Independent, cash flow / budgeting financial advisors in Ames, IA

Richard Nelson is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Ames, IA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and 29 years of industry experience. He has been with LPL Financial since 2001. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, financial institutions, corporations, and charitable organizations through a national network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, retirement plan consulting, and brokerage services, utilizing model portfolios, third-party subadvisors, and various technologies to support its investment strategies.

Darren Gauck is a financial advisor with Ameritas Advisory Services, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and over 31 years of industry experience. He has worked with Ameritas Advisory Services since 2021 and has longstanding roles at affiliated firms including Ameritas Life Insurance Corp and Midwest Financial Solutions, where he is also licensed as an independent insurance agent specializing in fixed insurance products. Ameritas Advisory Services, LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, charitable and corporate entities, and retirement plans. The firm offers fee-based asset management, retirement-plan advisory, and fiduciary services, utilizing model portfolios, third-party sub-advisers, and custom strategies.

John Tillo is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Ames, IA, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and bringing 28 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward D. Jones & Co., L.P. since 1997. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and offers a range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds.

Jay Black is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Ames, Iowa, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses with 14 years of industry experience. He has worked at Eagle Strategies since 2019 and has been associated with New York Life and Nylife Securities since 2011. In addition to his advisory role, Black operates Innovative Financial Solutions Group, a business focused on selling New York Life products and brokering non-registered insurance products. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse range of individual and institutional clients, providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm offers multiple program types tailored to client and plan sponsor objectives and manages the majority of its assets on a non-discretionary basis.

Derrick Hannah is a financial advisor at Stifel with 10 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Bank of America and Merrill. Stifel serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutional clients, and charitable organizations, offering brokerage and investment advisory services supported by a proprietary investment methodology developed by its Investment Strategy Group.

Kayla Santos is a financial advisor with Mass Mutual Investors Services and holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses. She has 10 years of industry experience, including roles at MetLife Securities and Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company. In addition to her advisory work, she operates as an independent insurance agent specializing in life, fixed annuities, disability, long-term care, and health insurance. Mass Mutual Investors Services, LLC is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employers. The firm provides ongoing financial planning, asset management, and educational seminars, utilizing firm-approved tools to develop collaborative, goal-oriented financial plans.

Amanda Quicke is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Advisors with 18 years of industry experience. She has worked at various Wells Fargo entities since 2009. Amanda is a Series 66 license holder and has partial ownership in an investment-related business, Granite Wealth Management, LLC. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network serves individuals, trusts, and institutional clients by providing investment and fee-based financial planning services. The firm offers a broad range of planning options using proprietary research and tools, with services tailored to clients who meet specific net-worth criteria.

Michael Ipp is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 42 years of industry experience. He has been with Raymond James Financial Services Advisors since 2010 and serves as an independent contractor for 1792 Wealth Advisors. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors provides financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm offers tailored, non-discretionary planning and uses analytical tools to support client decision-making, while also maintaining specialized programs such as municipal advisory services and SIMPLE IRA Employer Advisory & Consulting Services.

Vandana Devi is a Planning Consultant at Fidelity Investments, where she has been serving since 2025. She began her career at Fidelity Investments in 2023, progressing through roles including Financial Service Representative, Financial Representative, and Relationship Manager before assuming her current position. Prior to joining Fidelity, she worked as a Personal Banker at Fremont Bank from 2020 to 2022. Her professional experience encompasses client relationship management and financial planning, with a focus on empowering clients to make informed decisions and maintain confidence in their financial goals. Vandana holds a California Insurance License, supporting her expertise in insurance-related financial services. Outside of her professional work, Vandana engages in activities such as cooking and baking, outdoor adventures, parenthood, reading, traveling, and writing.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.