Top private / alternative investments financial advisors in Cortland, NY

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 considering private or alternative investments, you likely want to diversify beyond traditional stocks and bonds. A common mistake is underestimating the unique risks and liquidity constraints these investments carry, which can impact your overall financial plan.

  • Risk assessment expertise. Confirm how the advisor evaluates the specific risks tied to private equity, hedge funds, or real assets, not just general market volatility.
  • Liquidity planning. These investments often have lock-up periods; ask how they incorporate timing and cash flow needs into your portfolio.
  • Tax implications. Private investments can trigger complex tax events; check how the advisor navigates state and federal tax consequences, especially estate tax cliffs in New York.
  • Alignment with goals. Ensure the advisor connects alternative investments to your broader financial objectives, rather than treating them as standalone opportunities.

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

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Aidan C

Series 66

Cortland, NY

LPL Enterprise

Aidan Carpenter is a financial advisor at LPL Enterprise with a Series 66 designation and two years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at The Prudential Insurance Company of America and Pruco Securities LLC. Outside of finance, he coaches basketball at Mater Dei Academy and serves as a music instructor at the YMCA. LPL Enterprise provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individual and high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, and institutional entities. The firm uses model-driven investment implementation and offers financial planning alongside access to third-party asset managers and insurance products through affiliated entities.

Tax-loss harvesting
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John B

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Cortland, NY

Ameriprise

John Baringer Jr. is a CFP® professional with 40 years of industry experience, currently serving at Ameriprise since 2005. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Outside of his advisory role, he serves on the Finance Committee of the YMCA in Cortland, NY. Ameriprise offers retirement-income planning services primarily for individuals with significant investable assets, combining research and modeling with tax-efficient strategies. The firm provides a broad range of advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions through affiliated companies.

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

Series 63, Series 65

Cortland, NY

LPL Financial

Eric Schneider is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 33 years of industry experience. He has worked with LPL Financial since 2008. In addition to his advisory role, he is involved in ticketing fixed annuities and life insurance through his DBA, Schneider Financial LLC. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of financial planning, portfolio management, and institutional platforms, supporting advisors with research and operational tools while overseeing more than $819 billion in discretionary assets.

Wealth management Retirement income strategy College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Tax-loss harvesting Annuities Retired Founder/Business Owner Executive

Jason C

CFP®, Series 63, Series 66

Cortland, NY

Edward Jones

Jason Cicioni is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with 27 years of industry experience. He holds the CFP® designation along with Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. He has been with Edward Jones since 1998. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and offers a range of advisory programs including discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, operating under a fiduciary standard.

Retirement income strategy General retirement planning Multi-generational wealth transfer General estate planning guidance Retired Founder/Business Owner Executive Intergenerational Families
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Bret H

Series 66

Cortland, NY

Cetera

Bret Hartman is a financial advisor with Cetera, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 21 years of industry experience. He has previously worked at Berthel, Fisher & Company Financial Services, N B T Bank, and LPL Financial. Hartman is also the owner of Upskill Wealth Management and Upskill Tax Services, where he provides financial and tax services. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered adviser that serves a broad range of clients including individuals, retirement plans, corporate and charitable entities, and institutional accounts. The firm offers various portfolio management and consulting services through a multi-manager platform, with access to affiliated and unaffiliated third-party managers and multiple program options.

Wealth management Tax-loss harvesting Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business exit / sale strategy Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Edwina M

Series 65

Cincinnati, OH

Waverly Advisors, LLC

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.

Private / alternative investments Real estate investing Options & derivatives strategies Tax-loss harvesting Multi-generational wealth transfer Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Thomas T

Series 66

Independence, OH

Hantz financial Services, Inc.

Thomas Trefzger is a Series 66-credentialed financial advisor with eight years of industry experience. He has worked at Hantz Financial Services, Inc. since 2018 and previously held roles at Sprint and Cleveland State University. Hantz Financial Services, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth households, pension and profit-sharing plans, and business owners. The firm offers financial planning and wealth management primarily through ETF-based model portfolios across five risk levels, supplemented by third-party managers and Direct Indexing, and combines advisory, broker-dealer, mortgage, and insurance activities under one platform.

Active portfolio management Passive / index investing Tax-loss harvesting Business ownership considerations Retirement withdrawal strategies Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Ethan S

CFP®, Series 65

Auburn Hills, MI

Plante Moran financial advisors

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.

Active portfolio management Options & derivatives strategies Private / alternative investments Concentrated stock management Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Richard B

Series 63, Series 66

Austin, TX

Charles Schwab

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.

Private / alternative investments Real estate investing Multi-state taxation College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.)
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Geoffrey T

Series 66

Chicago, IL

Sanctuary Advisors, LLC

Geoffrey Tomes is a financial advisor with Sanctuary Advisors, LLC, holding a Series 66 credential and 26 years of industry experience. He has worked at Noyes Advisors LLC for 11 years and David A Noyes & Company for 26 years. His other business activities include involvement in fixed life and health insurance and fixed annuities. Sanctuary Advisors, LLC serves a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations through a network of over 400 independent investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services employing various analytical approaches and maintains distinctive features such as negotiated performance-based fees for large institutional clients and affiliations with specialized asset management firms.

Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Cash flow / budgeting General retirement planning
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