Top general estate planning guidance financial advisors in Beaufort, SC

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.

When you're organizing your assets and final wishes, clear estate planning can prevent confusion and conflict among your heirs. Without careful guidance, you might overlook state-specific rules that affect how your estate is taxed and distributed.

  • State-specific knowledge. Confirm the advisor understands South Carolina's unique estate tax laws and retirement deductions that benefit Beaufort residents.
  • Comprehensive asset review. Ask how they incorporate all your assets, including retirement accounts and property, into a cohesive plan.
  • Heir communication strategies. Effective advisors help you plan how to communicate your wishes to reduce family disputes.
  • Plan updates. Estate plans should evolve with life changes; check how often they recommend reviewing and updating your documents.

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

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Jonathon W

Series 66

Huntersville, NC

Merrill

Jonathon Wagoner is a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He partners with individuals and families to build clear and disciplined wealth strategies. His focus is on helping clients organize their financial lives, invest with intention, and stay on track through changing markets and life events. Jonathon's approach involves understanding clients' priorities and translating them into concrete plans. He manages investments and risk exposure to support clients' goals over time, covering areas such as portfolio construction, retirement planning, tax-aware strategies, and guidance around major financial decisions. He utilizes Merrill Lynch's research, planning tools, and investment platform to deliver resources within a personal, relationship-driven experience. Clients engage with him for proactive communication, clear explanations, and accountability to their plans. He holds the Accredited Wealth Management Advisor (AWMA), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designations. Jonathon earned a Bachelor's Degree from Arizona State University and a Master's Degree from Thunderbird School of Global Management.

General retirement planning Retirement income strategy Wealth management
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Daniel D

Series 63

Beaufort, SC

Ameritas Advisory Services, LLC

Daniel Deverna is a financial advisor with Ameritas Advisory Services, LLC, holding a Series 63 designation and 26 years of industry experience. He has held roles at several firms, including Ameritas Life Insurance Corp and Creative Financial Partners, and has founded multiple financial businesses. Outside of advising, Deverna is an author writing a book for union workers about retirement planning and a speaker providing training and motivational presentations. Ameritas Advisory Services, LLC offers investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm combines model portfolios, mutual funds, ETFs, and individual securities, utilizing various program platforms and third-party technology to tailor investment solutions.

Private / alternative investments Wealth management Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Retirement income strategy Charitable giving & philanthropy Founder/Business Owner Retired Mid-Career Professionals
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Edward T

Series 65

Beaufort, SC

Verity Investment Partners

Edward Taylor is a financial advisor at Verity Investment Partners with 13 years of industry experience. He has previously worked at Dividend Assets Capital, LLC and Blackwell Boyd Wealth Management. Outside of his advisory work, he is a 10% owner of PAW Properties, LLC, a real estate investment entity. Verity Investment Partners is a 12-advisor team managing approximately $1.4 billion in assets, serving individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm provides discretionary investment management, ongoing financial planning, and family office consulting, focusing on portfolios built around dividend-paying equities and fundamental and technical analysis.

General retirement planning Cash flow / budgeting College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) General tax planning
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Denise M

Series 63, Series 65

Beaufort, SC

First Command Advisory Services

Denise Moody is a financial advisor with First Command Advisory Services, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 15 years of industry experience. She has been with First Command Advisory Services since 2015 and has worked with affiliated First Command entities since 2011. First Command Advisory Services is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, corporate, and charitable clients, with a focus on active-duty service members and their families. The firm offers financial planning and multiple wrap-fee asset management programs featuring model portfolios managed by a centralized Investment Management Team.

Passive / index investing Active portfolio management Retirement income strategy Tax-loss harvesting ESG / Sustainable investing Self-Employed Young Professionals
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Joseph C

CFA®

Beaufort, SC

Apricus Wealth LLC

Joseph Costigan is a CFA® charterholder with 19 years of industry experience. He has worked at Apricus Wealth LLC since 2020 and previously spent six years with Verity & Verity, LLC dba Verity Investment Partners. Apricus Wealth is a registered investment adviser serving individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm uses a tailored, discretionary investment process combining fundamental and technical analysis to construct portfolios aligned with client objectives and risk tolerance, and it emphasizes performance reporting supported by its technology infrastructure.

General retirement planning Cash flow / budgeting College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) General tax planning
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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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