts on a non-discretionary basis, focusing on client-approved strategies, and combines advisory and insurance brokerage services.

Gabriel Trasatti is a financial advisor at Trasatti Wealth Planning, LLC in Baltimore, MD, with 15 years of industry experience. He holds the PFS™ and Series 66 designations and has led his independent firm since 2004. His background includes advanced financial planning and accounting credentials. Trasatti Wealth Planning provides comprehensive financial planning and investment management to individuals, families, charitable institutions, foundations, and corporate pension or profit-sharing plans. The firm offers customized investment strategies with continuous monitoring and formal quarterly reviews, integrating holistic planning across retirement, tax, estate, and cash-flow matters.

My path to founding a wealth management firm is different than most. As a child, my dream was to become a fighter pilot. After graduating from the United States Naval Academy with a degree in Aerospace Engineering, I achieved that goal, serving on active duty for a decade. I flew the F-18E Super Hornet from aircraft carriers and deployed multiple times to the Western Pacific. After those deployments, the Navy sent me to UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School to study finance, followed by the privilege of teaching undergraduate economics at my alma mater. After transitioning from active duty, I applied the skills I honed in the cockpit and classroom—leadership, effective communication, process improvement, and strategic decision-making—to multiple entrepreneurial ventures. My career as a financial planner is a natural extension of my passion for solving problems and serving others. With a background in engineering, military flight operations, top-tier business education, and collegiate economics instruction, I bring a unique perspective to wealth management: * Tenacity – Giving up is never an option. Just as a fighter pilot must persist in the air, I am relentless in helping my clients succeed. * Calm Under Pressure – I have a proven ability to think clearly in high-stakes situations, whether in the military or financial markets. I will not panic when volatility arises. * Candor – In aviation and life, speaking up is critical when the stakes are high. I will always provide honest advice, even when it’s uncomfortable. Living near Annapolis, Maryland, I cherish time with my family and enjoy Navy football, traveling, boating, and improving my golf game. I also continue to serve as a member of the U.S. Navy Reserves. Ventus Wealth Management — After a decade in the workforce, I became increasingly frustrated by the lack of financial services that truly met my needs. I couldn’t find a firm or advisor that offered the right combination of: ☑️A transparent fee and incentive structure ☑️ A flexible, client-focused service model ☑️ Modern technology solutions ☑️ Virtual meeting capabilities ☑️ Expertise tailored to my specific situation Recognizing this gap, I launched Ventus Wealth Management to address these shortcomings. Everything we do is designed with our clients in mind. Every element of our service and business model is intentionally crafted to deliver value and provide solutions that meet your needs.

Nicholas Lumpp is a financial advisor at RCN Wealth Advisors, Inc. in Stevensville, MD, holding a Series 66 designation with 13 years of industry experience. He has been with RCN Wealth Advisors since 2012. RCN Wealth Advisors is an independent firm providing fee-only financial planning and discretionary investment management to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, corporations, and an exchange-traded fund. The firm combines long-term, value-oriented portfolio construction with tactical, rules-based allocations and serves as sub-adviser and co-sponsor of the RCN Pareto Strategic Allocation ETF, which employs a systematic trend-following strategy across multiple asset classes including digital assets such as bitcoin.

William Tilghman is the sole advisor at Tilghman Wealth Management, LLC in Arnold, MD. He holds a Series 65 designation and has five years of industry experience, including four years at Markin Asset Management, LP. His prior work includes roles outside the financial industry such as at Annapolis Yacht Sales and Compass Languages. Tilghman Wealth Management serves a varied client base including pooled and institutional vehicles, individuals, families, trusts, and family-owned businesses. The firm combines fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis to construct portfolios tailored to client objectives, employs derivatives for risk management, and offers both asset-based management and hourly financial planning services.

Gregory Fridley is a financial advisor at Society Investment Management in Baltimore, MD, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations with three years of industry experience. He has worked at Financial First Advisors since 1991 and has managed his own business, Taxbusters, since 1990. Society Investment Management provides personalized financial planning and discretionary investment management to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and small businesses. The firm operates on a fee-only basis, emphasizing growth and income investment strategies while incorporating tax preparation and electronic filing as part of its advisory services.

Christopher Mamunes is a financial advisor at Railroad Street Wealth Management, LLC with 29 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has led his independent firm since 2014. Railroad Street Wealth Management provides customized investment management and periodic financial planning to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm manages approximately $20.4 million across 55 client relationships, using a tactical, rules-based investment process that combines technical analysis with a relative-strength framework to guide portfolio construction and risk management.

Jonathan Mathews is a CFP® professional with four years of experience in financial planning. He is the sole advisor at Nautical Financial Planning, an independent firm he has led since 2018. Mathews also works as a tax advisor with Block Advisors, providing personal and business tax preparation and planning. Nautical Financial Planning offers fee-only, hourly and project-based financial planning and consultation to individuals, couples, families, and business entities. The firm focuses on globally diversified, low-cost, tax-efficient passive investments and provides clients with guidance on asset allocation, custodial setup, and periodic portfolio reviews without managing assets directly.

Fletcher Perkins is a CFA® charterholder with 22 years of experience in the financial industry. He is the sole advisor at ACARA Capital Management, LLC, where he has worked since 2018. His prior experience includes roles at Wells Fargo Advisors and Hillman Capital Management Inc. ACARA Capital Management serves individual and high-net-worth clients with discretionary portfolio management, using three defined investment approaches that emphasize concentrated equity positions and a mix of fundamental, quantitative, technical, cyclical, and qualitative analysis. The firm accommodates short-term client needs and executes trades as grouped block trades under discretionary authority.

Michael Hocker is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with CTG Wealth Management LLC, where he has worked since 2023. He has two years of industry experience and previously held positions at the Defense Acquisition University from 2013 to 2019. CTG Wealth Management LLC provides fee-only investment management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and charitable organizations. The firm manages discretionary portfolios using a combination of passive and active strategies and serves a significant non-U.S. client base, which introduces cross-border considerations into its planning and custody decisions.

Heath Harris is the principal advisor at Compound Advisory LLC in Pasadena, MD, holding Series 65 and Series 66 licenses with 19 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Oliver Wealth, Hayden Royal, CITIGROUP, Wells Fargo Advisors, Merrill, and Northwestern Mutual Investment Management. Compound Advisory LLC is an independent investment adviser offering portfolio management services tailored to client goals using a multi-method approach that incorporates charting, cyclical, fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis. The firm focuses on long-term trading strategies and custom model allocations without using third-party managers or wrap fee programs.

Lorie Scheibel is the principal of Smarter and Wise, an independent financial advisory firm, with 15 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at firms including Cambridge Investment Research Advisors and Lincoln Financial Advisors. Scheibel also serves as adjunct faculty at Anne Arundel Community College and operates as an independent insurance agent. Smarter and Wise provides financial planning and discretionary wealth management to individuals nearing retirement, high-net-worth clients, and sponsor-level retirement plans. The firm employs a planning-first approach centered on a comprehensive RetireSmarter process, incorporating risk modeling and ongoing portfolio management, and offers specialized investment real estate planning alongside retirement plan advisory services.

Matthew Wyskiel is the sole advisor at Skill Capital Management in Baltimore, MD, holding a Series 63 designation with four years of industry experience. He has been with Skill Capital Management since 2007, serving as its founder and sole owner. Skill Capital Management provides discretionary portfolio management to individual clients, primarily using Vanguard index mutual funds to offer diversified exposure across U.S. and international equities and U.S. investment-grade fixed income. The firm manages separate accounts with standardized model portfolios and rebalances client allocations quarterly.

David Merkel is a CFA charterholder and principal of Aleph Investments, LLC, an independent advisory firm he founded in 2010. He has 15 years of industry experience. Outside of his advisory work, he maintains AlephBlog.com, a website providing educational content for investors since 2007. Aleph Investments manages discretionary portfolios primarily for individual investors, as well as charitable organizations and small pension clients. The firm employs fundamental equity analysis and a risk-conscious fixed income approach, offering strategies including a yield-oriented balanced portfolio and customizable accounts, with features such as hedged equity options and client-imposed ethical restrictions.

Kendell Phillip is a financial advisor at Lockstep Financial LLC with five years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at Maverick Trading and Northrop Grumman. Lockstep Financial LLC is an independent advisory firm serving individual and high-net-worth clients with financial planning and discretionary portfolio management. The firm employs a primarily passive investment approach using index funds and ETFs, supplemented by fundamental and technical analysis, and manages held-away assets through third-party platforms.

John Fremont Smith is the sole advisor at Friends Wealth Management in Ellicott City, MD, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 26 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Ameriprise Financial, Calamos Advisors LLC, and several Prudential entities. He is also a licensed insurance agent. Friends Wealth Management offers portfolio management and comprehensive financial planning for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and business entities. The firm employs a combination of analytic approaches and manages accounts directly, providing both discretionary and non-discretionary services aligned with client-specific investment policies.

Melissa Mazard is a financial advisor at Seek the Plan with 13 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been involved with several nonprofit and educational organizations, including Junior Achievement and Spark Business Academy, where she supports financial literacy and business education programs. Prior to founding her firm, she worked at Foresters Financial. Seek the Plan provides tailored financial planning and investment advice to individual clients, focusing on education, asset allocation, and comprehensive non-investment planning topics such as tax optimization and cash-flow management. The firm emphasizes a long-term investment perspective, offers financial education seminars, and uses non‑AUM fee structures without holding custody of client assets.

WHO WE SERVE We specialize in working with three types of clients: 🔹 High-Net-Worth Retirees — You've built significant wealth and want a coordinated plan to make it last. We help you design a sustainable, tax-efficient retirement income strategy, optimize Social Security timing, and ensure your assets are structured to support a 30+ year retirement. 🔹 Pre-Retirees (50s–early 60s) — You're in the final years of your career with serious assets and serious decisions ahead. We help you model retirement readiness, execute Roth conversion strategies, and build a transition plan so you retire on your terms. 🔹 High-Earning Professionals (30s–40s) — Your income is strong but your financial picture is complex — equity compensation, rising taxes, multiple accounts, and long-term goals competing for attention. We bring structure and strategy to the complexity. WHAT WE DO We offer fee-only, advice-only financial planning — no products, no commissions, no conflicts of interest. ✅ Retirement Income Design — Building sustainable, tax-efficient withdrawal strategies for 30+ years ✅ Roth Conversion & Tax Planning — Identifying multi-year windows to reduce lifetime tax burden ✅ Equity Compensation Planning — RSUs, ISOs, NSOs, ESPP — timing, taxation, and concentration risk ✅ Portfolio Construction & Risk Management — Evidence-based investing aligned to your goals ✅ Comprehensive Financial Planning — A coordinated, big-picture approach across all areas of your finances WHY WORK WITH US 🔹 Featured in Business Insider, Forbes, Fortune, Investopedia, and U.S. News & World Report. 🔹 No Sales. No Commissions. Just Advice. — Our only priority is your financial success. 🔹 Institutional-Grade Expertise — 10+ years managing $800M+ institutional portfolios before founding Wealthwyzr. 🔹 Complex Topics, Simplified — We translate financial complexity into clear, actionable decisions. 🔹 Fiduciary, Fee-Only — We always act in your best interest, with complete transparency.