Top life insurance needs analysis financial advisors in Columbia, MD

Freddie Watson is a financial advisor with Lincoln Investment based in Rockville, MD, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and 45 years of industry experience. He has been affiliated with Lincoln Investment Planning, Inc. since 1989. Outside of advising, he serves as president of Watson Family Farms LLC, a farming business. Lincoln Investment serves individuals, charitable organizations, businesses, and employer-sponsored retirement plans, with a focus on educators and 403(b)/457(b) participants. The firm offers a range of financial planning and investment management services, employing both strategic and tactical approaches through in-house and third-party strategies.

Max Hoffman is a financial advisor at Fidelity with Series 66 registration and one year of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Equitable Advisors and various non-financial organizations. Strategic Advisers LLC, a Fidelity Investments company, offers investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, including discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management. The firm employs a systematic investment approach utilizing fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction across mutual funds, ETFs, and ETPs.

Eric Wells is a financial advisor with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors in Columbia, MD, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and two years of industry experience. He has concurrently worked at T. Rowe Price and within the federal government since 2010. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors is a large SEC-registered firm serving a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and trusts. The firm offers financial planning, investment management, and retirement advisory services through a network of independent professionals using a range of portfolio management and model-based strategies.

Jeffrey Grodsky is a financial advisor with Cetera holding the CFP® designation and Series 63 and 65 licenses, bringing 17 years of industry experience. He has worked with firms including Avantax Investment Services and Carmichael & Associates Inc. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved with Palumbo Financial & Tax Services LLC, providing tax preparation and accounting services integrated with financial planning. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm serving individual, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients through a large nationwide network of independent advisors. The firm offers a multi-manager platform with diverse portfolio management and financial planning services, supporting discretion levels ranging from automated allocations to custom strategies.

Eric Armentrout is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group in Columbia, MD, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and seven years of industry experience. He previously worked at T Rowe Price and Equitable Advisors. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, utilizing an integrated model tied to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms. The firm emphasizes long-term portfolio returns, annual rebalancing, and clients’ savings rates in its financial planning approach.

Aden Partee is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license with two years of industry experience. He is currently an advisor at Foundations Investment Advisors LLC and Alloy Investment Management, having previously worked at JEHM Wealth & Retirement, LPL Financial, and other positions. Foundations Investment Advisors is a multi-advisor registered investment adviser managing approximately $10.1 billion for nearly 30,000 clients through a large network of investment adviser representatives. The firm serves individuals, trusts, estates, and registered investment companies, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan support using a range of investment products and third-party sub-advisers.

Don Larson is a CFP® with 20 years of experience in the financial advisory industry and has operated Larson Wealth Management, LLC since 2011. He holds Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and also manages Larson Business & Tax Solutions, providing bookkeeping and tax preparation services. Additionally, Larson serves as secretary and treasurer for AEM International (US) Ltd. Larson Wealth Management offers investment supervisory and consulting services to individual and institutional clients, including high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and employee benefit plans. The firm employs customized strategic asset allocation with a combination of fundamental and technical analysis, managing portfolios primarily through mutual funds and ETFs across multiple asset classes.

Malissa Mc Nanna is a financial advisor with Black Knight Wealth Management, LLC and holds a Series 65 designation. She has four years of industry experience and has previously worked at Optivise Advisory Services, LLC, OnPointe Advisory and Financial Services LLC, and Vision Advisors, Inc. Outside of her advisory role, she is involved with Vision Advisors, Inc., where she recruits agents, conducts product training, and provides sales support for annuity and life insurance products. Black Knight Wealth Management serves individual and high-net-worth clients by offering portfolio management, financial planning, and coordination with other professional advisors. The firm employs a range of investment strategies and prepares individualized Investment Policy Statements, managing accounts primarily on a discretionary, asset-based basis while reviewing portfolios monthly.

Gregory Smarr is the sole advisor at Smarr Financial Services Inc. in Atlanta, GA, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses with 20 years of industry experience. He has operated Smarr Financial Services since 2004. Outside of advisory work, he has been involved in selling various insurance products through multiple agencies. Smarr Financial Services provides financial planning and investment supervisory services to individuals, high net-worth clients, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and other business entities. The firm also functions as an insurance agency, offering life, disability, long-term care, group life and health products, and fixed annuities. Its investment approach emphasizes fundamental analysis and long-term buy-and-hold strategies supplemented by moderate trading across a range of asset classes.

Jacob Binner is a financial advisor at BinnerInvestments with four years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and previously worked at Fidelity, Merrill Lynch, and E*Trade Securities. BinnerInvestments provides ongoing portfolio management and standalone financial planning for individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm’s investment approach combines multiple analytical methods to construct diversified portfolios and typically manages discretionary assets while delivering quarterly reports and written investment policy statements.