Top general estate planning guidance financial advisors in Batavia, NY

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.

You might need general estate planning guidance if you're organizing your assets to avoid unexpected taxes or to ensure your wishes are clear after you pass. A common mistake is overlooking how estate tax cliffs can trigger large tax bills just above exemption limits.

  • Tax cliff awareness. Confirm the advisor understands how small changes in your estate's value can cause big tax jumps and plans accordingly.
  • Will and trust integration. Ask how they coordinate wills and trusts to reflect your goals and minimize probate delays.
  • Beneficiary updates. Check if they review and update beneficiary designations regularly to keep your plan current.
  • Long-term flexibility. Inquire about how they build plans that can adapt to changes in your family or tax laws over time.

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

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Donald B

Series 63

Batavia, NY

Cetera

Donald Bouchard is a financial advisor with Cetera, holding a Series 63 designation and 42 years of industry experience. He has worked at various firms, notably Avantax Advisory Services for 16 years and has operated his own business, Bouchard Financial Services, LLC, since 2009. Outside of advising, he is also a musician who performs solo and occasionally teaches music lessons. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm serving a broad client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporate, charitable, and institutional accounts. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and access to third-party managers through a multi-manager platform with both discretionary and non-discretionary program options.

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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David Z

Series 63, Series 65

Batavia, NY

LPL Enterprise

David Zauner is a financial advisor with LPL Enterprise, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 18 years of industry experience. He has worked at Prudential Insurance Company of America since 2016 and joined LPL Enterprise in 2024. Zauner operates Empire Financial Advisory Services, a registered private office associated with Prudential and LPL. LPL Enterprise provides investment advisory and brokerage services to individual and high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, banks, and corporate and charitable entities. The firm uses model-driven investment strategies developed by internal and third-party research sources and offers access to third-party asset managers, financial planning, and insurance products.

Tax-loss harvesting

Emily M

Series 63, Series 66

Batavia, NY

Merrill

Emily Marling is a Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where she joined the RGRWT team in 2015. She holds multiple professional designations, including CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP), CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). Emily works with clients to create and regularly review personalized, goals-based wealth management plans, focusing on areas such as personal retirement planning, women and wealth, and retirement income. Emily began her career in financial services within the insurance industry in 2011. She earned her bachelor's degree, Cum Laude, in Business Administration from the State University of New York System at SUNY Brockport in 2012. In 2017, she earned her CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® certification. Beyond her client work, Emily is a 2019 graduate of Leadership Genesee and serves as Vice President on the board of the Genesee County YWCA. She is also involved in community activities such as the United Way Day of Caring. Emily lives in Elba with her husband, Josh, and their children, Max and Ava.

General retirement planning Retirement income strategy Wealth management Charitable giving & philanthropy Women Professionals Women's Finance

Michael M

Series 66

Batavia, NY

Edward Jones

Michael Marsh is a Series 66 registered financial advisor with Edward Jones in Batavia, NY, with 15 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2011. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, offering a wide range of advisory programs and investment strategies supported by a large network of financial advisors and branch offices across the United States.

Wealth management Tax-loss harvesting Multi-generational wealth transfer Retired Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Judy T

Series 63, Series 66

Batavia, NY

LPL Financial

Judy Thompson is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 29 years of industry experience. She has been with LPL Financial since 2011. 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.

Wealth management Retirement income strategy College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Tax-loss harvesting Annuities Retired Founder/Business Owner Executive
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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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Kayla S

Series 63, Series 65

Warwick, RI

Mass Mutual Investors Services

Kayla Santos is a financial advisor with Mass Mutual Investors Services in Warwick, RI, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having 10 years of industry experience. She has worked at Mass Mutual Investors Services since 2017 and previously at MetLife Securities. In addition to her advisory role, Santos is an independent insurance agent, offering life, fixed annuities, disability, long-term care, and health insurance products. Mass Mutual Investors Services, LLC is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employers. The firm provides financial planning, asset management, wrap and money-manager programs, and educational seminars, structuring engagements as annual collaborative relationships focused on goal analysis and written recommendations.

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

Gordon B

Series 66

Luling, LA

Edward Jones

Gordon Brown III is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with 18 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has been with Edward Jones since 2008. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, with approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment options, operating under a fiduciary standard.

Retirement income strategy General estate planning guidance Multi-generational wealth transfer Wealth management Oil & Gas Engineering Professional
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William S

Series 63, Series 65

College Station, TX

Smith & Wyatt

William Soltow is a financial advisor at Smith & Wyatt with 13 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked at CoreCap Advisors, LLC. Outside of advising, he is the founder of Frontier Wealth Management and serves as an independent insurance agent with Goosehead Insurance. Smith & Wyatt serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, and corporations, managing approximately $207 million across 724 clients. The firm provides tailored financial planning, discretionary portfolio management, estate-planning consulting, and specialized educational programs, utilizing mutual funds and ETFs as primary investment vehicles.

Government Employee
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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

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