Large-firm, social Security optimization financial advisors in Concord, NC

The right financial advisor for you depends on how you weigh location, expertise, experience, the clients they typically serve, and how they work with you.

If you're approaching Social Security age or planning your retirement income, optimizing your Social Security benefits can significantly impact your financial security. A common mistake is claiming benefits too early or without considering how it affects your overall retirement income.

  • Benefit timing strategies. Ask how they determine the best age for you to start claiming benefits to maximize your lifetime income.
  • Integration with retirement income. Confirm how they coordinate Social Security with your other income sources to avoid gaps or tax inefficiencies.
  • Large-firm resources. Advisors here have access to extensive research and tools, which can provide more comprehensive Social Security planning options.
  • State tax considerations. Since North Carolina has a flat income tax, check how they factor state taxes into your Social Security optimization plan.

Here are top matches to get you started. Review each profile to compare experience, credentials, and approach.

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David N

Series 66

Concord, NC

Cambridge Investment Research Advisors

David Nifong is a financial advisor with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 25 years of industry experience. He previously worked at LPL Financial and Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC for nine years each. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as president of an architecture committee in Bryson City, NC. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors is a large SEC-registered firm serving a diverse range of clients, including individuals, retirement plans, and charitable organizations. The firm offers financial planning, investment management, and retirement advisory services through a network of independent professionals, providing tailored strategies across multiple custody and platform options.

Wealth management Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Retirement income strategy Annuities Self-Employed
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Lynn I

Series 63, Series 65

Concord, NC

Intercarolina Financial Services, Inc.

Lynn Irvin is an advisor at Intercarolina Financial Services, Inc. with 39 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Intercarolina Financial Services since 1993. Prior to that, he worked at CK Federal Savings Bank starting in 1990. Intercarolina Financial Services, Inc. provides investment advisory and retirement plan consulting to individual clients, including high-net-worth individuals, as well as qualified retirement plans. The firm employs a mix of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to manage portfolios across equities, fixed income, mutual funds, and ETFs, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary account management.

Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Wealth management
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David G

Series 66

Concord, NC

IFG Advisory, LLC

David Gordon is a financial advisor at IFG Advisory, LLC in Concord, NC, with 27 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at IFG Advisory since 2016, following a 15-year tenure at LPL Financial. Gordon is also the managing partner of Gordon, Keeter & Co, CPAs, where he oversees management, client engagement, and the preparation of financial statements and tax returns. IFG Advisory, LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm employs a range of investment strategies and tools, utilizing sub-advisors and third-party managers to align portfolios with client objectives while offering various financial planning and consulting services.

Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business exit / sale strategy Founder/Business Owner Executive

Marshall W

Series 66

Concord, NC

Edward Jones

Marshall Ward is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with seven years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Edward Jones since 2019. Prior to joining Edward Jones, he was involved with JFL Enterprises Inc d/b/a Failure Free Reading from 2011 to 2019. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and offers a range of discretionary and non-discretionary investment strategies, including separately managed accounts and affiliated mutual funds, operating under a fiduciary standard.

Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Charitable giving & philanthropy College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Business ownership considerations Planning for children with special needs Founder/Business Owner
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Kevin O

Series 66

Concord, NC

FIFTH THIRD SECURITIES, Inc.

Kevin O'Hare is a financial advisor with Fifth Third Securities, Inc. in Concord, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 25 years of industry experience. He has been with Fifth Third Securities since 2008. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as an independent soccer referee in Charlotte, NC. Fifth Third Securities, Inc. provides brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, charitable organizations, corporate clients, and institutional investors through its Passageway Managed Account Program. The firm offers multiple discretionary managed-account options and features such as direct indexing and tax-overlay services, operating as a subsidiary of Fifth Third Bank with a unique combination of municipal-advisor registration and bank affiliation.

Passive / index investing Tax-loss harvesting ESG / Sustainable investing General retirement planning
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Willie M

Series 63, Series 66

Cary, NC

Equitable Advisors

Willie Myles is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Cary, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 16 years of industry experience. He has worked at Equitable Advisors since 2016, previously serving at Axa Advisors and MSI Financial Services. Outside of advising, he is a co-chairman of a fundraising campaign for Alpha Light Fund Inc., a nonprofit focused on renovating the House of Alpha. Equitable Advisors serves a range of clients including individuals, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations, providing financial planning, retirement consulting, and asset management through a network of representatives and third-party managers. The firm offers various investment vehicles and ERISA fiduciary services, relying on third-party program sponsors and an affiliation with a publicly traded parent company.

Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business exit / sale strategy Concentrated stock management Equity Recipients (RS/RSU, SOP, ESPP) Long-term care insurance Founder/Business Owner Retired Executive Approaching retirement Sandwich Generation
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Stavroula K

Series 63, Series 65

Linwood, NJ

Ameriprise

Stavroula Koutsfetsoulis is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with 25 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Ameriprise and its affiliated entities since 2011. In addition to her advisory role, she is involved in fiduciary activities as an attorney-in-fact (power of attorney). Ameriprise is a large institutional firm that provides retirement-income planning services primarily to individuals with substantial investable assets. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to deliver written recommendation reports through a centralized consulting team, focusing on tailored retirement income strategies.

Retirement income strategy Income planning Social Security optimization Retirement withdrawal strategies Approaching retirement
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Cassandra S

Series 63, Series 65

Plano, TX

Financial & Tax Architects, LLC

Cassandra Sanchez is a financial advisor at Financial & Tax Architects, LLC with seven years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at Fisher Investments, TIAA, US Health Advisors, and various other firms. Sanchez also had involvement with Drunken Donkey, reflecting experience outside the financial sector. Financial & Tax Architects provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, focusing on those nearing or in retirement. The firm offers proprietary “Private Wealth Strategies” that use ETFs, individual securities, and trend-aware rebalancing, with accounts reviewed monthly and customizable strategies to meet client needs.

Retirement income strategy Social Security optimization Annuities Income planning General tax planning Retired
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Keith E

CFP®

Pittsburgh, PA

Keith L. Eliou, CFP

Keith Eliou is the principal of Keith L. Eliou, CFP, an investment management firm based in Pittsburgh, PA. He holds the CFP® designation and has one year of experience as a financial advisor. In addition to his advisory role, he practices law focusing on elder law and real estate and is involved in insurance, mortgage lending, and real estate brokerage businesses. The firm primarily serves pooled vehicles and institutional accounts, offering portfolio management, retirement plan services, and financial planning. It utilizes an open-architecture investment approach with third-party money managers and employs multiple analytical methods and strategies, conducting annual account reviews.

Social Security optimization Retirement income strategy Cash flow / budgeting Charitable giving tax strategies Business exit / sale strategy Founder/Business Owner
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Charles P

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

San Rafael, CA

WealthSpire Advisors

Charles Pyfer III is a CFP® professional with 19 years of industry experience, currently serving at Wealthspire Advisors since 2024. Prior to this, he spent 15 years at Private Ocean. Wealthspire Advisors provides wealth management, investment advisory, financial planning, and family office support to a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, retirement plans, and nonprofit organizations. The firm employs a relationship-driven, customized investment approach that emphasizes diversified, institutional-style asset allocation and utilizes a range of investment vehicles and third-party platforms for comprehensive portfolio management.

Retirement income strategy Social Security optimization Roth conversion strategy Tax-loss harvesting Private / alternative investments Founder/Business Owner Retired Mid-Career Professionals Established Professionals
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Jeffrey P

Series 66

Dacula, GA

Merrill

Jeffrey Park is a financial advisor at Merrill with eight years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Merrill and affiliated firms since 2011, including roles at JPMorgan Chase Bank and J.P. Morgan Securities. Outside of his advisory work, he is a sole owner and co-owner of family rental properties in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Merrill, together 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 strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors.

Tax-loss harvesting Active portfolio management Wealth management
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Scott M

Series 63, Series 65

New York, NY

Morgan Stanley

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.

General estate planning guidance
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Elizabeth B

Series 66

New York, NY

J.P. Morgan Securities

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.

Wealth management Executive Founder/Business Owner
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Wesley P

Series 63, Series 66

Fort Worth, TX

Wells Fargo Clearing

Wesley Pool is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with 15 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and previously worked at JPMorgan Securities LLC for seven years. Outside of finance, he has been involved with #TagMeBro LLC and Fry Street Public House. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and offers both brokerage and advisory solutions.

Retired Founder/Business Owner
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Willie M

Series 63, Series 66

Cary, NC

Equitable Advisors

Willie Myles is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Cary, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 16 years of industry experience. He has worked at Equitable Advisors since 2016, previously serving at Axa Advisors and MSI Financial Services. Outside of advising, he is a co-chairman of a fundraising campaign for Alpha Light Fund Inc., a nonprofit focused on renovating the House of Alpha. Equitable Advisors serves a range of clients including individuals, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations, providing financial planning, retirement consulting, and asset management through a network of representatives and third-party managers. The firm offers various investment vehicles and ERISA fiduciary services, relying on third-party program sponsors and an affiliation with a publicly traded parent company.

Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business exit / sale strategy Concentrated stock management Equity Recipients (RS/RSU, SOP, ESPP) Long-term care insurance Founder/Business Owner Retired Executive Approaching retirement Sandwich Generation
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