Top business succession planning financial advisors in Dalton, GA

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 preparing to transfer your business ownership or retire soon, you need an advisor who understands the complexities of business succession planning. A common mistake is overlooking how the transition affects your personal finances and long-term goals.

  • Ownership transfer strategies. Look for advisors who explain different ways to pass on your business, including sales, gifts, or family succession, and how each impacts your financial future.
  • Tax implications. Confirm they consider local tax rules, like retirement income exclusions that can reduce your tax burden as you transition.
  • Valuation expertise. Ask how they determine your business's worth to ensure a fair and realistic succession plan.
  • Integration with personal goals. The best advisors align your business exit with your retirement and estate plans, not just the business itself.

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

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William B

Series 66

Chattanooga, TN

Merrill

William Beard is a financial advisor with Merrill in Chattanooga, TN, holding a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. He has previously worked at Bank of America, Consumer Direct Services, and SunTrust Bank. Outside of his advisory role, Beard is involved with Consumer Direct Care, assisting individuals with physical, mental, learning, and emotional disabilities in his community. Merrill, along 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 investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors.

Tax-loss harvesting Active portfolio management Wealth management
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James B

Series 66

Dalton, GA

LPL Financial

James Boling is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing experience from previous roles at FoundationWealth and a 15-year career with the Whitfield County Sheriff's Office. He serves as a board member of the Dalton Golf and Country Club. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that offers a broad range of advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plans, banks, trust companies, and institutions, with a focus on providing customizable investment strategies and access to various institutional platforms.

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

Series 63, Series 66

Dalton, GA

Fidelity

Amy Shopp is a financial advisor at Fidelity with 15 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked across various Fidelity entities since 2011. Strategic Advisers LLC, a Fidelity Investments company, offers investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, including registered investment companies. The firm employs a combination of fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction, and is noted for its use of systematic methodologies, AI tools, and formal governance procedures.

Charitable giving & philanthropy Active portfolio management
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Allen P

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Dalton, GA

CPC Advisors, LLC

Allen Petway Jr. is a CFP® professional with over 43 years of industry experience. He is currently with CPC Advisors, LLC and has held prior roles at Raymond James Financial Services and LPL Financial. He also serves on the Finance and Investment Committee of the First Baptist Church of Dalton, GA. CPC Advisors provides financial planning and portfolio management services to individuals, trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and other business entities. The firm’s investment approach emphasizes model portfolios and asset allocation aligned with Modern Portfolio Theory, utilizing mutual funds, equities, and ETFs with a focus on long-term holdings.

College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Wealth management Private / alternative investments Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Executive Founder/Business Owner
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Will P

Series 66

Dalton, GA

Ameriprise

Will Patterson is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Dalton, GA, holding a Series 66 designation and six years of industry experience. He has been with Ameriprise since 2019 and previously was affiliated with the University of Georgia. Outside of his primary role, he is also an associate financial advisor at 825 Group LLC, where he is involved in servicing clients, trading, financial planning, and back-office duties. Ameriprise Financial Services is a diversified advisory firm serving individual and institutional clients, offering specialized retirement income planning focused on dependable income sources and tax-aware withdrawal strategies. The firm’s approach includes a centralized service team that collaborates with advisors to deliver tailored recommendations using proprietary research and third-party data.

Retirement income strategy Income planning Social Security optimization Retirement withdrawal strategies Approaching retirement
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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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Michael I

Series 63, Series 65

Livingston, NJ

Raymond James Financial

Michael Ipp is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 42 years of industry experience. He has been with Raymond James Financial Services Advisors since 2010 and serves as an independent contractor for 1792 Wealth Advisors. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors provides financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm offers tailored, non-discretionary planning and uses analytical tools to support client decision-making, while also maintaining specialized programs such as municipal advisory services and SIMPLE IRA Employer Advisory & Consulting Services.

Wealth management Tax strategies for small businesses Business succession planning General estate planning guidance Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Jeffrey M

CFP®, ChFC®, Series 66

Greenville, DE

Investment Management & Planning LLC

Jeffrey Macdonald is a CFP® and ChFC® with 18 years of industry experience. He has worked at Investment Management & Planning LLC and LPL Financial since 2010, following two years at Wells Fargo Clearing. Investment Management & Planning LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm constructs tailored portfolios using mutual funds, ETFs, equities, and fixed-income securities, employing fundamental analysis and continuous supervision, and operates as both a wrap program sponsor and affiliated registered representatives of LPL Financial.

General retirement planning Business succession planning Tax strategies for small businesses Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive Mid-Career Professionals Approaching retirement
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Patrick F

Series 66

New Market, MD

Intentional

Patrick Ferguson is a financial advisor at Intentional with 17 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, Commonwealth Financial Network, and LPL Financial. In addition to his advisory role, he is a licensed agent involved in the sales of fixed and traditional insurance products. Intentional provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, businesses, and institutions. The firm offers pension consulting, estate planning support, business exit planning, and due diligence on alternative investments, utilizing a combination of fundamental, technical, and economic analysis within a fiduciary framework.

Business exit / sale strategy Multi-generational wealth transfer Private / alternative investments Founder/Business Owner
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Jerald L

Series 63

San Antonio, TX

Frost Investment Services

Jerald Liesman is a financial advisor at Frost Investment Services with 33 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 63 designation and has worked at Frost Brokerage Services, Inc. and Frost Bank since 1993 and 1987, respectively. Frost Investment Services is a retail-focused, SEC-registered adviser serving individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management, comprehensive financial planning, and managed account programs that integrate model portfolios from its affiliate with third-party managers, utilizing a research-driven investment process and providing optional tax and ESG overlay services.

Tax-loss harvesting ESG / Sustainable investing Retirement income strategy General estate planning guidance Business succession planning Founder/Business Owner Executive

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