Top financial advisors working with educators, teachers, and academics in Arkansas

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 work in education or academia, your financial planning needs often include managing irregular income cycles and preparing for retirement with benefits like pensions and Social Security. A common mistake is treating your financial situation like a standard paycheck job, which can overlook key timing and tax considerations.

  • Pension integration. Confirm how they incorporate your pension benefits into your overall retirement plan, not just your savings.
  • Academic income cycles. Ask how they handle summer breaks and sabbaticals when income may fluctuate.
  • Social Security planning. Since Arkansas exempts Social Security income from state tax, check how they leverage this in your retirement income strategy.
  • Large-firm resources. Many advisors here work at larger firms, which may offer access to broader investment options and support services.

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

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Marshall B

Series 66

Cabot, AR

Paladin Investment Advisors

Marshall Butler is a Series 66-registered financial advisor at Paladin Investment Advisors with eight years of industry experience. He has held roles at several firms including Veritas Independent Partners, Pinnacle Wealth Management, and Edward Jones. Butler is a part owner of Pinnacle Consultants, where he is involved in the sale of insurance products. Paladin Investment Advisors provides customized investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, business owners, nonprofit charities, foundations, and sponsors of ERISA-qualified retirement plans. The firm manages approximately $49.5 million in discretionary assets and employs a holistic wealth management approach using active, passive, or blended strategies.

Real estate investing Annuities Options & derivatives strategies
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Brete G

Series 63, Series 65

Fayetteville, AR

Stephens

Brete Garland is a financial advisor at Stephens with 32 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. His prior experience includes roles at Voya Financial Advisors, Morgan Keegan & Company, and Morgan Stanley. Stephens is a multi-team investment adviser with approximately 243 advisors and about $18 billion in assets under management. The firm serves individuals, retirement plans, foundations, corporations, and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory, brokerage, investment banking, and research services.

Private / alternative investments Active portfolio management Executive Founder/Business Owner

Lawrence C

Series 63, Series 65

Little Rock, AR

Merrill

Lawrence Chance is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He utilizes a disciplined process to deliver a consistent and customized wealth management experience tailored to clients' personal perspectives and priorities. Larry collaborates closely with clients to fully understand their objectives and recommends strategies drawing on the resources of Merrill Lynch to integrate all aspects of their financial life. He regularly conducts reviews to monitor progress and adjusts strategies to align with any changes in clients' personal or business situations. Larry holds several professional designations, including the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification awarded by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc., the Certified Investment Management Analyst® designation, and the Certified Private Wealth Advisor® designation, both awarded by the Investments & Wealth Institute™. He earned his Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from Texas Tech University in 1986 and a Master of Science in Industrial Administration from Purdue University in 1987. In addition to his professional work, Larry is active in Fellowship Bible Church in Little Rock. His personal interests include camping, fishing, hunting, and traveling.

Wealth management
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Logan J

CFP®, Series 66

Jonesboro, AR

Mass Mutual Investors Services

Logan Johnson is a CFP® with six years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Mass Mutual Investors Services. His prior experience includes roles at Mass Mutual Life Insurance Company, Northwestern Mutual, Arkansas State University, and Harding University. He is also the owner of an LLC for tax purposes. Mass Mutual Investors Services, LLC operates as a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser, providing financial planning and asset management services to individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employers. The firm uses firm-approved software tools to analyze client goals and offers a range of planning programs, including recent additions like Divorce Planning and employer-sponsored planning services.

Divorce financial planning General estate planning guidance Multi-generational wealth transfer Cash flow / budgeting Founder/Business Owner Attorney Executive Married/Couples/Partners Divorced
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Malissa M

Series 65

Hot Springs, AR

Black Knight Wealth Management, LLC

Malissa Mc Nanna is a financial advisor with Black Knight Wealth Management, LLC and holds a Series 65 designation. She has four years of industry experience and has previously worked at Optivise Advisory Services, LLC, OnPointe Advisory and Financial Services LLC, and Vision Advisors, Inc. Outside of her advisory role, she is involved with Vision Advisors, Inc., where she recruits agents, conducts product training, and provides sales support for annuity and life insurance products. Black Knight Wealth Management serves individual and high-net-worth clients by offering portfolio management, financial planning, and coordination with other professional advisors. The firm employs a range of investment strategies and prepares individualized Investment Policy Statements, managing accounts primarily on a discretionary, asset-based basis while reviewing portfolios monthly.

Concentrated stock management Retirement income strategy Annuities Private / alternative investments Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Arjun S

Series 66

Frisco, TX

TIAA-CREF

Arjun Swarup is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Frisco, TX, holding a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining TIAA-CREF, he worked at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management and has an academic background from NYU College of Arts and Sciences. TIAA‑CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and small retirement plans, often serving clients connected to TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm offers both point-in-time planning and ongoing managed account services within a fiduciary framework, including acting as adviser to a donor-advised fund.

General estate planning guidance Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Educators, Teachers, and Academics Founder/Business Owner Approaching retirement Mid-Career Professionals
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Kevin H

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Birmingham, AL

RFG Advisory, LLC

Kevin Harper is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) with 29 years of industry experience. He is currently with RFG Advisory, LLC in Birmingham, AL, where he has worked since 2015, including prior roles at LPL Financial and Ameriprise. Harper is a co-owner of LHP Capital LLC, a commercial real estate business. RFG Advisory provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, and select institutional clients. The firm employs discretionary investment strategies through model portfolios, third-party platforms, and serves as a sub-adviser to multiple ETFs, with additional specialized services for retirement accounts and alternative investments.

Options & derivatives strategies Private / alternative investments Tax-loss harvesting Founder/Business Owner Executive Retired Women Professionals Mid-Career Professionals

Jacob H

Series 63, Series 66

Charlotte, NC

Edward Jones

Jacob Heinz is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Charlotte, NC, with 15 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 66 designations. His previous positions include roles at Fidelity Investments and E*TRADE Capital Management. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory solutions, including discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, supported by a nationwide network of thousands of financial advisors and branch offices.

Divorce financial planning Retirement income strategy Wealth management Real estate investing Educators, Teachers, and Academics
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Lindsey E

Series 63, Series 65

Cambridge, MN

EFS Advisors

Lindsey Egan is a financial advisor at EFS Advisors with 11 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked at First Republic Securities and First Republic Investment Management from 2016 to 2019. Outside of her financial advisory role, Lindsey is the owner of Women Who Explore, a community offering outdoor adventures and small group travel experiences for women. EFS Advisors provides investment advice and portfolio management to a broad client base, including individuals, business entities, charitable organizations, and qualified retirement plans. The firm employs a client-centric suitability scoring process combined with technology tools to recommend model portfolios and supports clients through discretionary and non-discretionary account management.

Options & derivatives strategies Educators, Teachers, and Academics
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Scott S

Series 63, Series 65

Farmington, CT

Medallion Wealth Advisors, LLC

Scott Stevens is a financial advisor at Medallion Wealth Advisors, LLC with 34 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at firms including Morgan Stanley and American Portfolios Financial Services, Inc. Stevens is also the proprietor of Stevens & Associates, LLC, a separate business. Medallion Wealth Advisors serves individuals, families, and retirement plans for educators and nonprofit organizations. The firm provides portfolio management, financial planning, and pension consulting with a long-term investment approach that includes discretionary and non-discretionary account management and may utilize third-party managers when appropriate.

General retirement planning Educators, Teachers, and Academics
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