Top financial advisors working with young families 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.

Garrett Dahm is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where he has been providing financial guidance since 2017. He specializes in developing strategies and offering advice tailored to the short- and long-term financial objectives of individuals, families, and businesses. As a qualified Portfolio Manager, Garrett manages discretionary Personalized and Defined Strategies that may include individual stocks and bonds, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management model portfolios, and third-party investment options. His areas of focus include family wealth management, services for endowments, foundations, and non-profits, liquidity management, retirement planning, portfolio management, tax minimization, and strategies for sports and entertainment clients. Garrett earned a Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. He completed his high school education at Prospect High School and attended Harper College without earning a degree. Outside of his professional role, Garrett has a background in classical guitar, having performed solo and with orchestras worldwide since the age of four. Notably, he performed in multiple cities in Australia during the opening ceremonies of the 2000 Olympics. He lives in Mt. Prospect with his wife Tanya and their son Jace. His personal interests include golfing, ice hockey, practicing guitar, and spending time with his family.

Jon Bernier is a CFP® and ChFC® with 23 years of experience in financial advising. He has been with TandemGrowth Financial Advisors, LLC in Alpharetta, GA since 2000. TandemGrowth Financial Advisors serves individuals, high net worth households, trusts, and estates with comprehensive wealth management and financial planning, offering discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management alongside retirement-plan oversight and account aggregation tools. The firm uses a strategic, long-term investment approach across equity-risk spectrums, incorporating mutual funds, ETFs, independent managers, and alternative investments, and provides unique services such as a NextGen program and healthcare planning partnerships.

David Martula is a CFP® professional with 21 years of industry experience. He has been the sole advisor at Fee-Only Financial Planning since 1991. Fee-Only Financial Planning serves individual clients, including high-net-worth households, by providing financial planning and discretionary portfolio management. The firm emphasizes a low-cost, buy-and-hold investment approach using no-load mutual funds, tailoring recommendations to clients’ goals and life stages.

Ai Mendoza is an Investment Consultant currently working at Fidelity Investments since 2022. In this role, she focuses on understanding each client's unique financial needs and providing professional guidance and tailored solutions to help clients make informed financial decisions and pursue their goals. Prior to her current position, Ai worked as a Private Client Banker at JP Morgan Chase from 2019 to 2022. Her experience includes assisting clients with their investment and banking needs. Outside of her professional work, Ai enjoys family activities, fishing, social events with friends, gardening, outdoor adventures, and painting.

Welcome and thank you for taking a moment to read more about Bolt Financial Group and Shaun Carney, CFP®! Shaun Carney is the Co-Founder of Bolt Financial Group, a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM and serves as the firm’s Wealth Advisor. Shaun has over seven years of experience in the financial services industry. Responsible for establishing and maintaining client relationships, Shaun finds immense satisfaction in helping individuals better prepare for retirement. Prior to forming his own firm, Shaun served in the United States Air Force and worked with Edward Jones. After earning his Master of Science degree in Cost Analysis, Shaun went on to obtain his CFP(R), Series 7 and 66 securities licenses. As a member of the Air Force Reserve, Shaun continues to fly C-17s in service to the United States of America. When he isn’t helping people plan for retirement, and piloting C-17s, Shaun is an avid golfer, traveler, husband, and father to three children. Always eager to help others and give back in any way that he can, Shaun regularly volunteers with the Reserve Officers Association and the Knights of Columbus.