Top financial advisors working with educators, teachers, and academics in Costa Mesa, CA
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 work in education or academia in Costa Mesa, CA, you might face unique financial challenges like managing fluctuating income during school breaks or planning for retirement on a teacher's pension. Without an advisor familiar with these specifics, you could miss opportunities to optimize your benefits or tax situation.
- Pension integration. Confirm how they incorporate your teacher's pension into your overall retirement plan, not just your investment accounts.
- Income variability planning. Ask how they help manage cash flow during summer or sabbatical periods when paychecks may pause or reduce.
- Tax impact awareness. California's high income taxes and Proposition 13's property tax limits affect your finances differently; see how they navigate these nuances for you.
- Education-specific benefits. Inquire about their experience with education-related benefits like loan forgiveness or continuing education reimbursements.
Here are top matches to get you started. Review each profile to compare experience, credentials, and approach.
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Christian C
Series 63, Series 65
Brea, CA
Merrill
Christian Cruz specializes in retirement income strategy and wealth management, making him well-suited to address the unique financial challenges faced by educators in Costa Mesa, such as pension integration and income variability. Based in nearby Brea, CA, he brings 19 years of experience at Merrill, a large firm, and offers coordinated tax and estate planning services, with a 1.10% AUM fee for managed strategies under $2 million.
Experience: 20 years
Avg account: $860,085
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George G
Series 63, Series 65, Series 66
Irvine, CA
TIAA-CREF
George Grant's 32 years of experience and focus on educators, teachers, and academics make him well-equipped to address the unique financial challenges faced by professionals in education, including retirement planning with teacher pensions. Based in nearby Irvine, CA, he works at TIAA-CREF, a large firm known for managing TIAA-administered retirement plans, and offers a 0.30% annual wrap fee, catering to high-net-worth and mid-career clients.
Experience: 33 years
Avg account: $523,144
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Harvey I
CFP®, Series 66
Aliso Viejo, CA
Edward Jones
Harvey Ivory specializes in retirement income strategy and planning for educators, teachers, and academics, making him well-suited to address the unique financial challenges faced by this group in Costa Mesa. Based in nearby Aliso Viejo, he brings eight years of experience, CFP® certification, and access to Edward Jones' extensive resources, offering a comprehensive approach with a fee structure up to 1.35% annually.
Experience: 9 years
Avg account: $246,728
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Ronald P
Series 63, Series 65
Irvine, CA
Lincoln Investment
Ronald Perez specializes in serving educators, teachers, and academics near Costa Mesa, CA, with 25 years of experience and expertise in retirement plans and wealth management. Operating from a large firm, Lincoln Investment, he offers flexible fee structures including flat fees and hourly rates, which may appeal to clients seeking tailored financial planning beyond standard investment advice.
Experience: 25 years
Avg account: $157,266
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Letitia B
Series 66
Irvine, CA
RFG Advisory, LLC
Letitia Berbaum specializes in serving educators, teachers, and academics, offering expertise in annuities, options and derivatives strategies, and tax-loss harvesting, which can address unique financial challenges like pension integration and tax impacts in California. Based in nearby Irvine, CA, she operates independently with a flat-fee structure for planning services and brings 14 years of experience, distinguishing her from advisors with different fee models or less focus on education professionals.
Experience: 14 years
Avg account: $295,694
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