Large-firm, social Security optimization financial advisors in Buffalo, 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.

If you're approaching Social Security age and want to maximize your benefits, you need an advisor who understands the complex rules and timing options that affect your income. A common mistake is claiming benefits too early or in the wrong sequence, which can reduce your lifetime payments.

Large-firm advisors often have access to extensive resources and specialized teams, which can help navigate Social Security strategies alongside your broader financial plan.

  • Benefit timing strategies. Ask how they determine the optimal age to claim benefits based on your work history and spouse's benefits.
  • Coordination with retirement income. Confirm they integrate Social Security decisions with your other income sources to avoid unintended tax consequences.
  • Estate tax awareness. Since New York has estate tax cliffs, check how they plan for potential tax impacts on your Social Security and overall estate.

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

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Bruce S

ChFC®, Series 63, Series 65

Buffalo, NY

LPL Financial

Bruce Supernault is a financial advisor at LPL Financial with 41 years of industry experience. He holds the ChFC® designation as well as Series 63 and 65 licenses. His prior career includes positions at Cadaret, Grant & Co., Inc., Prudential Insurance Company of America, Pruco Securities, LLC, MML Investors Services Inc, and Mass Mutual Life. He is also commissioned as a notary and holds a non-variable insurance license. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, corporations, and charitable organizations through a national network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers financial planning, advisory programs, retirement plan consulting, and brokerage services, with discretionary and non-discretionary management supported by research and model portfolios.

College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.)
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Anna P

Series 65, Series 66

Buffalo, NY

Collins Advisors, LLC

Anna Pujolas is a financial advisor at Collins Advisors, LLC in Buffalo, NY, holding Series 65 and Series 66 licenses with 22 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Wells Fargo Clearing Services and HSBC Bank USA. Collins Advisors provides investment advisory and retirement plan consulting services to individuals, trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, and businesses. The firm combines multiple analytic methods and a wide range of investment instruments to deliver portfolio management and employer retirement plan consulting through a small team of two advisors managing approximately $176 million.

Passive / index investing Active portfolio management
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Patricia H

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Buffalo, NY

Ameriprise

Patricia Hudson is a CFP® credentialed financial advisor with 30 years of industry experience. She is currently with Ameriprise, where she has worked for one year, following five years at LPL Financial and 18 years at M&T Securities. Ameriprise Financial Services is a large, diversified advisory firm serving individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a specialized Premier Retirement Income service focused on retirement-income planning through written Recommendation Reports and ongoing advice, utilizing proprietary research and algorithmic tools.

Retirement income strategy Income planning Social Security optimization Retirement withdrawal strategies Approaching retirement
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Braden S

Series 65

Buffalo, NY

Capital Insights Group of WNY, LLC.

Braden Semlitsch is a financial advisor at Capital Insights Group of WNY, LLC., holding a Series 65 designation with one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Capital Insights Group, he has been involved with Nottinghill Wedding Venue and Manny's Ace Hardware. Capital Insights Group of WNY, LLC. provides fiduciary financial planning and investment management to individuals, families, small businesses, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm uses a combination of fundamental, qualitative, and quantitative analysis and offers both discretionary and nondiscretionary portfolio management, serving about 128 clients with tailored financial planning engagements and educational seminars.

Income planning General estate planning guidance Long-term care insurance Disability insurance Annuities
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Douglas S

Series 66

Buffalo, NY

Cetera

Douglas Sosnowski is a financial advisor with Cetera, holding a Series 66 designation and 12 years of industry experience. He has worked at several firms, including Avantax Investment Services, Avantax Advisory Services, and 1st Global Capital Corp. Outside of financial advising, he serves as a director at Brisbane Consulting Group, LLC, a litigation consulting firm. 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 a range of portfolio management and financial planning services through a multi-manager platform with access to both affiliated and third-party managers.

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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Willie M

Series 63, Series 66

Cary, NC

Equitable Advisors

Willie Myles is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Cary, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 16 years of industry experience. He has worked at Equitable Advisors since 2016 and previously at AXA Advisors, LLC. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as co-chairman of a fundraising campaign for the nonprofit Alpha Light Fund Inc., focused on renovating the House of Alpha. Equitable Advisors serves a diverse client base including individual, high-net-worth, retirement plan, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients, offering financial planning, broker-dealer services, insurance distribution, and access to third-party asset management programs. The firm operates as both an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer, leveraging LPL-sponsored programs and endorsed TAMPs to deliver advisory and brokerage solutions.

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

Series 63, Series 65

Linwood, NJ

Ameriprise

Stavroula Koutsfetsoulis is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with 25 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Ameriprise and its affiliated entities since 2011. In addition to her advisory role, she is involved in fiduciary activities as an attorney-in-fact (power of attorney). Ameriprise is a large institutional firm that provides retirement-income planning services primarily to individuals with substantial investable assets. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to deliver written recommendation reports through a centralized consulting team, focusing on tailored retirement income strategies.

Retirement income strategy Income planning Social Security optimization Retirement withdrawal strategies Approaching retirement
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Cassandra S

Series 63, Series 65

Plano, TX

Financial & Tax Architects, LLC

Cassandra Sanchez is a financial advisor at Financial & Tax Architects, LLC with seven years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at Fisher Investments, TIAA, US Health Advisors, and various other firms. Sanchez also had involvement with Drunken Donkey, reflecting experience outside the financial sector. Financial & Tax Architects provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, focusing on those nearing or in retirement. The firm offers proprietary “Private Wealth Strategies” that use ETFs, individual securities, and trend-aware rebalancing, with accounts reviewed monthly and customizable strategies to meet client needs.

Retirement income strategy Social Security optimization Annuities Income planning General tax planning Retired
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Keith E

CFP®

Pittsburgh, PA

Keith L. Eliou, CFP

Keith Eliou is the principal of Keith L. Eliou, CFP, an investment management firm based in Pittsburgh, PA. He holds the CFP® designation and has one year of experience as a financial advisor. In addition to his advisory role, he practices law focusing on elder law and real estate and is involved in insurance, mortgage lending, and real estate brokerage businesses. The firm primarily serves pooled vehicles and institutional accounts, offering portfolio management, retirement plan services, and financial planning. It utilizes an open-architecture investment approach with third-party money managers and employs multiple analytical methods and strategies, conducting annual account reviews.

Social Security optimization Retirement income strategy Cash flow / budgeting Charitable giving tax strategies Business exit / sale strategy Founder/Business Owner
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Charles P

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

San Rafael, CA

WealthSpire Advisors

Charles Pyfer III is a CFP® professional with 19 years of industry experience, currently serving at Wealthspire Advisors since 2024. Prior to this, he spent 15 years at Private Ocean. Wealthspire Advisors provides wealth management, investment advisory, financial planning, and family office support to a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, retirement plans, and nonprofit organizations. The firm employs a relationship-driven, customized investment approach that emphasizes diversified, institutional-style asset allocation and utilizes a range of investment vehicles and third-party platforms for comprehensive portfolio management.

Retirement income strategy Social Security optimization Roth conversion strategy Tax-loss harvesting Private / alternative investments Founder/Business Owner Retired Mid-Career Professionals Established Professionals
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Jeffrey P

Series 66

Dacula, GA

Merrill

Jeffrey Park is a financial advisor at Merrill with eight years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Merrill and affiliated firms since 2011, including roles at JPMorgan Chase Bank and J.P. Morgan Securities. Outside of his advisory work, he is a sole owner and co-owner of family rental properties in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, offering model-based and discretionary strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors.

Tax-loss harvesting Active portfolio management Wealth management
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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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Elizabeth B

Series 66

New York, NY

J.P. Morgan Securities

Elizabeth Brown is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities in New York, NY, where she has worked since 2012. She has 26 years of industry experience. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services to clients such as corporations, foundations, and defined contribution plan sponsors, offering asset allocation advice, investment manager and fund searches, and customized performance reporting through a select group of Wealth Advisors. The firm combines large institutional advisory operations with brokerage, distribution, and investment management capabilities.

Wealth management Executive Founder/Business Owner
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Wesley P

Series 63, Series 66

Fort Worth, TX

Wells Fargo Clearing

Wesley Pool is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with 15 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and previously worked at JPMorgan Securities LLC for seven years. Outside of finance, he has been involved with #TagMeBro LLC and Fry Street Public House. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and offers both brokerage and advisory solutions.

Retired Founder/Business Owner
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Willie M

Series 63, Series 66

Cary, NC

Equitable Advisors

Willie Myles is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Cary, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 16 years of industry experience. He has worked at Equitable Advisors since 2016 and previously at AXA Advisors, LLC. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as co-chairman of a fundraising campaign for the nonprofit Alpha Light Fund Inc., focused on renovating the House of Alpha. Equitable Advisors serves a diverse client base including individual, high-net-worth, retirement plan, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients, offering financial planning, broker-dealer services, insurance distribution, and access to third-party asset management programs. The firm operates as both an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer, leveraging LPL-sponsored programs and endorsed TAMPs to deliver advisory and brokerage solutions.

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