CFP®-certified advisors focused on widow/widower 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.

Losing a spouse brings sudden financial and emotional challenges that require careful navigation. You need an advisor who understands the unique timing and sensitivity involved, as rushing decisions or overlooking survivor benefits can lead to costly mistakes. CFP® certification means these advisors have formal training in financial planning, which can help you manage your new circumstances with clarity.

  • Survivor benefit insights. Confirm how they evaluate Social Security and pension survivor benefits to maximize your income.
  • Estate and trust coordination. Ask how they work with your estate attorney to align financial plans with legal documents.
  • Income and expense reassessment. A good advisor helps you adjust your budget and investment strategy to your changed household needs.
  • Emotional sensitivity. Check how they support clients through grief while making sound financial decisions.

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

Tracey H

ChFC®, Series 66

Albemarle, NC

Edward Jones

Tracey Hayes is a ChFC® and Series 66 licensed financial advisor with 14 years of industry experience. She has been with Edward Jones in Albemarle, NC since 2011. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and offers a range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds.

Retirement income strategy Divorce financial planning General estate planning guidance Caring for aging parents Retired Founder/Business Owner Executive Women Professionals Women's Finance Widow/Widower Sandwich Generation

Glenn E

Series 63, Series 66

Short Hills, NJ

Merrill

Glenn Evans is a Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, specializing in providing personalized financial strategies to a diverse client base. His clients include corporate executives in pharmaceutical, technology, and real estate sectors, business owners, attorneys, medical professionals, widows, members of the LGBTQ community, and extended families across more than 20 states. Glenn’s approach centers on understanding each client’s unique goals and challenges, with an emphasis on planning-based wealth management and legacy strategies. Before joining Merrill, Glenn held senior corporate development and strategy roles at Fortune 500 companies and served as a mezzanine lender to middle market businesses. He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a Bachelor’s degree from Amherst College. Glenn’s professional credentials include the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP®) certification, Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC™) designation, and Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA™) designation. He is an Advisory Member of the Association of African American Financial Advisors and serves as a Trustee of The Kappa Guide Right & Scholarship Fund of Montclair, supporting leadership development and scholarships for local high school seniors. In addition to his advisory work, Glenn contributes as a pro bono consultant to nonprofit organizations focused on arts and education and participates in the Harvard Business School Club of New York Community Partners Initiative. He resides in Livingston, New Jersey, with his daughter and enjoys activities such as biking, hiking, running, swimming, photography, music, genealogy, and traveling.

Wealth management Private / alternative investments Business ownership considerations Business exit / sale strategy Retirement income strategy Founder/Business Owner Attorney Doctor or Medical Professional Executive LGBTQIA Widow/Widower African Americans/Black
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Catherine C

CFP®

Oakland, CA

Curtis Financial Planning

Catherine Curtis is a CFP® professional with 13 years of experience in financial planning. She is the sole advisor at Curtis Financial Planning, an independent firm she has led since 2013 in Oakland, CA. Curtis Financial Planning provides fee-only financial planning and investment management to individuals, families, and small-business owners, with a focus on the financial planning needs of women. The firm employs a strategic asset allocation process using diversified portfolios and operates as a fiduciary, offering educational seminars and maintaining a business continuity agreement with another fee-only advisory firm.

Equity compensation tax strategy Cash flow / budgeting Charitable giving & philanthropy Single Women Widow/Widower Divorced Women Sandwich Generation

Tyler L

CFP®, Series 66

Dunwoody, GA

Fidelity

Tyler Legault is a Financial Consultant at Fidelity Investments, a role he has held since 2022. He has been with Fidelity Investments since 2020, progressing from Financial Representative to Investment Consultant before his current position. Tyler works with a diverse clientele including retirees, young professionals, and widows or widowers. His approach focuses on building confidence in financial plans to help clients navigate changing lifestyles and economic conditions. Tyler emphasizes the use of visual tools to educate clients, aiming to help them stay focused and organized during regular check-ins and plan reviews. He holds a California Insurance License, supporting his ability to advise on insurance matters. Outside of his professional responsibilities, Tyler has interests in baseball, football, movies, pets, traveling, and volunteering.

General retirement planning Retirement income strategy Income planning Roth conversion strategy Retired Young Professionals Widow/Widower
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William B

Series 65

Menlo Park, CA

BKB Financial Advisors, LLC

William Binder is a financial advisor with BKB Financial Advisors, LLC in Menlo Park, CA, holding a Series 65 designation and 20 years of industry experience. He has operated as a self-employed advisor since 2001. Outside of financial advising, he owns a consulting engineering sole proprietorship that provides product development, business development, engineering, and project management services, though he is currently not active in this business. BKB Financial Advisors provides customized financial planning and consulting to individuals and families across life stages, focusing on retirement planning, seniors, and clients facing major life events such as loss or divorce. The firm emphasizes client education and participation, offers hourly fee-based advice without managing or custodying assets, and provides specialized services including divorce financial planning and estate-document support.

Retirement income strategy Social Security optimization Medicare planning Charitable giving tax strategies Divorce financial planning Approaching retirement Retired Widow/Widower Young Families Divorced
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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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Elanna G

CFP®, Series 66

Cleveland, OH

Cambridge Investment Research Advisors

Elanna Gould is a CFP® professional with five years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors. Her prior work includes roles at PepsiCo and The Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Center. She also maintains an independent insurance agency representing various insurance companies. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors serves a diverse clientele including individual investors, retirement plans, and charitable organizations, offering financial planning, portfolio management, and access to third-party sub-advisers through multiple account platforms.

Retirement income strategy Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Annuities Retired Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Ethan S

CFP®, Series 65

Auburn Hills, MI

Plante Moran FInancial Advisors

Ethan Siekkinen is a financial advisor with Plante Moran Financial Advisors, holding a Series 65 designation and beginning his advisory career in 2023. Prior to joining the firm, he worked at J Wilson Wealth Management and has experience outside finance with Rizzo Lawn Care. Plante Moran Financial Advisors provides investment advisory, financial planning, and estate planning services to a diverse client base including individual investors, charitable organizations, corporations, and trusts. The firm emphasizes strategic asset allocation, manager selection, and uses a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis supported by a proprietary equity market valuation model.

Options & derivatives strategies Concentrated stock management Private / alternative investments Wealth management Business succession planning Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Thomas M

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Irving, TX

Raymond James Financial

Thomas Mcintire is a CFP® with 33 years of experience in the financial services industry, currently affiliated with Raymond James Financial in Irving, TX. His prior roles include positions at Cadent Capital, LLC, Insurance Planners & Advisors Group, and The Guardian Life Insurance Company. He serves as a board member and finance committee member for the Dallas Rotary Club Foundation, overseeing investments and supporting the foundation’s philanthropic efforts. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individual investors, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, charitable organizations, and municipalities. The firm provides financial planning and non-discretionary investment consulting, emphasizing tailored strategies developed through client collaboration and supported by extensive research and asset-allocation analysis.

General retirement planning Business succession planning Cash flow / budgeting Founder/Business Owner Retired
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Jace H

CFP®, Series 63, Series 66

Hurst, TX

Leo Wealth, LLC

Jace Hart is a CFP® professional with eight years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Leo Wealth, LLC since 2023. His prior roles include positions at LPL Financial LLC and Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC. Leo Wealth provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, institutions, and retirement plans. The firm employs a combination of diversified ETF model portfolios and systematic single-stock models, utilizing sub-advisors and third-party managers to implement specialized strategies.

Options & derivatives strategies Private / alternative investments Concentrated stock management Real estate investing Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive Established Professionals HENRY (High Earners, Not Rich Yet)
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