Top college savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) 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.

Saving for college often starts when you want to make the most of tax-advantaged accounts like 529 plans or UTMA custodial accounts. Without careful planning, you might miss opportunities to optimize contributions or affect financial aid eligibility unintentionally.

  • Account type guidance. Confirm which college savings vehicles they recommend and why, considering your family's financial situation and goals.
  • Contribution strategy. Ask how they balance gift tax limits, state tax benefits, and investment growth potential in your savings plan.
  • Financial aid impact. Understand how your savings choices might influence your child's eligibility for need-based aid.
  • Investment approach. Look for advisors who adjust investment risk as your child nears college age, not just a one-size-fits-all portfolio.

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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Hassan A

Series 63, Series 65

Rockville, MD

LPL Financial

Hassan Al Kadhimi is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and two years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. He is also involved with NIHFCU Wealth Advisors, a related business entity. 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 advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolio programs, and institutional platforms, supported by a large network of investment adviser representatives.

Wealth management Retirement income strategy College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Tax-loss harvesting Annuities Retired 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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Thaddeus P

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Grand Rapids, MI

Advance Wealth Management Service, LLC

Thaddeus Phelps is a CFP® professional with 28 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has worked at Advance Wealth Management Service, LLC since 2019 and previously spent 14 years with Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. In addition to his advisory work, Phelps owns a tax preparation business and an accounting support service, and he serves in fiduciary roles such as trustee and executor. Advance Wealth Management Service, LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services primarily to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, and business entities. The firm offers discretionary investment management through a wrap asset management program and emphasizes an individualized approach with asset allocation supported by fundamental, sector, and technical analysis, including risk management strategies such as put options and conservative cash instruments.

College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Charitable giving & philanthropy General estate planning guidance General tax planning Options & derivatives strategies
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Paul K

CFP®, Series 65

Zimmerman, MN

Longview Financial, Inc.

Paul Kinneberg is a CFP® and Series 65-registered advisor with 24 years of industry experience. He has been the principal and sole advisor at Longview Financial, Inc. since 2000 and also holds a long-term corporate role at CenturyLink. Longview Financial, Inc. provides personalized, fee-only financial planning and investment management primarily for individual clients. The firm uses a strategic asset allocation approach with a core-and-satellite framework, combining passive index and ETF core holdings with active funds when appropriate, and manages client assets on a non-discretionary basis with an emphasis on individualized advice.

General tax planning College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Cash flow / budgeting

Justin S

CFP®, ChFC®, Series 66

Prairie Village, KS

Edward Jones

Justin Scicluna is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Prairie Village, KS, holding the CFP®, ChFC®, and Series 66 designations with 13 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2013. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients, including a range of household types, pension plans, corporate clients, and charitable organizations. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and offers various advisory programs, discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, and affiliated investment products through a nationwide network of over 23,700 financial advisors.

College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) General estate planning guidance Multi-generational wealth transfer Retirement income strategy General retirement planning Retired Founder/Business Owner Executive
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