Top social Security optimization financial advisors in Charleston, SC

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 need a Social Security optimization advisor if you're approaching retirement and want to maximize your benefits without triggering penalties or reducing your spouse's income. A common mistake is claiming benefits too early or in the wrong sequence, which can permanently lower your lifetime income.

  • Benefit timing strategies. Ask how they determine the best age for you to start claiming benefits based on your full financial picture.
  • Spousal and survivor benefits. Confirm they understand how to coordinate benefits between you and your spouse to boost household income.
  • Tax impact awareness. Social Security benefits can affect your taxes; check if they plan around this to keep more of your money.
  • Coordination with retirement income. See if they integrate Social Security decisions with your other income sources for a smoother cash flow.

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

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Erik H

Series 66

Charleston, SC

Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC

Erik Hofstrom is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with 21 years of industry experience. He is currently affiliated with Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC and has worked with LPL Financial since 2005. Hofstrom operates his advisory business through Independent Advisor Alliance, focusing on investment advisory services. Independent Advisor Alliance serves a diverse client base including individuals, small businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement plans. The firm provides asset management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting, employing discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management methods alongside technology-enabled estate-planning tools.

Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Retirement income strategy Tax strategies for small businesses Founder/Business Owner Retired
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Charles C

Series 65

Charleston, SC

Wealth Management

Charles Castle is a financial advisor at Wealth Management with five years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at Mainstreet Financial Solutions since 2007, where he provides tax, payroll, and accounting services. Wealth Management advises individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional clients, offering discretionary asset management, fiduciary services, and financial planning. The firm employs broadly diversified, passively managed portfolios with a long-term, buy-and-hold strategy and supports other advisors through its backoffice operations.

Passive / index investing Wealth management Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Annuities General tax planning Founder/Business Owner

Daniel P

Series 66

Charleston, SC

Edward Jones

Daniel Perlmutter is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Charleston, SC, holding a Series 66 designation with six years of industry experience. He has worked at Edward Jones since 2019 and previously held roles at Berlins Restaurant Supply, Rising Tide Marketing, and Hamilton Management Services Company. Outside of advising, he is involved in managing several rental properties and assists with real estate transitions through 2M Properties. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory programs and investment options supported by a nationwide network of more than 23,000 advisors. The firm provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment strategies, tax-efficient services, and operates under a fiduciary standard.

Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Wealth management General retirement planning Retired Founder/Business Owner Executive Hispanic/Latino/Latinx
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Craig M

Series 66

Charleston, SC

LPL Financial

Craig Mcdonald Jr. is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding a Series 66 designation and 16 years of industry experience. He has been with LPL Financial since 2019 and previously worked at AXA Advisors, LLC and Fort Sumter Tours, Inc. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved as a referring agent in a non-variable insurance business. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms, supporting over 22,800 advisors and managing more than $819 billion in discretionary assets.

Wealth management Retirement income strategy College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Tax-loss harvesting Annuities Retired Founder/Business Owner Executive
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James C

Series 65

Charleston, SC

Kinwell LLC

James Carlson is a Series 65-registered advisor with Kinwell LLC in Charleston, SC, bringing 11 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Questis Advisor Partners, LLC from 2013 to 2017. Outside of Kinwell, Carlson is an independent trustee for Modern Capital Funds Trust and holds shares in Questis, Inc., a financial wellness software platform. Kinwell LLC provides investment advice and portfolio management to individual and high-net-worth clients, as well as consulting services for pension and employee benefit plans. The firm employs modern portfolio theory and a long-term trading approach, focusing on individualized investment policies and a diverse investable universe that includes alternative assets and third-party managers.

Annuities Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Private / alternative investments Real estate investing
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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, previously serving at Axa Advisors and MSI Financial Services. Outside of advising, he is a co-chairman of a fundraising campaign for Alpha Light Fund Inc., a nonprofit focused on renovating the House of Alpha. Equitable Advisors serves a range of clients including individuals, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations, providing financial planning, retirement consulting, and asset management through a network of representatives and third-party managers. The firm offers various investment vehicles and ERISA fiduciary services, relying on third-party program sponsors and an affiliation with a publicly traded parent company.

Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business exit / sale strategy Concentrated stock management Equity Recipients (RS/RSU, SOP, ESPP) Long-term care insurance Founder/Business Owner Retired Executive Approaching retirement Sandwich Generation
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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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