Seasoned, private / alternative investments financial advisors in Carlsbad, CA

Edward Creed is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with 37 years of industry experience. He has held roles within Ameriprise and Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. since 2005. He holds a Series 63 designation. Ameriprise Financial Services is a large, diversified advisory firm serving individual and institutional clients, offering a specialized Premier Retirement Income service focused on retirement income planning through written recommendations and ongoing advice. The firm integrates proprietary research and algorithmic tools with a selective investment approach influenced by its affiliated product ecosystem.

Andrew Sontag is a CFP® with 20 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Carlsbad Wealth Advisory Group, Inc. since 2008. He holds a Series 66 designation and works out of Carlsbad, CA. Carlsbad Wealth Advisory Group offers discretionary portfolio management and comprehensive financial planning to a range of clients including individuals, high-net-worth households, trusts, foundations, and charitable organizations. The firm’s investment approach centers on asset allocation using primarily exchange-traded funds (ETFs), focusing on low expense ratios, internal diversification, and liquidity, while managing all client assets in-house.

John Steccato is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors holding a Series 66 designation and five years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at AXA and experience at San Diego State University. Outside of his advisor duties, he has operated a small business in the food service sector. Equitable Advisors serves a broad client base, including individuals, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations, offering financial planning, retirement consulting, and asset management programs primarily through a network of Investment Adviser Representatives and third-party managers.

Michael Sorenson is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Carlsbad, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and over 37 years of industry experience. His prior work includes positions at The Wealth Advisors, VOYA Financial Advisors, and Transamerica Financial Advisors. Outside of financial services, he sponsors an educational website about the art of his late brother and serves as an independent insurance agent for fixed insurance products. 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 wide range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolios, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms, supporting advisers with advanced operational and research tools.

Todd Blackburn is a financial advisor with Integrated Advisors Network LLC in Carlsbad, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and possessing 26 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Madison Avenue Securities, Vintage West Capital Management, and Mutual Securities. Blackburn also manages The Burns-Blackburn Group, an insurance agency providing various life insurance and annuity products. Integrated Advisors Network is an SEC-registered multi-team investment adviser offering portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, retirement plans, and corporate entities. The firm employs a range of investment approaches and frequently uses third-party sub-advisers while providing ongoing portfolio oversight and rebalancing.

Edwina Martin is a Series 65 licensed financial advisor with two years of industry experience, currently with Waverly Advisors, LLC. She previously worked at 9258 Wealth Management for five years and was employed at Teradata Corp for eleven years. Martin also serves as assistant director of tax planning at 9258 Tax and Planning, a non-investment related business. Waverly Advisors is a multi-team registered investment adviser managing portfolios for individuals, retirement plans, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm combines traditional equity and fixed-income strategies with alternative and private-market allocations, offering a range of investment management and financial planning services.

Thomas Trefzger is a Series 66-credentialed financial advisor with eight years of industry experience. He has worked at Hantz Financial Services, Inc. since 2018 and previously held roles at Sprint and Cleveland State University. Hantz Financial Services, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth households, pension and profit-sharing plans, and business owners. The firm offers financial planning and wealth management primarily through ETF-based model portfolios across five risk levels, supplemented by third-party managers and Direct Indexing, and combines advisory, broker-dealer, mortgage, and insurance activities under one platform.

Ethan Siekkinen is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license, currently serving as a financial advisor with Plante Moran Financial Advisors. He has one year of industry experience and has previously worked at J Wilson Wealth Management and operated Rizzo Lawn Care. Plante Moran Financial Advisors, LLC provides investment advisory, financial planning, and estate planning services to a diverse client base including individual households, institutional clients, and sovereign wealth funds. The firm employs a multi-disciplinary investment process and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, manager search, and tax-lot accounting services.

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.

Geoffrey Tomes is a financial advisor with Sanctuary Advisors, LLC, holding a Series 66 credential and 26 years of industry experience. He has worked at Noyes Advisors LLC for 11 years and David A Noyes & Company for 26 years. His other business activities include involvement in fixed life and health insurance and fixed annuities. Sanctuary Advisors, LLC serves a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations through a network of over 400 independent investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services employing various analytical approaches and maintains distinctive features such as negotiated performance-based fees for large institutional clients and affiliations with specialized asset management firms.

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.

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.

David Cade is a financial advisor with LPL Financial based in Houston, TX. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 42 years of industry experience. Prior to joining LPL Financial in 2025, he worked at Next Financial Group, Inc. for 20 years and Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. for six years. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of financial planning and portfolio management solutions, integrating proprietary research and third-party strategies.

Sarah Currier Barrella is a CFP® professional with 26 years of experience in financial advisory services. She currently works at Santander Securities LLC and Santander Bank, NA, having previously held positions at TD Bank and Citizens Securities, Inc. Barrella is based in Boston, MA. Santander Securities LLC serves a broad retail client base with approximately $3.14 billion in regulatory assets under management across 10,800 client relationships. The firm offers investment advisory services, portfolio management through wrap-fee programs, and financial planning, operating both as a registered investment adviser and a FINRA-registered broker-dealer.

Linda Postorivo is a financial advisor at BC Advisors, LLC with 43 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 63 designation and has worked with MAFG RIA Services, Inc. since 1994 and with Mid-Atlantic Companies since 1981. BC Advisors provides investment advisory and portfolio management services primarily to high-net-worth individuals, family trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, and other institutional clients. The firm emphasizes non-discretionary investment recommendations grounded in fundamental analysis alongside technical and cyclical reviews, employing a variety of strategies including long-term, short-term, trading, options, and alternatives.