Top charitable giving & philanthropy financial advisors in Asheville, NC

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 planning to make significant charitable donations or set up philanthropy efforts, you need an advisor who understands how to align your giving with your financial goals and tax situation. A common mistake is treating charitable giving as a one-time event rather than an ongoing strategy that evolves with your circumstances.

  • Tax impact awareness. Look for advisors who explain how donations affect your income tax, especially in a state like North Carolina with a flat income tax.
  • Giving strategy integration. Ask how they incorporate philanthropy into your broader financial plan, not just as isolated gifts.
  • Long-term philanthropy planning. Confirm they help you structure giving to support causes sustainably over time, not just immediate tax benefits.
  • Local knowledge. Since Asheville is growing rapidly, check if they understand local nonprofit landscapes and community needs.

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

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Stephen H

ChFC®, Series 63, Series 66

Asheville, NC

Edward Jones

Stephen Herbert is a ChFC® credentialed financial advisor with Edward Jones, based in Asheville, NC. He has 21 years of industry experience and has been with Edward Jones since 2004. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of investment strategies, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee programs, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, supporting approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management.

Divorce financial planning Business ownership considerations Business exit / sale strategy Retirement income strategy Planning for children with special needs Founder/Business Owner Intergenerational Families Divorced
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Angela R

Series 66

Asheville, NC

Merrill

Angela Rutledge is a Series 66 registered financial advisor at Merrill in Asheville, NC, with 18 years of industry experience. She has been with Merrill and its affiliate Bank of America, N.A. since 2014. Merrill provides managed account services through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations with model-based and discretionary investment strategies developed by internal and third-party managers.

Tax-loss harvesting Active portfolio management Wealth management
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Wade H

Series 66

Asheville, NC

Cetera

Wade Howell is a financial advisor at Cetera with five years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked with Avantax and Legacy firms. Howell also serves as a registered agent and financial advisor at Legacy Tax and Accounting and Legacy Capital Advisor, LLC. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm serving a broad client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutions. The firm offers a multi-manager platform with a range of portfolio management options, including model portfolios, third-party managers, and customized strategies.

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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Eric H

Series 63, Series 65

Asheville, NC

Kestra Advisory

Eric Hauser is a financial advisor with Kestra Advisory who holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 30 years of industry experience. He has worked at Kestra Advisory since 2017 and previously held roles at Williams Financial Group and Valic Financial Advisors. Hauser operates under the DBA KB Elliot Financial Advisors, providing investment advisory and insurance services. Kestra Advisory Services offers investment advisory and retirement plan consulting to a diverse client base, including institutional and individual investors. The firm provides fiduciary consulting, plan design, and access to multiple management platforms, serving clients such as large institutional investors and sovereign wealth funds.

Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business exit / sale strategy Annuities Wealth management Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Jonathan P

Series 65, Series 66

Asheville, NC

Oppenheimer

Jonathan Payne is a financial advisor with Oppenheimer who holds Series 65 and Series 66 licenses and has 27 years of industry experience. He has worked at Oppenheimer since 2009, following roles at Stanford Group Company, UBS Financial Services, and Merrill. Oppenheimer is a registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, pooled investment vehicles, and IRAs. The firm offers a variety of programs including asset management, consulting, and retirement services, with both discretionary and non-discretionary management across equity, balanced, and fixed-income portfolios.

Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business exit / sale strategy General retirement planning Wealth management Executive Founder/Business Owner
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Sally H

Series 63, Series 65

New York, NY

Seasons of Advice Wealth Management

Sally Hyman is a financial advisor with Seasons of Advice Wealth Management in New York, NY. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 43 years of industry experience, including roles at Ameriprise Financial Services and RBC Capital Markets. Outside of her advisory work, she records and sells vocal CDs and is involved in publishing her father's book on the spiritual meaning of disease and science. Seasons of Advice Wealth Management provides financial planning and discretionary investment management to individuals, high net worth clients, trusts, small business owners, professionals, and families. The firm uses a proprietary planning process that integrates goal tracking, asset allocation, and tax planning, tailoring investment recommendations to each client’s objectives and risk tolerance.

General estate planning guidance Business exit / sale strategy Cash flow / budgeting Founder/Business Owner Executive Values-based investing
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Richard M

Series 63

Fort Walton, FL

Cetera

Richard Martin is a financial advisor at Cetera with 29 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 63 designation and has a background that includes nearly three decades at Avantax Advisory Services and eight years at Avantax Insurance Agency. Outside of his advisory work, he is the owner and sole proprietor of Martin & Pellegrin, CPAs, a tax preparation and accounting firm. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm that serves a broad client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts. The firm provides a multi-manager platform offering discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and access to various program structures and third-party money 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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Thaddeus P

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Grand Rapids, MI

Advance Wealth Management Service, LLC

Thaddeus Phelps is a CFP® professional with 28 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has worked at Advance Wealth Management Service, LLC since 2019 and previously spent 14 years with Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. In addition to his advisory work, Phelps owns a tax preparation business and an accounting support service, and he serves in fiduciary roles such as trustee and executor. Advance Wealth Management Service, LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services primarily to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, and business entities. The firm offers discretionary investment management through a wrap asset management program and emphasizes an individualized approach with asset allocation supported by fundamental, sector, and technical analysis, including risk management strategies such as put options and conservative cash instruments.

College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Charitable giving & philanthropy General estate planning guidance General tax planning Options & derivatives strategies

Edward B

Series 63, Series 65, Series 66

Garden City, NY

Merrill

Edward Blatz serves as a Senior Resident Director and Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch. He specializes in working with high net-worth individuals and families, focusing on estate and wealth management needs. Since joining Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in 1985, he has provided personalized financial solutions tailored to his clients' risk tolerance, time horizon, liquidity needs, and investment goals. Edward's expertise encompasses a range of areas including college education planning, divorce transition planning, employee benefits, executive compensation, family wealth management strategies, managing new wealth, individual and corporate investment strategies, and retirement income planning. He collaborates closely with clients' tax advisors and estate planning attorneys to ensure comprehensive management of clients' financial and personal affairs. Edward is recognized as a member of The Blatz-Rooney Group, which was named to the 2024 Forbes "Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams" list. Edward holds a Bachelor's Degree from Adelphi University and has earned several professional designations including Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). Outside of his professional work, he has interests in golfing, reading, and tennis.

Wealth management General estate planning guidance Family Business Retirement income strategy Divorce financial planning
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Patrick F

Series 66

New Market, MD

Intentional

Patrick Ferguson is a financial advisor at Intentional with 17 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, Commonwealth Financial Network, and LPL Financial. In addition to his advisory role, he is a licensed agent involved in the sales of fixed and traditional insurance products. Intentional provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, businesses, and institutions. The firm offers pension consulting, estate planning support, business exit planning, and due diligence on alternative investments, utilizing a combination of fundamental, technical, and economic analysis within a fiduciary framework.

Business exit / sale strategy Multi-generational wealth transfer Private / alternative investments Founder/Business Owner

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