Top trust structures (GRAT, IDGT, revocable) financial advisors in Bethesda, MD

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 managing complex family wealth or planning to pass assets efficiently, you might consider trust structures like GRATs (grantor retained annuity trusts), IDGTs (intentionally defective grantor trusts), or revocable trusts. A common mistake is underestimating how state estate and inheritance taxes can affect your plan, especially in places like Maryland where both apply.

  • Tax impact awareness. Confirm how the advisor accounts for both estate and inheritance taxes in your state to avoid unexpected liabilities.
  • Trust type suitability. Ask why a particular trust structure fits your goals, not just general trust benefits.
  • Long-term flexibility. Inquire about how the trust can adapt to changes in your family or tax laws over time.
  • Coordination with estate planning. Ensure the advisor works closely with your estate attorney to align trust terms with your overall plan.

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

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Oliver F

Series 65

Bethesda, MD

EM Leaders, LLC

Oliver Fratzscher is the principal of EM Leaders, LLC, an independent advisory firm based in Bethesda, MD. He holds a Series 65 designation and has 13 years of industry experience. Since founding EM Leaders in 2012, he has focused on providing investment advisory services related to emerging markets. EM Leaders serves institutional investors seeking exposure to emerging markets by selecting and monitoring local investment managers across multiple jurisdictions. The firm offers multi-manager and fund-of-fund supervisory services, emphasizing thorough local due diligence and customized investment policy implementation.

Active portfolio management Private / alternative investments Founder/Business Owner
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Peter R

Series 65

Bethesda, MD

Alikos Wealth Management, LLC

Peter Ryan is a financial advisor at Alikos Wealth Management, LLC with nine years of industry experience. He holds the Series 65 designation and has been with Alikos since 2015. Ryan also has over 30 years of experience at Ryan & Wetmore P.C. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved as a member in several real estate investment partnerships. Alikos Wealth Management serves individuals, retirement plans, trusts, charitable organizations, and small businesses by providing discretionary investment management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm emphasizes long-term, broadly diversified portfolios primarily implemented with passively managed mutual funds and ETFs, and offers customized solutions including ESG, tax-sensitive, and fixed-income accounts.

Private / alternative investments
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Lee M

CFP®, Series 65

Bethesda, MD

Miller Capital Management, Inc.

Lee Miller is a CFP® and Series 65 credentialed financial advisor with 23 years of industry experience. He is the principal of Miller Capital Management, Inc. and also operates Lee J. Miller, CPA, P.C., a public accounting practice. Miller serves on the board of directors of a charitable foundation as its vice president and treasurer and acts as trustee for several trusts. Miller Capital Management provides personalized investment supervisory services and financial planning to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and trusts. The firm focuses on capital preservation through fundamental security analysis and a long-term buy-and-hold strategy, making tailored recommendations and requiring client approval before transactions.

Wealth management
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Anna N

CFP®, Series 66

Bethesda, MD

Poder Wealth Advisors

Anna N'jie Konte is a CFP® professional at Poder Wealth Advisors with 10 years of industry experience. She previously worked at RBC Capital Markets and also served as CEO of Dare to Dream Consulting, where she provided speaking engagement services. Poder Wealth Advisors is a state-registered firm serving individual clients, business owners, and nonprofit entities. The firm employs a primarily passive investment approach based on Modern Portfolio Theory, offering diversified, low-cost portfolios alongside comprehensive financial planning and discretionary portfolio management.

Equity Recipients (RS/RSU, SOP, ESPP) Business exit / sale strategy College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Debt management Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Gretchen B

Series 63, Series 65

Bethesda, MD

Equitable Advisors

Gretchen Bolton is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Bethesda, MD, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 32 years of industry experience. She has been with Equitable Advisors since 1999, including its predecessor AXA Advisors. Outside of her advisory role, she serves on several local boards, including as secretary of the Old Georgetown Office Park Condominium Owners' Association and vice president of the Waterside Reserve Property Owners Association, as well as a board member for Friends of Seneca Creek/Patuxent River State Parks. Equitable Advisors serves individual investors, retirement plan sponsors, corporations, and charitable organizations by providing financial planning, retirement-plan support, and access to asset management through LPL programs and third-party asset managers. The firm employs a hybrid referral and implementation model, combining advisory and brokerage channels to tailor services based on client goals, risk tolerance, and time horizon.

Retirement income strategy Social Security optimization Founder/Business Owner Retired Executive Approaching retirement Baby Boomers (Born 1946-1964)
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Neil H

CFA®, Series 63

Cincinnati, OH

MAI Capital Management, LLC

Neil Hantak Jr. is a CFA® charterholder with 12 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at MAI Capital Management, LLC since 2019. He previously worked at John Dovich and Associates and The Randolph Co. MAI Capital Management, LLC provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, integrated wealth management, retirement plan consulting, and family-office services to a diverse client base including individuals, families, sports professionals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm offers customized portfolio management across multiple strategies and incorporates financial planning and tax services into its client relationships.

Private / alternative investments Business exit / sale strategy Trust structures (GRAT, IDGT, revocable) Tax strategies for small businesses Founder/Business Owner
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Justin K

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Savannah, GA

The Fiduciary Group

Justin Kohler is a CFP® with 12 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at The Fiduciary Group. His prior roles include positions at Sharp Wealth Advisory, Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, Sharp Financial Services, and AXA Advisors. Outside of his advisory work, he assists with the operations of a marketing and media company owned by his wife. The Fiduciary Group serves high-net-worth individuals and families, providing discretionary investment management for trusts, estates, nonprofits, and retirement plans. The firm employs a structured investment approach with multiple strategy profiles and integrates with the Focus Financial Partners platform to offer clients access to a broad range of financial solutions.

Private / alternative investments Trust structures (GRAT, IDGT, revocable) Business exit / sale strategy Wealth management Founder/Business Owner Retired

Matthew B

Series 66

Newport Beach, CA

Merrill

Matthew Benefiel is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. In this role, he collaborates with families, individuals, and businesses to develop customized wealth management strategies. His expertise includes portfolio design, manager selection, investment due diligence, and performance evaluation. He utilizes a disciplined process to build custom portfolios aligned with clients' objectives and regularly assesses investments to adapt to changing needs and market conditions. Additionally, Matthew employs Merrill Personal Wealth Analysis® to develop personalized financial plans that establish clear goals and track progress. Matthew joined Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in 2017 as a Financial Advisor for the Benefiel Group. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Biola University and maintains the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification. Furthermore, he has earned the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. Residing in Phoenix, Arizona, Matthew lives with his wife, Heather, and their daughter, Ruby. Outside of his professional responsibilities, he enjoys playing golf and supporting the Phoenix Suns basketball team.

Wealth management
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Clark G

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Overland Park, KS

Visionary Wealth Advisors, LLC

Clark Gay is a financial advisor at Visionary Wealth Advisors, LLC with 25 years of industry experience. He holds the CFP® designation along with Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. His career includes roles at Visionary Wealth Advisors since 2020, Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. from 2016, and Tmfs Advisors, LLC from 2000 to 2016. Visionary Wealth Advisors offers financial planning, consulting, and investment management services to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, business entities, and retirement plans. The firm employs model-based investment strategies combined with fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis within an asset-allocation framework based on Modern Portfolio Theory.

General retirement planning Wealth management Charitable giving & philanthropy Trust structures (GRAT, IDGT, revocable)

Todd B

Series 63, Series 66

Annapolis, MD

Fidelity

Todd Batty is the Vice President Private Wealth Management Advisor. In this role, he assists multiple generations of families in developing personalized wealth strategies focused on growth, preservation, and transfer of their assets. He collaborates with a team that includes an Investment Manager, a Senior Wealth Planner, and a Trust Officer to provide comprehensive wealth planning services. Todd has been with Fidelity Investments since 2008, initially serving as Vice President, Financial Consultant until 2015, and then advancing to his current position. Prior to that, he worked as an Account Coordinator at T. Rowe Price from 2002 to 2007.

Wealth management General estate planning guidance Multi-generational wealth transfer Charitable giving & philanthropy Trust structures (GRAT, IDGT, revocable)
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