CFP®-certified, life insurance needs analysis financial advisors in Berkeley, CA

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 considering life insurance to protect your family or cover debts, you need an advisor who understands how much coverage truly fits your financial picture. A common mistake is buying too much or too little insurance without linking it to your overall financial goals.

  • Comprehensive needs assessment. Look for advisors who evaluate your debts, income replacement needs, and future expenses, not just your current coverage.
  • Tax impact awareness. In Berkeley, high income taxes and property tax limits affect your financial planning; ask how they factor these into your insurance analysis.
  • Policy type guidance. Confirm they explain differences between term, whole, and universal life policies and recommend based on your situation.
  • Integration with financial plan. Ensure they consider how life insurance fits with your retirement, estate, and investment strategies.

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

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Shawn H

Series 66

Berkeley, CA

J.P. Morgan Securities

Shawn Huynh is a financial advisor at J.P. Morgan Securities with 17 years of industry experience. He has worked at J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. and J.P. Morgan Securities since 2018, and previously held roles at Citigroup and UnionBanc Investment Services. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC provides investment consulting and advisory services primarily to institutional clients and retirement plan sponsors through its Institutional Consulting Services program, combining quantitative asset-allocation modeling with centralized due diligence and an ESG eligibility framework.

Wealth management Executive Founder/Business Owner
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Yahweh K

Series 65, Series 63

Berkeley, CA

Merrill

Yahweh Khao Sok is a financial advisor at Merrill with Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and three years of industry experience. Prior to joining Merrill and Bank of America in 2025, he worked at New York Life Insurance Company and NYLife Securities LLC. He serves as Treasurer and a board member for the nonprofit Futures Explored, which supports individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities through advocacy and fundraising. Merrill, alongside its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients via the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, offering model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutions.

Tax-loss harvesting Active portfolio management Wealth management
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Tammy P

Series 63, Series 65

Berkeley, CA

Eagle Strategies (NY Life)

Tammy Plotkin Oren is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (New York Life) based in Berkeley, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and with 21 years of industry experience. She has been affiliated with New York Life and its related entities since 2005 and has operated TPO Financial and Insurance Services since 2009. Outside of her advisory work, she serves as Treasurer and Board Member for UC Berkeley Hillel and is a board member for the Delaware Street HOA. Eagle Strategies provides financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base including individuals, defined contribution and benefit plans, and corporate and charitable organizations. The firm offers various advisory programs and emphasizes tailored recommendations, with the majority of its assets managed on a non-discretionary basis.

Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business exit / sale strategy General retirement planning Retirement income strategy Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Juliana M

CFP®

Berkeley, CA

Elmwood Wealth Management

Juliana Moravy is a CFP® professional with three years of industry experience, currently serving at Elmwood Wealth Management in Piedmont, CA. She has been with Elmwood Wealth Management since 2014, including its current team structure since 2023. Elmwood Wealth Management is a fee-based, SEC-registered advisory firm serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, and various account types. The firm employs a total-return, long-term investment philosophy with both actively managed and ETF-based strategies, integrating ongoing financial planning with portfolio construction and offering specialized tax coordination and retirement plan advisory services.

College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) General retirement planning Wealth management Private / alternative investments Cash flow / budgeting
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Richard G

Series 65

Berkeley, CA

Affinity Capital Advisors LLC

Richard Greywitt is a financial advisor at Affinity Capital Advisors LLC with 10 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at Cutler Group LP and Greywitt Capital Management prior to joining Affinity in 2023. Outside of finance, he occasionally assists with operations at Metta Yoga Studio, a business owned by his spouse. Affinity Capital Advisors serves individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities, managing approximately $851 million in assets across 531 client relationships. The firm provides comprehensive portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and utilizes a combination of fundamental, technical, and charting analysis in building portfolios, incorporating a range of investment vehicles including stocks, bonds, ETFs, options, and alternative investments.

Private / alternative investments Options & derivatives strategies Real estate investing
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Aden P

CFP®, Series 65

Greenville, SC

Foundations Investment Advisors LLC

Aden Partee is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license with two years of industry experience. He is currently an advisor at Foundations Investment Advisors LLC and Alloy Investment Management, having previously worked at JEHM Wealth & Retirement, LPL Financial, and other positions. Foundations Investment Advisors is a multi-advisor registered investment adviser managing approximately $10.1 billion for nearly 30,000 clients through a large network of investment adviser representatives. The firm serves individuals, trusts, estates, and registered investment companies, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan support using a range of investment products and third-party sub-advisers.

Private / alternative investments ESG / Sustainable investing Concentrated stock management Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Don L

CFP®, Series 63, Series 66, Series 65

Mesa, AZ

Larson Wealth Management, LLC

Don Larson is a CFP® with 20 years of experience in the financial advisory industry and has operated Larson Wealth Management, LLC since 2011. He holds Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and also manages Larson Business & Tax Solutions, providing bookkeeping and tax preparation services. Additionally, Larson serves as secretary and treasurer for AEM International (US) Ltd. Larson Wealth Management offers investment supervisory and consulting services to individual and institutional clients, including high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and employee benefit plans. The firm employs customized strategic asset allocation with a combination of fundamental and technical analysis, managing portfolios primarily through mutual funds and ETFs across multiple asset classes.

Business succession planning Cash flow / budgeting Debt management Life insurance needs analysis Founder/Business Owner Retired Executive
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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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Gregory S

Series 63, Series 66

Atlanta, GA

Smarr Financial Services Inc.

Gregory Smarr is the sole advisor at Smarr Financial Services Inc. in Atlanta, GA, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses with 20 years of industry experience. He has operated Smarr Financial Services since 2004. Outside of advisory work, he has been involved in selling various insurance products through multiple agencies. Smarr Financial Services provides financial planning and investment supervisory services to individuals, high net-worth clients, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and other business entities. The firm also functions as an insurance agency, offering life, disability, long-term care, group life and health products, and fixed annuities. Its investment approach emphasizes fundamental analysis and long-term buy-and-hold strategies supplemented by moderate trading across a range of asset classes.

Life insurance needs analysis Disability insurance Long-term care insurance
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Jacob B

Series 63, Series 66

Forsyth, GA

Binnerinvestments

Jacob Binner is a financial advisor at BinnerInvestments with four years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and previously worked at Fidelity, Merrill Lynch, and E*Trade Securities. BinnerInvestments provides ongoing portfolio management and standalone financial planning for individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm’s investment approach combines multiple analytical methods to construct diversified portfolios and typically manages discretionary assets while delivering quarterly reports and written investment policy statements.

College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Life insurance needs analysis Cash flow / budgeting
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Sarah C

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Boston, MA

Santander Securities LLC

Sarah Currier Barrella is a CFP® professional with 26 years of experience in financial advisory services. She currently works at Santander Securities LLC and Santander Bank, NA, having previously held positions at TD Bank and Citizens Securities, Inc. Barrella is based in Boston, MA. Santander Securities LLC serves a broad retail client base with approximately $3.14 billion in regulatory assets under management across 10,800 client relationships. The firm offers investment advisory services, portfolio management through wrap-fee programs, and financial planning, operating both as a registered investment adviser and a FINRA-registered broker-dealer.

ESG / Sustainable investing Tax-loss harvesting General retirement planning Income planning Founder/Business Owner
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Elanna G

CFP®, Series 66

Cleveland, OH

Cambridge Investment Research Advisors

Elanna Gould is a CFP® professional with six years of experience, currently advising at Cambridge Investment Research Advisors in Cleveland, OH. Her background includes roles at PepsiCo and The Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Center, as well as academic experience at The Ohio State University. She is also an independent insurance agent for various companies. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors serves a broad client base, including individuals, retirement plans, and charitable organizations, offering financial planning, investment management, and retirement advisory services through a network of independent professionals. The firm provides a range of portfolio management options, proprietary and third-party strategies, and various custody platforms tailored to client objectives.

Wealth management Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Retirement income strategy Annuities Self-Employed
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Ethan S

CFP®, Series 65

Auburn Hills, MI

Plante Moran FInancial Advisors

Ethan Siekkinen is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license with Plante Moran Financial Advisors. He has one year of industry experience and previously worked at J Wilson Wealth Management. Outside of financial advising, he has experience in the lawn care business with Rizzo Lawn Care. Plante Moran Financial Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm provides investment advisory, financial planning, and estate-planning services, utilizing a range of investment strategies and managing both discretionary and non-discretionary assets.

Options & derivatives strategies Private / alternative investments Concentrated stock management Wealth management Executive Founder/Business Owner
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Jace H

CFP®, Series 63, Series 66

Rockwall, TX

Rockwall Wealth Management

Jace Hart is a CFP® with nine years of industry experience and currently serves as a financial advisor at Rockwall Wealth Management. His prior experience includes roles at Leo Wealth, LPL Financial, and Fidelity Brokerage Services. Rockwall Wealth Management provides portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, trusts, plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm emphasizes diversified, low-cost ETF model portfolios with a focus on tax efficiency, liquidity, and systematic macro tilts, offering both traditional and advanced investment strategies tailored to client objectives.

Active portfolio management Options & derivatives strategies Private / alternative investments Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Retirement income strategy
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Jeffrey M

CFP®, ChFC®, Series 66

Greenville, DE

Investment Management & Planning LLC

Jeffrey Macdonald is a CFP® and ChFC® with 17 years of industry experience. He has been with Investment Management & Planning LLC since 2010 and is also affiliated with LPL Financial LLC. Investment Management & Planning LLC provides fee-based investment advisory and comprehensive financial planning primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, offering portfolio management on both discretionary and non-discretionary bases. The firm emphasizes ongoing account supervision and individualized asset allocation, often utilizing LPL-sponsored platforms and model portfolios.

General retirement planning Business succession planning Tax strategies for small businesses Wealth management Founder/Business Owner Retired Mid-Career Professionals Established Professionals
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