Large-firm, social Security optimization financial advisors in Appleton, WI

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 complex rules and timing options that affect your monthly income. A common mistake is claiming benefits too early or in the wrong sequence, which can reduce your lifetime payments.

Large-firm advisors often have access to extensive resources and specialized teams, which can help navigate Social Security strategies alongside your broader financial plan.

  • Claiming strategy nuances. Ask how they tailor claiming ages and spousal benefits to your unique work and family history.
  • Coordination with pensions. Confirm they consider how public pensions or other retirement income sources impact your Social Security choices.
  • Tax implications. Ensure they explain how Social Security benefits interact with your taxable income and potential tax brackets.
  • Benefit maximization over time. Look for advisors who plan beyond the first benefit check, focusing on long-term income optimization.

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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Adam W

Series 65

Appleton, WI

Winch Financial

Adam Winch is a financial advisor with Winch Financial in Appleton, WI, holding a Series 65 designation and 19 years of industry experience. He has been with Winch Advisory Services since 2002. Outside of finance, he is the owner and musician of Adam Winch Music, a non-investment-related business he has operated since 2006. Winch Financial is an SEC-registered advisory firm serving individuals, retirement plans, pooled vehicles, and charitable organizations. The firm manages approximately $580 million for around 850 clients using discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services, employing fundamental and technical analysis across multiple investment strategies.

College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) General estate planning guidance General retirement planning Debt management Founder/Business Owner Retired
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Bolan M

Series 66

Appleton, WI

Cornerstone Financial Group

Bolan Montgomery is a financial advisor at Cornerstone Financial Group in Appleton, WI, holding a Series 66 designation with six years of industry experience. He has previously worked at Principal Securities, Principal Life Insurance, and Northwestern Mutual. Montgomery serves as an owner of Montgomery Financial LLC, through which he operates his financial advisory practice. Cornerstone Financial Group serves individuals, trusts, retirement plans, and business entities through a five-advisor team. The firm provides discretionary asset management, financial planning, and consulting services, employing customized investment strategies that incorporate equities, fixed income, options, and technology-driven research methods.

Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Tax strategies for small businesses Active portfolio management Options & derivatives strategies Founder/Business Owner
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Kevin T

Series 65, Series 63

Appleton, WI

Harbour Investments, Inc.

Kevin Tobak is a financial advisor with Harbour Investments, Inc. in Appleton, WI. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 28 years of industry experience. Since 1999, he has been associated with both Harbour Investments and Planning Concepts. Harbour Investments serves a diverse client base including individual investors, trusts, pension and 401(k) plans, and institutional entities. The firm offers a range of investment management and financial planning services, employing various investment approaches tailored by individual advisors and approved third-party managers.

Annuities Options & derivatives strategies
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Mitchell N

Series 63, Series 65

Appleton, WI

Primerica Advisors

Mitchell Nonn is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors in Appleton, WI, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 14 years of industry experience. He has been with Primerica Advisors since 2011 and previously worked at BNI from 2018 to 2023. Outside of advisory work, he is a member of the Fox West Chamber of Commerce in Hortonville, WI. Primerica Advisors offers discretionary asset management through its Lifetime Investment Program, serving individual and high-net-worth clients with model-delivery strategies and separately managed account options within a wrap-fee structure. The firm curates third-party asset managers and delegates trading responsibilities to BNY Mellon Advisors, using a tiered percentage-based fee model.

ESG / Sustainable investing Tax-loss harvesting Income planning
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David D

Series 65

Appleton, WI

Freedom Wealth LLC

David Donze is a financial advisor at Freedom Wealth LLC in Appleton, WI, holding a Series 65 designation with five years of industry experience. He also owns Donze CPA LLC, an accounting firm, and is involved in several real estate entities. Freedom Wealth LLC provides discretionary asset management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and select corporate clients, utilizing fundamental analysis and tailored investment strategies.

General retirement planning College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.)
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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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Jeffrey P

Series 66

Dacula, GA

Merrill

Jeffrey Park is a financial advisor at Merrill with eight years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Merrill and affiliated firms since 2011, including roles at JPMorgan Chase Bank and J.P. Morgan Securities. Outside of his advisory work, he is a sole owner and co-owner of family rental properties in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, offering model-based and discretionary strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors.

Tax-loss harvesting Active portfolio management Wealth management
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Scott M

Series 63, Series 65

New York, NY

Morgan Stanley

Scott Mahoney is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in New York, NY, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 34 years of industry experience. He has been with Morgan Stanley since 2009, including roles at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved with Giants Foot Cubed LLC. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is a large SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer that serves both individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a wide range of advisory programs and financial planning services supported by structured planning tools and broad investment resources.

General estate planning guidance
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Elizabeth B

Series 66

New York, NY

J.P. Morgan Securities

Elizabeth Brown is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities in New York, NY, where she has worked since 2012. She has 26 years of industry experience. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services to clients such as corporations, foundations, and defined contribution plan sponsors, offering asset allocation advice, investment manager and fund searches, and customized performance reporting through a select group of Wealth Advisors. The firm combines large institutional advisory operations with brokerage, distribution, and investment management capabilities.

Wealth management Executive Founder/Business Owner
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Wesley P

Series 63, Series 66

Fort Worth, TX

Wells Fargo Clearing

Wesley Pool is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with 15 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and previously worked at JPMorgan Securities LLC for seven years. Outside of finance, he has been involved with #TagMeBro LLC and Fry Street Public House. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and offers both brokerage and advisory solutions.

Retired 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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