CFP®-certified, real estate investing financial advisors in Columbia, MD

Freddie Watson is a financial advisor with Lincoln Investment Planning, Inc. in Rockville, MD, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 45 years of industry experience. He has been with Lincoln Investment since 1989. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as president of Watson Family Farms LLC. Lincoln Investment Planning, LLC is a large enterprise firm serving individual and high-net-worth investors, trusts, charities, and retirement plans, including a long history with educators and 403(b) and 457(b) program participants. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management, and advisor-led consulting, supported by an in-house Investment Management & Research team that constructs model portfolios and employs third-party managers.

Max Hoffman is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with two years of industry experience. He is currently with Fidelity Investments and previously worked at Equitable Advisors. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, including discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, fund advisory, and model portfolio delivery. The firm employs a combination of proprietary fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction.

Eric Wells is a financial advisor with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and three years of industry experience. He has worked at Cambridge Investment Research, Inc. since 2023 and has concurrent experience with the federal government and T. Rowe Price dating back to 2010. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors is a large SEC-registered firm serving a diverse client base, including individuals, retirement plans, and charitable organizations. The firm offers financial planning, investment management, and retirement advisory services through a network of independent professionals, employing a range of portfolio management strategies and proprietary models.

Jeffrey Grodsky is a CFP® professional with 17 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Cetera. His prior roles include positions at Avantax Investment Services and Carmichael & Associates Inc. In addition to his advisory work, he is involved with Palumbo Financial & Tax Services LLC, where he provides tax preparation and accounting services. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm supporting a nationwide network of independent advisors, serving individual, retirement plan, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients. The firm offers a multi-manager platform with a range of portfolio management options, including model portfolios, third-party managers, and bespoke strategies, with over $256 billion in assets under management.

Eric Armentrout is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and seven years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions 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, as well as certain retail brokerage clients. The firm emphasizes long-term portfolio returns and integrates its services closely with Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms.

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.

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.

Matthew Mc Bride is a CFA® charterholder and Series 65 licensee with three years of industry experience. He has worked at One Day In July LLC since 2023 and previously held positions at the University of Vermont and Saint Michael's College. Outside of financial advising, he is involved in a self storage business focusing on facility valuation and market research. One Day In July LLC provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning to individuals, charitable organizations, corporations, and pension plans. The firm employs an asset-allocation approach centered on passive, low-cost ETFs, supplemented by periodic rebalancing and limited short-term trades, and offers an optional environmental investing strategy.

Jace Hart is a CFP® with nine years of industry experience and currently serves as a financial advisor at Rockwall Wealth Management. His prior experience includes roles at Leo Wealth, LPL Financial, and Fidelity Brokerage Services. Rockwall Wealth Management provides portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, trusts, plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm emphasizes diversified, low-cost ETF model portfolios with a focus on tax efficiency, liquidity, and systematic macro tilts, offering both traditional and advanced investment strategies tailored to client objectives.

Marshall Butler is a Series 66-registered financial advisor at Paladin Investment Advisors with eight years of industry experience. He has held roles at several firms including Veritas Independent Partners, Pinnacle Wealth Management, and Edward Jones. Butler is a part owner of Pinnacle Consultants, where he is involved in the sale of insurance products. Paladin Investment Advisors provides customized investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, business owners, nonprofit charities, foundations, and sponsors of ERISA-qualified retirement plans. The firm manages approximately $49.5 million in discretionary assets and employs a holistic wealth management approach using active, passive, or blended 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.

Elanna Gould is a CFP® professional with six years of experience, currently advising at Cambridge Investment Research Advisors in Cleveland, OH. Her background includes roles at PepsiCo and The Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Center, as well as academic experience at The Ohio State University. She is also an independent insurance agent for various companies. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors serves a broad client base, including individuals, retirement plans, and charitable organizations, offering financial planning, investment management, and retirement advisory services through a network of independent professionals. The firm provides a range of portfolio management options, proprietary and third-party strategies, and various custody platforms tailored to client objectives.

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.

Jace Hart is a CFP® with nine years of industry experience and currently serves as a financial advisor at Rockwall Wealth Management. His prior experience includes roles at Leo Wealth, LPL Financial, and Fidelity Brokerage Services. Rockwall Wealth Management provides portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, trusts, plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm emphasizes diversified, low-cost ETF model portfolios with a focus on tax efficiency, liquidity, and systematic macro tilts, offering both traditional and advanced investment strategies tailored to client objectives.

Jeffrey Macdonald is a CFP® and ChFC® with 18 years of industry experience. He has worked at Investment Management & Planning LLC and LPL Financial since 2010, following two years at Wells Fargo Clearing. Investment Management & Planning LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm constructs tailored portfolios using mutual funds, ETFs, equities, and fixed-income securities, employing fundamental analysis and continuous supervision, and operates as both a wrap program sponsor and affiliated registered representatives of LPL Financial.