CFP®-certified, wealth management 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.

Jared Fruth is a financial advisor at Northwest Asset Management with four years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at Securities America, Inc., KMS Financial Services, Inc., Oppenheimer Funds, and John Paul Mitchell Systems. Northwest Asset Management is a registered investment adviser managing approximately $3.6 billion for nearly 3,000 clients, including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charities, and corporations. The firm employs a customized, fiduciary approach using Modern Portfolio Theory and strategic asset allocation, combining fundamental and technical analysis to build diversified portfolios with periodic rebalancing.

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 Hart is a financial advisor with Martin Wealth Management, LLC in Irvine, CA. He holds a Series 65 credential and has 15 years of industry experience. Hart previously worked with Safeguard Investment Advisory Group and LifePro Asset Management. He is also a Certified Financial Fiduciary and volunteers as an instructor with the Foundation for Fiduciary Education, providing unbiased fiduciary financial education to the public. Martin Wealth Management offers investment advisory services primarily to individuals and high-net-worth clients by co-advising and directing accounts to a third-party money manager, Matson Money. The firm focuses on client onboarding, documentation, and ongoing review of third-party manager accounts rather than direct asset management.

Hassan Al Kadhimi is a financial advisor at LPL Financial with two years of industry experience. His work history includes roles at J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. He is registered with Series 65 and Series 63 licenses. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer that serves a wide range of clients, including individuals, retirement plans, banks, and charitable organizations. The firm offers financial planning, advisory programs, retirement consulting, and brokerage services through a national network of investment adviser representatives.

Amanda Scheele is a financial advisor at Raymond James & Associates with 15 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and previously worked at Wells Fargo Clearing and Wells Fargo Advisors LLC. Outside of her advisory role, she is involved with Lucky Duck, a venture she has been part of since 2025. Raymond James & Associates, Inc. is a large registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $501 billion in assets. The firm serves a diverse client base, including individuals, institutions, and municipal entities, offering financial planning, non-discretionary investment consulting, and municipal advisory services.

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 with Plante Moran Financial Advisors. He has one year of industry experience and previously worked at J Wilson Wealth Management. Outside of financial advising, he has experience in the lawn care business with Rizzo Lawn Care. Plante Moran Financial Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm provides investment advisory, financial planning, and estate-planning services, utilizing a range of investment strategies and managing both discretionary and non-discretionary assets.

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 17 years of industry experience. He has been with Investment Management & Planning LLC since 2010 and is also affiliated with LPL Financial LLC. Investment Management & Planning LLC provides fee-based investment advisory and comprehensive financial planning primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, offering portfolio management on both discretionary and non-discretionary bases. The firm emphasizes ongoing account supervision and individualized asset allocation, often utilizing LPL-sponsored platforms and model portfolios.