Top general estate planning guidance financial advisors in Charlotte, NC

Jennifer Jones is a financial advisor at Laurel Wealth Advisors, LLC with 11 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Laurel Wealth Advisors since 2007. In addition to her advisory role, she is the managing member of Single Shingle, LLC, a real estate holding company. Laurel Wealth Advisors provides investment advice and portfolio management to individuals, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm customizes strategies based on client goals and risk tolerance, utilizing fundamental analysis and various investment techniques, while integrating financial planning within its asset management services.

Katherine Grier is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with one year of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Truist Investment Services and Truist Bank. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate and business clients, retirement plan sponsors and participants, and charitable organizations. The firm uses both discretionary and non-discretionary approaches supported by third-party platforms and manager arrangements, with a focus on inter-affiliate integration within the Truist enterprise.

Todd Davis is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and having 11 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at PNC Investments, Kalos Management, and Edward Jones. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers financial planning, wrap and model portfolio programs, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms, supporting a broad range of investment strategies through a large network of investment adviser representatives.

Robin Slaughter is a CFP® with 41 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Royal Fund Management, LLC. He has held positions at firms including Center Street Advisors, Alphastar Capital Management, and Maximum Advisory. Since 1997, he has been owner and president of Retirement & Estate Planning Services, Inc., where he provides retirement and estate planning strategies and tax consulting. Royal Fund Management, LLC serves individuals, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, and charitable organizations with portfolio management, financial planning, and pension consulting. The firm uses fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to implement customized investment strategies and offers services including options writing, third-party manager oversight, and defined contribution plan management.

Hayden Watkins is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with Merrill, based in Lake Wylie, SC. He has been with Merrill since 2024 and has prior experience at Bank of America, N.A., Wilson Air Center, Trolley Barn Brewery LLC, and several other firms. Merrill, along 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 investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors.

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.

Kayla Santos is a financial advisor with Mass Mutual Investors Services in Warwick, RI, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having 10 years of industry experience. She has worked at Mass Mutual Investors Services since 2017 and previously at MetLife Securities. In addition to her advisory role, Santos is an independent insurance agent, offering life, fixed annuities, disability, long-term care, and health insurance products. Mass Mutual Investors Services, LLC is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employers. The firm provides financial planning, asset management, wrap and money-manager programs, and educational seminars, structuring engagements as annual collaborative relationships focused on goal analysis and written recommendations.

Gordon Brown III is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with 18 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has been with Edward Jones since 2008. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, with approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment options, operating under a fiduciary standard.

William Soltow is a financial advisor at Smith & Wyatt with 13 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked at CoreCap Advisors, LLC. Outside of advising, he is the founder of Frontier Wealth Management and serves as an independent insurance agent with Goosehead Insurance. Smith & Wyatt serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, and corporations, managing approximately $207 million across 724 clients. The firm provides tailored financial planning, discretionary portfolio management, estate-planning consulting, and specialized educational programs, utilizing mutual funds and ETFs as primary investment vehicles.

Thaddeus Phelps is a CFP® professional with 28 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has worked at Advance Wealth Management Service, LLC since 2019 and previously spent 14 years with Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. In addition to his advisory work, Phelps owns a tax preparation business and an accounting support service, and he serves in fiduciary roles such as trustee and executor. Advance Wealth Management Service, LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services primarily to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, and business entities. The firm offers discretionary investment management through a wrap asset management program and emphasizes an individualized approach with asset allocation supported by fundamental, sector, and technical analysis, including risk management strategies such as put options and conservative cash instruments.