CFP®-certified, social Security optimization financial advisors in Akron, OH

The right financial advisor for you depends on how you weigh location, expertise, experience, the clients they typically serve, and how they work with you.

If you're approaching Social Security age and want to maximize your benefits, you need an advisor who understands the nuances of claiming strategies. A common mistake is claiming too early or in the wrong sequence, which can reduce your lifetime benefits.

CFP® certification means these advisors have formal training in financial planning, including Social Security rules.

  • Claiming strategy expertise. Ask how they tailor your claiming age and spousal benefits to your unique work and earnings history.
  • Municipal tax awareness. Since Akron has varying city taxes, confirm how they factor local taxes into your Social Security income planning.
  • Coordination with retirement income. Social Security interacts with pensions and withdrawals; check how they integrate these sources for tax efficiency.
  • Longevity risk consideration. Ensure they model your benefits over your expected lifetime, not just short-term gains.

Here are top matches to get you started. Review each profile to compare experience, credentials, and approach.

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Answer a few questions to see advisors matched to you.

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David I

Series 63, Series 66

Akron, OH

PNC Wealth Management

David Ionno is a financial advisor with PNC Wealth Management in Akron, OH, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 33 years of industry experience. He has been with PNC Bank since 2010 and has worked at PNC Investments since 2009. PNC Wealth Management offers retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including an invitation-only discretionary digital offering that uses algorithmic risk assessment and implements investments via approved model strategies executed with mutual funds and ETFs.

Passive / index investing Active portfolio management Wealth management Executive
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Elizabeth S

Series 66, Series 63

Akron, OH

FIFTH THIRD SECURITIES, Inc.

Elizabeth Sharp is a financial advisor with FIFTH THIRD SECURITIES, Inc. She holds the Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has 15 years of industry experience. Her work history is primarily with Fifth Third Securities and Fifth Third Bank. Outside of her advisory role, she owns and operates two small businesses, Depot No. 19, a seasonal baking venture, and Sharp's Cleaning Company, a residential and commercial cleaning service. Fifth Third Securities, Inc. serves individual and institutional clients through investment advisory and brokerage channels, offering multiple program types and third-party portfolio managers via the Passageway Managed Account Program. The firm is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fifth Third Bank and provides a range of strategies including mutual fund and ETF models, separately managed accounts, and tax-overlay services.

Passive / index investing Tax-loss harvesting ESG / Sustainable investing General retirement planning
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Daniel J

Series 63

Akron, OH

Echo Financial Advisors, LLC

Daniel Jones is the sole advisor at Echo Financial Advisors, LLC, based in Akron, OH, with 12 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 63 designation and has worked previously at KingsCrowd and Avaring Capital Advisors. Jones is also a freelance contributor for Seeking Alpha, writing articles on investment topics. Echo Financial Advisors, LLC provides algorithm-driven robo-advisory portfolio management to individuals and high-net-worth clients through an online platform. The firm uses client inputs to construct portfolios focused on equities, ETFs, and international securities, and features a social “echoing” function that allows users to copy other investors’ trades.

Active portfolio management Options & derivatives strategies Passive / index investing
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Robert K

Series 63, Series 65

Akron, OH

BCD Advisors

Robert Kilivris is a financial advisor at BCD Advisors in Akron, OH, with 33 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Beacon Capital Distributors Advisors since 2004, as well as Investments for You Inc from 2013 to 2016. Kilivris serves as president of Beacon Capital and holds a variable insurance license. BCD Advisors provides portfolio management, financial planning, and access to third-party money managers for individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, and business entities. The firm uses asset allocation, fundamental analysis, and Modern Portfolio Theory to recommend portfolios and trading strategies, offering both discretionary and advisory arrangements.

Wealth management
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Tyrone G

Series 63

Akron, OH

GWN Securities Inc.

Tyrone Grady is a financial advisor at GWN Securities Inc. in Akron, OH, with 33 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 63 designation and has been with GWN Securities since 2014. Grady serves on the board of the Tyrone Paul Grady Memorial Foundation, which supports bereaved families and provides scholarships for higher education. GWN Securities is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individual and business clients through discretionary managed accounts, financial planning, and access to third-party sub-advisers and model portfolios. The firm manages approximately $3.65 billion across more than 37,000 accounts and offers a range of managed-account programs that include both traditional asset-allocation and legacy market-timing strategies.

Wealth management Passive / index investing Active portfolio management Tax-loss harvesting Retirement withdrawal strategies Founder/Business Owner
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Willie M

Series 63, Series 66

Cary, NC

Equitable Advisors

Willie Myles is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Cary, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 16 years of industry experience. He has worked at Equitable Advisors since 2016 and previously at AXA Advisors, LLC. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as co-chairman of a fundraising campaign for the nonprofit Alpha Light Fund Inc., focused on renovating the House of Alpha. Equitable Advisors serves a diverse client base including individual, high-net-worth, retirement plan, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients, offering financial planning, broker-dealer services, insurance distribution, and access to third-party asset management programs. The firm operates as both an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer, leveraging LPL-sponsored programs and endorsed TAMPs to deliver advisory and brokerage solutions.

Retirement income strategy Social Security optimization Founder/Business Owner Retired Executive Approaching retirement Baby Boomers (Born 1946-1964)
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Stavroula K

Series 63, Series 65

Linwood, NJ

Ameriprise

Stavroula Koutsfetsoulis is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with 25 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Ameriprise and its affiliated entities since 2011. In addition to her advisory role, she is involved in fiduciary activities as an attorney-in-fact (power of attorney). Ameriprise is a large institutional firm that provides retirement-income planning services primarily to individuals with substantial investable assets. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to deliver written recommendation reports through a centralized consulting team, focusing on tailored retirement income strategies.

Retirement income strategy Income planning Social Security optimization Retirement withdrawal strategies Approaching retirement
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Cassandra S

Series 63, Series 65

Plano, TX

Financial & Tax Architects, LLC

Cassandra Sanchez is a financial advisor at Financial & Tax Architects, LLC with seven years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at Fisher Investments, TIAA, US Health Advisors, and various other firms. Sanchez also had involvement with Drunken Donkey, reflecting experience outside the financial sector. Financial & Tax Architects provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, focusing on those nearing or in retirement. The firm offers proprietary “Private Wealth Strategies” that use ETFs, individual securities, and trend-aware rebalancing, with accounts reviewed monthly and customizable strategies to meet client needs.

Retirement income strategy Social Security optimization Annuities Income planning General tax planning Retired
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Keith E

CFP®

Pittsburgh, PA

Keith L. Eliou, CFP

Keith Eliou is the principal of Keith L. Eliou, CFP, an investment management firm based in Pittsburgh, PA. He holds the CFP® designation and has one year of experience as a financial advisor. In addition to his advisory role, he practices law focusing on elder law and real estate and is involved in insurance, mortgage lending, and real estate brokerage businesses. The firm primarily serves pooled vehicles and institutional accounts, offering portfolio management, retirement plan services, and financial planning. It utilizes an open-architecture investment approach with third-party money managers and employs multiple analytical methods and strategies, conducting annual account reviews.

Social Security optimization Retirement income strategy Cash flow / budgeting Charitable giving tax strategies Business exit / sale strategy Founder/Business Owner
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Charles P

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

San Rafael, CA

WealthSpire Advisors

Charles Pyfer III is a CFP® professional with 19 years of industry experience, currently serving at Wealthspire Advisors since 2024. Prior to this, he spent 15 years at Private Ocean. Wealthspire Advisors provides wealth management, investment advisory, financial planning, and family office support to a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, retirement plans, and nonprofit organizations. The firm employs a relationship-driven, customized investment approach that emphasizes diversified, institutional-style asset allocation and utilizes a range of investment vehicles and third-party platforms for comprehensive portfolio management.

Retirement income strategy Social Security optimization Roth conversion strategy Tax-loss harvesting Private / alternative investments Founder/Business Owner Retired Mid-Career Professionals Established Professionals
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Sarah C

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Boston, MA

Santander Securities LLC

Sarah Currier Barrella is a CFP® professional with 26 years of experience in financial advisory services. She currently works at Santander Securities LLC and Santander Bank, NA, having previously held positions at TD Bank and Citizens Securities, Inc. Barrella is based in Boston, MA. Santander Securities LLC serves a broad retail client base with approximately $3.14 billion in regulatory assets under management across 10,800 client relationships. The firm offers investment advisory services, portfolio management through wrap-fee programs, and financial planning, operating both as a registered investment adviser and a FINRA-registered broker-dealer.

ESG / Sustainable investing Tax-loss harvesting General retirement planning Income planning Founder/Business Owner
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Elanna G

CFP®, Series 66

Cleveland, OH

Cambridge Investment Research Advisors

Elanna Gould is a CFP® professional with six years of experience, currently advising at Cambridge Investment Research Advisors in Cleveland, OH. Her background includes roles at PepsiCo and The Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Center, as well as academic experience at The Ohio State University. She is also an independent insurance agent for various companies. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors serves a broad client base, including individuals, retirement plans, and charitable organizations, offering financial planning, investment management, and retirement advisory services through a network of independent professionals. The firm provides a range of portfolio management options, proprietary and third-party strategies, and various custody platforms tailored to client objectives.

Wealth management Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Retirement income strategy Annuities Self-Employed
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Ethan S

CFP®, Series 65

Auburn Hills, MI

Plante Moran FInancial Advisors

Ethan Siekkinen is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license with Plante Moran Financial Advisors. He has one year of industry experience and previously worked at J Wilson Wealth Management. Outside of financial advising, he has experience in the lawn care business with Rizzo Lawn Care. Plante Moran Financial Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm provides investment advisory, financial planning, and estate-planning services, utilizing a range of investment strategies and managing both discretionary and non-discretionary assets.

Options & derivatives strategies Private / alternative investments Concentrated stock management Wealth management Executive Founder/Business Owner
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Jace H

CFP®, Series 63, Series 66

Rockwall, TX

Rockwall Wealth Management

Jace Hart is a CFP® with nine years of industry experience and currently serves as a financial advisor at Rockwall Wealth Management. His prior experience includes roles at Leo Wealth, LPL Financial, and Fidelity Brokerage Services. Rockwall Wealth Management provides portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, trusts, plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm emphasizes diversified, low-cost ETF model portfolios with a focus on tax efficiency, liquidity, and systematic macro tilts, offering both traditional and advanced investment strategies tailored to client objectives.

Active portfolio management Options & derivatives strategies Private / alternative investments Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Retirement income strategy
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Jeffrey M

CFP®, ChFC®, Series 66

Greenville, DE

Investment Management & Planning LLC

Jeffrey Macdonald is a CFP® and ChFC® with 17 years of industry experience. He has been with Investment Management & Planning LLC since 2010 and is also affiliated with LPL Financial LLC. Investment Management & Planning LLC provides fee-based investment advisory and comprehensive financial planning primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, offering portfolio management on both discretionary and non-discretionary bases. The firm emphasizes ongoing account supervision and individualized asset allocation, often utilizing LPL-sponsored platforms and model portfolios.

General retirement planning Business succession planning Tax strategies for small businesses Wealth management Founder/Business Owner Retired Mid-Career Professionals Established Professionals
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