Top college savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) financial advisors in Blacksburg, VA

James Barnes is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services, holding a Series 66 designation and 24 years of industry experience. He has worked at Truist Advisory Services since 2021 and previously held roles at Bb&T Securities, LLC and Scott & Stringfellow, Inc. Barnes also serves as an adjunct instructor for the Virginia Department of Emergency Management’s Virginia Search and Rescue program. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm offers asset allocation, fiduciary support, and a manager-selection program, implementing advice through a combination of discretionary manager relationships and consulting services.

Zachary Smith is a CFP® professional with five years of industry experience, currently serving at The Kelly Group. His prior roles include positions at OLIO Financial Planning and Partners in Financial Planning. Before entering the financial advisory field, he worked with the Virginia Tech Athletic Department and at Virginia Tech. The Kelly Group advises individuals, families, trusts, nonprofits, corporations, and qualified retirement plans, managing over $1 billion in regulatory assets. The firm employs a team-based approach, using diversified model portfolios primarily made up of institutional mutual funds, and emphasizes ongoing monitoring and behavioral coaching.

Jamie Lynn Byram is a CFP® professional with one year of experience in financial advising. She is the principal of Peace Within Financial, a firm she has led since 2024, following prior roles at EVOadvisers and Locker Financial Services. Byram also provides personal financial consulting and education through Peace Within Financial Counseling, LLC, where she writes and speaks about personal finance topics. Peace Within Financial is a fee-only advisory firm serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, and families with comprehensive financial planning and non-discretionary investment management. The firm emphasizes functional asset allocation, long-term buy-and-hold strategies, and educational seminars delivered in a classroom setting.

Christine Smith is a financial advisor with Ameriprise, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 27 years of industry experience. She has been with Ameriprise and its affiliate since 2005. Smith serves on the Board of Directors for Rotary and has held leadership roles with Rotary International and the American Business Women's Association. Ameriprise provides retirement-income planning services primarily for individuals nearing or in retirement, combining research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to deliver tailored recommendation reports. The firm offers a broad range of advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions through its extensive network of advisors and affiliated companies.

Meghan Kuczmarski is a CFP® professional with eight years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Edward Jones since 2018. Prior to joining Edward Jones, she was involved with Peacework Development Fund Inc and worked as a self-employed consultant. She holds volunteer leadership roles with the Newcomers Club and Virginia Tech Alumni Association NRV Chapter, and previously served as past president of the Kiwanis Club in Blacksburg, VA. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients, including high-net-worth households and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment solutions, supported by a large network of financial advisors and branch offices nationwide.

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.