Top college savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) financial advisors in Bakersfield, CA

Lance Howard is the principal advisor at Howard Financial with 17 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has operated his own insurance services firm since 1995. He manages an independent financial advisory practice based in Bakersfield, CA. Howard Financial provides fee-based financial planning, consulting, and portfolio advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm follows a non-discretionary approach with documented client goals and uses third-party money managers alongside multi-tier planning services.

Gabriel Woodward is a financial advisor at Woodward Diversified Capital, LLC with 21 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked at Wells Fargo Clearing, Wells Fargo Investments, LLC, and Banc of America Investment Services, Inc. Outside of his advisory role, he owns and operates a swim instruction business in Bakersfield, California. Woodward Diversified Capital is a fee-only, SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $610 million for around 400 clients, including individuals, high-net-worth investors, trusts, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm offers customized, risk-adjusted, and tax-aware portfolios using a combination of active and passive strategies, and serves as managing member and investment manager for sector-focused private funds across various industries.

Arnell Land is a financial advisor with Integrated Advisors Network LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and 25 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Morgan Stanley and Citigroup Global Markets. He is also an independent licensed insurance agent specializing in accident and health, life only, and variable insurance products. Integrated Advisors Network is a multi-team SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, and corporate entities. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting, employing both fundamental and quantitative approaches and frequently utilizes third-party sub-advisers to implement and oversee client portfolios.

Ronald Young is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Bakersfield, CA, holding a Series 66 designation and 21 years of industry experience. He has been with LPL Financial since 2007 and previously worked at Merrill from 2005 to 2007. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides advisory and brokerage services through a large network serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of financial planning and investment management solutions utilizing model portfolios, third-party subadvisors, and customized strategies.

Guillermo Rivas Flores is a financial advisor with Merrill in Bakersfield, CA, holding a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Bank of America and California State University Bakersfield. 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 investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Hassan Al Kadhimi is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and two years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. He is also involved with NIHFCU Wealth Advisors, a related business entity. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolio programs, and institutional platforms, supported by a large network of investment adviser representatives.

Richard Brandi is a financial advisor with Charles Schwab based in Austin, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 32 years of industry experience. He has been with Charles Schwab and Charles Schwab Bank ssb since 2003 and 2005, respectively. Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. serves primarily high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals through its Schwab Wealth Advisory wrap fee program and affiliated managed-account and financial planning services. The firm offers a mix of non-discretionary and discretionary investment guidance, leveraging multi-asset model portfolios and research from its Schwab Center for Financial Research.

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.

Paul Kinneberg is a CFP® and Series 65-registered advisor with 24 years of industry experience. He has been the principal and sole advisor at Longview Financial, Inc. since 2000 and also holds a long-term corporate role at CenturyLink. Longview Financial, Inc. provides personalized, fee-only financial planning and investment management primarily for individual clients. The firm uses a strategic asset allocation approach with a core-and-satellite framework, combining passive index and ETF core holdings with active funds when appropriate, and manages client assets on a non-discretionary basis with an emphasis on individualized advice.

Justin Scicluna is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Prairie Village, KS, holding the CFP®, ChFC®, and Series 66 designations with 13 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2013. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients, including a range of household types, pension plans, corporate clients, and charitable organizations. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and offers various advisory programs, discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, and affiliated investment products through a nationwide network of over 23,700 financial advisors.