Independent advisors focused on gifting strategies in California

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.

You might consider gifting strategies if you're planning to transfer wealth to family or reduce your taxable estate. Without careful planning, you could unintentionally trigger gift taxes or miss out on annual exclusion benefits. Independent advisors operate without ties to specific financial firms, which can mean more flexible advice tailored to your unique situation.

  • Gift tax rules. Confirm how they navigate annual exclusions and lifetime limits to minimize tax impact.
  • Timing and sequencing. Ask how they recommend scheduling gifts to balance your cash flow and tax goals.
  • Asset selection. Understand which assets they suggest gifting first and why, considering potential appreciation and tax consequences.
  • Coordination with estate plans. Check how they integrate gifting with your overall estate strategy to avoid conflicts or gaps.

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

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Jared F

Series 65

Huntington Beach, CA

Northwest Asset Management

Jared Fruth is a financial advisor at Northwest Asset Management with four years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at Securities America, Inc., KMS Financial Services, Inc., Oppenheimer Funds, and John Paul Mitchell Systems. Northwest Asset Management is a registered investment adviser managing approximately $3.6 billion for nearly 3,000 clients, including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charities, and corporations. The firm employs a customized, fiduciary approach using Modern Portfolio Theory and strategic asset allocation, combining fundamental and technical analysis to build diversified portfolios with periodic rebalancing.

Retirement income strategy Wealth management Active portfolio management Founder/Business Owner
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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

Chicago, IL

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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David H

Series 65

Corona, CA

Safeguard Investment Advisory Group, LLC

David Hart is a financial advisor with Safeguard Investment Advisory Group, LLC, holding a Series 65 credential and 15 years of industry experience. He has worked with Safeguard since 2020 and previously held roles at LifePro Asset Management, LLC, Martin and Associates Insurance Services, Inc., and Martin Wealth Management, LLC. Hart is also a Certified Financial Fiduciary and volunteers as an instructor with the Foundation for Fiduciary Education (NACFF), providing unbiased fiduciary financial education. Safeguard Investment Advisory Group, LLC serves individual, high-net-worth, institutional, and business clients, offering discretionary portfolio management, access to third-party sub-advisers, and fee-based financial planning. The firm employs a fundamental-analysis investment process with a preferred horizon of two to ten years and manages over $600 million across approximately 1,800 client relationships.

Wealth management Passive / index investing Active portfolio management Retirement income strategy
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Alan T

Series 63, Series 65

Los Angeles, CA

Regal Investment Advisors LLC

Alan Toman is a financial advisor with Regal Investment Advisors LLC in Los Angeles, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having nine years of industry experience. He has worked at Regal Investment Advisors since 2018 and has prior experience with Lincoln Financial Securities Corporation and Bankers Life. Outside of his advisory role, Toman is active in the insurance sector, offering accident and health insurance, fixed and indexed annuities, and traditional life insurance products through American Senior Benefits and as an insurance agent. Regal Investment Advisors LLC provides discretionary investment management services to independent advisers and other registered advisers, serving a diverse client base including individuals, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers proprietary and third-party model portfolios across various asset classes, with advisers selecting allocations and granting Regal authority to implement and manage strategies.

Active portfolio management Options & derivatives strategies

Christopher F

Series 66

Spirit Lake, IA

Edward Jones

Christopher Fuhrman is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with six years of industry experience. He held a position at Pelzer Law Firm for ten years prior to joining Edward Jones in 2019. Outside of his advisory role, Fuhrman owns and oversees management of Estherville Ambulance Service, Inc., and is involved with Lakes Area Ambulance Service, a nonprofit organization operating in Iowa. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients, including households of varied net worth, pension plans, and charitable organizations. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and operates a nationwide network of financial advisors and branch offices, offering a range of discretionary and non-discretionary investment strategies under a fiduciary standard.

General estate planning guidance Multi-generational wealth transfer Charitable giving & philanthropy Gifting strategies Inheritance planning Attorney
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Krista W

CFP®

Olympia, WA

SoundView Advisors

Krista Wallace is a CFP® professional with five years of experience in financial advising. She has worked at SoundView Advisors since 2020 and previously spent six years at Zeiders Enterprises. Outside of her advisory role, she serves as a Trustee and Finance Elder at University Place Presbyterian Church. SoundView Advisors serves individual and high-net-worth clients by providing discretionary portfolio management and comprehensive financial planning. The firm emphasizes customized asset allocation and ongoing account management, with a focus on tailored portfolios and formal quarterly reviews.

Equity compensation tax strategy Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Gifting strategies Wealth management

Cody T

Series 66

Nashville, TN

Merrill

Cody Tellis is a Senior Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management and the founder of The Tellis Group, established to provide a unified source for comprehensive wealth management. With over 25 years of experience across the private and public sectors, Cody's professional background combines business ownership, banking, tax planning, and law. This diverse experience equips him to address the unique opportunities and challenges associated with significant wealth. Cody holds a Juris Doctorate Degree from Trinity Law School and a Master’s Degree from St. Thomas University, enhancing his ability to offer informed financial insights to his clients. His areas of focus include tax-sensitive trust and estate planning services, financial services for nonprofits, business succession planning, individual and corporate captive insurance, college education planning, family wealth management strategies, legacy planning, liquidity management, managing new wealth, portfolio management services, and tax minimization. Cody does not provide legal or tax advice in his role with Merrill and advises clients to consult appropriate professionals for these services. Outside of his professional life, Cody enjoys music, spending time with his family, and traveling.

Business succession planning General estate planning guidance Charitable giving & philanthropy Gifting strategies Family Business Executive Founder/Business Owner Mid-Career Professionals HENRY (High Earners, Not Rich Yet)

Garrett J

Series 63, Series 66

Salt Lake City, UT

Fidelity

Garrett Jensen is the Vice President and Financial Consultant at Fidelity Investments. In this role, he supports clients and their families in implementing and monitoring financial plans, with a focus on tax-efficient investing, gifting, estate planning considerations, and other areas of financial planning. He holds the Certified Financial Planner (CFP4) designation and is licensed to provide insurance services in Arkansas and California. Garrett has been with Fidelity Investments since 2016, progressing through various roles including Financial Consultant, Planning Consultant, PAS Portfolio Specialist, and Workplace Planning Consultant. His career path reflects experience in portfolio management, workplace planning, and high net worth client services. Outside of his professional responsibilities, Garrett enjoys biking, golf, reading, and skiing.

General estate planning guidance Charitable giving & philanthropy Gifting strategies Tax-loss harvesting Wealth management
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Kylee H

Series 65

Columbia, SC

Hobbs Group Advisors LLC

Kylee Holderied is a financial advisor at Hobbs Group Advisors LLC with one year of industry experience. She holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at Onthemarc Catering. Hobbs Group Advisors LLC provides investment advice to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers both discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, combining portfolio oversight with financial planning, and uses client interviews and risk-tolerance questionnaires to develop individualized investment policies.

Wealth management Gifting strategies Founder/Business Owner Retired
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Jared F

Series 65

Huntington Beach, CA

Northwest Asset Management

Jared Fruth is a financial advisor at Northwest Asset Management with four years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at Securities America, Inc., KMS Financial Services, Inc., Oppenheimer Funds, and John Paul Mitchell Systems. Northwest Asset Management is a registered investment adviser managing approximately $3.6 billion for nearly 3,000 clients, including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charities, and corporations. The firm employs a customized, fiduciary approach using Modern Portfolio Theory and strategic asset allocation, combining fundamental and technical analysis to build diversified portfolios with periodic rebalancing.

Retirement income strategy Wealth management Active portfolio management Founder/Business Owner
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Edwina M

Series 65

Cincinnati, OH

Waverly Advisors, LLC

Edwina Martin is a financial advisor at Waverly Advisors, LLC with two years of industry experience. She holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at 9258 Wealth Management for five years and Teradata Corp for eleven years. In addition to her advisory role, she serves as assistant director of tax planning at 9258 Tax and Planning. Waverly Advisors, LLC is an SEC-registered enterprise adviser serving individuals, corporations, retirement plans, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and fiduciary services, employing a combination of centralized and customized investment strategies across traditional and alternative asset classes.

Private / alternative investments Real estate investing Tax-loss harvesting Options & derivatives strategies ESG / Sustainable investing Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Craig M

Series 63, Series 65

Columbia, SC

Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC

Craig Mcdaniel Jr. is a financial advisor with Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC in Columbia, SC. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 13 years of industry experience. He has been with Capital Investment Group, Inc. and The McDaniel Corporation since 2012. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in life insurance sales and serves as an independent agent for annuities and related products. Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC provides investment advisory and supervisory services to individuals, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm offers customized investment management through discretionary mandates, third-party managers, and private-label model portfolios, using a blend of analytical methods with ongoing portfolio monitoring.

Active portfolio management Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Annuities Options & derivatives strategies Founder/Business Owner Retired
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David H

Series 65

Corona, CA

Safeguard Investment Advisory Group, LLC

David Hart is a financial advisor with Safeguard Investment Advisory Group, LLC, holding a Series 65 credential and 15 years of industry experience. He has worked with Safeguard since 2020 and previously held roles at LifePro Asset Management, LLC, Martin and Associates Insurance Services, Inc., and Martin Wealth Management, LLC. Hart is also a Certified Financial Fiduciary and volunteers as an instructor with the Foundation for Fiduciary Education (NACFF), providing unbiased fiduciary financial education. Safeguard Investment Advisory Group, LLC serves individual, high-net-worth, institutional, and business clients, offering discretionary portfolio management, access to third-party sub-advisers, and fee-based financial planning. The firm employs a fundamental-analysis investment process with a preferred horizon of two to ten years and manages over $600 million across approximately 1,800 client relationships.

Wealth management Passive / index investing Active portfolio management Retirement income strategy
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Sarah C

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Boston, MA

Santander Securities LLC

Sarah Currier Barrella is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 26 years of industry experience. She is currently with Santander Securities LLC and Santander Bank, NA, having previously worked at TD Bank and Citizens Securities, Inc. Barrella holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Santander Securities LLC provides investment advisory and related services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, charitable organizations, retirement plans, and institutional clients. The firm offers wrap-fee advisory programs and financial planning services, delivering investment advice through the FMAX managed-account platform with discretionary portfolio management and ongoing suitability reviews.

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