Independent, options & derivatives strategies financial advisors in Altoona, PA

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 trade or invest using options or derivatives, you need an advisor who understands the complex risks and strategies involved. Without this expertise, you might face unexpected losses or miss opportunities to hedge your portfolio effectively. Independent advisors here operate without firm constraints, which can mean more flexible strategy choices tailored to your needs.

  • Risk management focus. Ask how they identify and control the unique risks that options and derivatives introduce to your portfolio.
  • Strategy clarity. Confirm they explain the mechanics and potential outcomes of strategies in plain terms, so you understand what you’re getting into.
  • Tax implications. Options and derivatives can have complicated tax effects; check how they help you navigate these to avoid surprises.
  • Experience with independent advice. Since these advisors are independent, ask how that influences their approach to recommending strategies suited to your goals.

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

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John F

CFP®, ChFC®, Series 63, Series 65

Altoona, PA

Cetera

John Fleming is a financial advisor with Cetera, holding the CFP® and ChFC® designations and over 40 years of industry experience. He previously worked at First Allied Securities, Inc. and First Allied Advisory Services, Inc., and has been involved with VIP Ventures, LLC for more than two decades. Outside of his advisory work, he operates a law office providing attorney and paralegal services. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm serving individual, retirement plan, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients through a nationwide network of independent advisors. The firm offers a multi-manager platform with discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and access to various program structures and third-party managers.

Wealth management Tax-loss harvesting Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business exit / sale strategy Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Michael I

Series 63, Series 65

Altoona, PA

Raymond James Financial

Michael Irwin is a financial advisor at Raymond James Financial with 28 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has worked with Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. since 1998. Outside of advisory work, he is the owner of Irwin Financial, Inc., a support company. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. provides financial planning and investment consulting to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and institutional investors. The firm uses tailored, non-discretionary planning and employs analytical tools such as risk profiling and modeling to support client goals.

Wealth management Tax strategies for small businesses Business succession planning General estate planning guidance Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Stephen S

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Altoona, PA

OneSeven

Stephen Shaffer is a CFP® with 14 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at OneSeven. He previously worked at Latitude Advisors, LLC for 11 years and spent 24 years with United Airlines. Shaffer holds licenses including Series 63 and Series 65 and also engages in life and health insurance sales on a part-time basis. OneSeven provides investment advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, businesses, and retirement plans. The firm focuses on long-term investment strategies, utilizing diversified portfolios that include mutual funds, ETFs, individual securities, and access to alternatives and private placements.

Private / alternative investments Options & derivatives strategies Real estate investing Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k)
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Brian K

Series 63, Series 65

Altoona, PA

Primerica Advisors

Brian Kelly is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors in Altoona, PA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 13 years of industry experience. He has been with Primerica Advisors since 2015 and has prior experience with Pennsylvania Grain Processing, LLC. Outside of advisory work, he is involved in sales of loan products and home-related services through affiliated companies. Primerica Advisors provides discretionary asset management primarily through its Lifetime Investment Program, serving individual and high-net-worth clients with model-delivery strategies and separately managed account options. The firm curates third-party asset managers and implements models via BNY Mellon Advisors, offering a tiered wrap fee structure and maintaining oversight of its investment offerings.

ESG / Sustainable investing Tax-loss harvesting Income planning
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John Z

Series 63, Series 65

Altoona, PA

OSAIC

John Zerbee is a financial advisor at OSAIC with 35 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at Everbank, Securities America Advisors, Inc., and Cashman Financial Group Inc. In addition to his advisory work, he is involved in activities related to health product distribution through Shaklee Nutritional Products. OSAIC serves a diverse client base, including individual investors, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations, offering a range of integrated brokerage, advisory, and financial planning services. The firm employs sophisticated portfolio construction tools and supports multiple advisory platforms and third-party managed account solutions.

Annuities Wealth management Tax-loss harvesting Private / alternative investments Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Edwina M

Series 65

Cincinnati, OH

Waverly Advisors, LLC

Edwina Martin is a Series 65 licensed financial advisor with two years of industry experience, currently with Waverly Advisors, LLC. She previously worked at 9258 Wealth Management for five years and was employed at Teradata Corp for eleven years. Martin also serves as assistant director of tax planning at 9258 Tax and Planning, a non-investment related business. Waverly Advisors is a multi-team registered investment adviser managing portfolios for individuals, retirement plans, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm combines traditional equity and fixed-income strategies with alternative and private-market allocations, offering a range of investment management and financial planning services.

Private / alternative investments Real estate investing Options & derivatives strategies Tax-loss harvesting Multi-generational wealth transfer Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Craig M

Series 63, Series 65

Columbia, SC

Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC

Craig Mcdaniel Jr. is a financial advisor with Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC in Columbia, SC. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 13 years of industry experience. He has been with Capital Investment Group, Inc. and The McDaniel Corporation since 2012. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in life insurance sales and serves as an independent agent for annuities and related products. Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC provides investment advisory and supervisory services to individuals, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm offers customized investment management through discretionary mandates, third-party managers, and private-label model portfolios, using a blend of analytical methods with ongoing portfolio monitoring.

Active portfolio management Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Annuities Options & derivatives strategies Founder/Business Owner Retired
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Alan T

Series 63, Series 65

Los Angeles, CA

Regal Investment Advisors LLC

Alan Toman is a financial advisor with Regal Investment Advisors LLC in Los Angeles, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having nine years of industry experience. He has worked at Regal Investment Advisors since 2018 and has prior experience with Lincoln Financial Securities Corporation and Bankers Life. Outside of his advisory role, Toman is active in the insurance sector, offering accident and health insurance, fixed and indexed annuities, and traditional life insurance products through American Senior Benefits and as an insurance agent. Regal Investment Advisors LLC provides discretionary investment management services to independent advisers and other registered advisers, serving a diverse client base including individuals, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers proprietary and third-party model portfolios across various asset classes, with advisers selecting allocations and granting Regal authority to implement and manage strategies.

Active portfolio management Options & derivatives strategies
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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, currently serving as a financial advisor with Plante Moran Financial Advisors. He has one year of industry experience and has previously worked at J Wilson Wealth Management and operated Rizzo Lawn Care. Plante Moran Financial Advisors, LLC provides investment advisory, financial planning, and estate planning services to a diverse client base including individual households, institutional clients, and sovereign wealth funds. The firm employs a multi-disciplinary investment process and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, manager search, and tax-lot accounting services.

Active portfolio management Options & derivatives strategies Private / alternative investments Concentrated stock management Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Stephen H

Series 65

Plano, TX

Fisher Investments

Stephen Harris is a financial advisor at Fisher Investments with a Series 65 designation and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Fisher Investments in 2023, he worked for Fiba Basketball and East Stroudsburg University. Fisher Investments serves institutional and private clients worldwide, offering discretionary portfolio management across equity, fixed-income, and blended mandates. The firm utilizes a centralized investment process combining quantitative and qualitative research to construct diversified portfolios and provides sub-advisory and retirement plan services.

Tax-loss harvesting Active portfolio management ESG / Sustainable investing Options & derivatives strategies Concentrated stock management Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Jared F

Series 65

Huntington Beach, CA

Northwest Asset Management

Jared Fruth is a financial advisor at Northwest Asset Management with four years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at Securities America, Inc., KMS Financial Services, Inc., Oppenheimer Funds, and John Paul Mitchell Systems. Northwest Asset Management is a registered investment adviser managing approximately $3.6 billion for nearly 3,000 clients, including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charities, and corporations. The firm employs a customized, fiduciary approach using Modern Portfolio Theory and strategic asset allocation, combining fundamental and technical analysis to build diversified portfolios with periodic rebalancing.

Retirement income strategy Wealth management Active portfolio management Founder/Business Owner
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Edwina M

Series 65

Cincinnati, OH

Waverly Advisors, LLC

Edwina Martin is a Series 65 licensed financial advisor with two years of industry experience, currently with Waverly Advisors, LLC. She previously worked at 9258 Wealth Management for five years and was employed at Teradata Corp for eleven years. Martin also serves as assistant director of tax planning at 9258 Tax and Planning, a non-investment related business. Waverly Advisors is a multi-team registered investment adviser managing portfolios for individuals, retirement plans, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm combines traditional equity and fixed-income strategies with alternative and private-market allocations, offering a range of investment management and financial planning services.

Private / alternative investments Real estate investing Options & derivatives strategies Tax-loss harvesting Multi-generational wealth transfer Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Craig M

Series 63, Series 65

Columbia, SC

Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC

Craig Mcdaniel Jr. is a financial advisor with Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC in Columbia, SC. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 13 years of industry experience. He has been with Capital Investment Group, Inc. and The McDaniel Corporation since 2012. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in life insurance sales and serves as an independent agent for annuities and related products. Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC provides investment advisory and supervisory services to individuals, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm offers customized investment management through discretionary mandates, third-party managers, and private-label model portfolios, using a blend of analytical methods with ongoing portfolio monitoring.

Active portfolio management Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Annuities Options & derivatives strategies Founder/Business Owner Retired
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David H

Series 65

Irvine, CA

Martin Wealth Management, LLC

David Hart is a financial advisor with Martin Wealth Management, LLC in Irvine, CA. He holds a Series 65 credential and has 15 years of industry experience. Hart previously worked with Safeguard Investment Advisory Group and LifePro Asset Management. He is also a Certified Financial Fiduciary and volunteers as an instructor with the Foundation for Fiduciary Education, providing unbiased fiduciary financial education to the public. Martin Wealth Management offers investment advisory services primarily to individuals and high-net-worth clients by co-advising and directing accounts to a third-party money manager, Matson Money. The firm focuses on client onboarding, documentation, and ongoing review of third-party manager accounts rather than direct asset management.

Medicare planning Annuities
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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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