Top charitable giving tax strategies financial advisors in Connecticut

Richard Kos is a CFA® charterholder and registered investment adviser with five years of industry experience. He is the president of Kos Consultants, an educational institutional consulting and marketing services firm unrelated to securities, which he has operated since 2007. Kos serves as the sole advisor at Sursum Financial LLC, based in Madison, CT. Sursum Financial is a single-advisor independent firm providing discretionary and non-discretionary asset management, financial planning, and consulting to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, business owners, family offices, and select institutional and charitable organizations. The firm combines proprietary and third-party research, typically favoring a longer-term buy-and-hold approach while allowing tactical adjustments, and offers performance-based fee arrangements to qualified clients.

Elaine Biersack is a financial advisor with Round Rock Advisors LLC, holding a Series 65 designation and five years of industry experience. She previously worked for Greenwich Investment Management, Inc. for ten years before joining Round Rock Advisors in 2023. Round Rock Advisors serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, retirement plans, trusts, and institutional investors with investment management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm employs multiple internal teams using fundamental, long-term analysis and offers access to independent sub-advisors and specialized investment strategies, including management of an Australian-registered micro-cap fund.

Ronald Dragotta is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where he specializes in retirement benefit consulting and personalized wealth management strategies. With over 27 years of industry experience, he adopts a goals-based approach to help clients pursue their long-term financial objectives by utilizing professional asset managers and investment platforms. Ronald focuses on Merrill's 401(k) Retirement Plan platform and provides services to local communities and organizations. He works closely with a team within his office and leverages the resources of Bank of America and Merrill Lynch Wealth Management to deliver active and dedicated service. His areas of expertise include corporate benefits, divorce transition planning, employee benefits planning, employee financial health, personal retirement planning, and individual and corporate investment strategy. He holds a Bachelor's Degree from Hofstra University and professional designations including Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Benefits Consultant (RBC). Outside of work, Ronald spends time with his wife Linda, an elementary school teacher, and their two daughters, Catherine and Caroline. They enjoy outdoor activities such as running, hiking, and kayaking on the Long Island Sound. Ronald is also involved in volunteering with community organizations.

Clifford Straub is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with 19 years of industry experience. He is the sole advisor at Lifestyle Financial Strategies, LLC and has been with the firm as well as WRP Investments Inc since 2006. Straub serves as a trustee for the Middletown Rotary Club Scholarship Trust and has been a member of the Middlesex United Way Board of Directors since 2005, participating on its executive, finance, and investment committees. Lifestyle Financial Strategies provides holistic financial planning and investment advisory services to individuals, families, and not-for-profit organizations. The firm employs a disciplined asset allocation approach emphasizing global diversification and risk management, primarily offering non-discretionary advisory relationships without accepting commissions or custody of client assets.

Angelo Pietri is a financial advisor with OSAIC Institutions, Inc. He holds a Series 66 designation and has 11 years of industry experience, including his current tenure at Infinex Investments, Inc. Since 2014, he has been involved as a consultant and second shooter in a photography business co-founded by his spouse. Angelo also owns a financial education seminar business based in West Hartford, CT. OSAIC Institutions, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, ERISA plans, trusts, estates, and corporate clients through a network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers customized advisory services, financial planning, ERISA plan services, and access to alternative investments, operating with a hybrid adviser and broker-dealer structure and a distinctive service and distribution model.

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.

Mark Kebodeaux is a financial advisor at Meridian Wealth Management, LLC with 34 years of industry experience. He previously worked for First Financial for 10 years before joining Meridian in 2023. Kebodeaux holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Meridian Wealth Management serves individual and high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan services, utilizing equities, ETFs, mutual funds, fixed income, and alternative investments with ongoing monitoring and rebalancing.

Mark Petro is a financial advisor at Lakeland Investor Services, Inc. in Conneaut Lake, PA, with 24 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at the firm since 2002. He is also president of Lakeland Insurance Services, LLC, a business he established to handle insurance sales and related operations. Lakeland Investor Services provides fee-based wealth advisory and investment management services to individuals, multi-generational families, high-net-worth clients, small non-profit organizations, small businesses, and qualified retirement plans. The firm offers comprehensive financial planning, portfolio management, and uses a variety of analytical approaches including fundamental, technical, and Monte Carlo modeling.

Kaylin Olster is a financial advisor at Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP with one year of industry experience. She holds the Series 65 designation and has previously worked at Corient, Odyssey Capital Advisors, and has an academic background from Temple University. Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors serves high-net-worth individuals, families, trustees, endowments, and qualified retirement plan sponsors and trustees. The firm employs a committee-driven investment process to manage diversified portfolios and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary management along with retirement plan consulting and tax-aware planning strategies.

Angelo Romano is a CFP® with six years of experience in the financial services industry, currently serving as an advisor at SC&H Wealth. His prior experience includes roles at MECU, ADP, and APGFCU. In addition to his advisory work, he is a licensed insurance agent involved in the sale of insurance-related products. SC&H Wealth serves individuals, trusts, estates, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, small businesses, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a team approach combining CPAs and CFP® professionals to provide tailored financial planning, asset management, retirement consulting, and tax preparation services.