Top general estate planning guidance financial advisors in Decatur, IL

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.

When you're organizing your assets to pass on smoothly, you need guidance that covers more than just wills and trusts. Without a clear plan, you risk leaving your heirs with unexpected tax burdens or legal complications.

  • Comprehensive asset review. Look for advisors who consider all your property types, including real estate and investments, to avoid gaps in your plan.
  • Tax impact awareness. Even though retirement income isn't taxed in Illinois, property taxes can be significant; ask how they factor this into your estate strategy.
  • Succession clarity. Confirm how they help structure your estate to minimize disputes and ensure your wishes are clear and executable.
  • Coordination with legal counsel. Estate planning often involves legal documents; check how they collaborate with your attorney to align financial and legal plans.

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

Want help finding the right advisor?

Answer a few questions to see advisors matched to you.

user avatar

Phillip C

Series 63, Series 65

Decatur, IL

Cetera

Phillip Cruikshank is a financial advisor with Cetera and holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. He has 36 years of industry experience, including roles at LPL Financial and CUNA Brokerage Services. He is the owner and operator of Cruikshank Wealth Partners, providing brokerage, advisory, and insurance services. In addition, he is an insurance agent selling fixed insurance products. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is a nationwide SEC-registered advisory firm serving individual, retirement plan, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients. The firm offers a multi-manager platform with diverse portfolio management options, including discretionary and non-discretionary accounts, model portfolios, third-party managers, and custom strategies.

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

James L

Series 63, Series 65

Decatur, IL

STIFEL

James Livasy is a financial advisor at Stifel in Decatur, Illinois, with 43 years of industry experience. He has been with Stifel since 1988 and holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as Board President of CHELP Inc., a home care provider, and as Treasurer and Board Member of Growing Strong, a nonprofit organization. Stifel serves a broad range of clients, including individuals, institutional clients, and charitable organizations, offering brokerage and investment advisory services. The firm’s investment analysis is based on a proprietary methodology developed by its Investment Strategy Group that informs asset allocation and planning strategies.

General retirement planning Income planning
user avatar

Richard N

Series 63, Series 65

Decatur, IL

Ameriprise

Richard Nolte is a financial advisor with Ameriprise, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and possessing 32 years of industry experience. He has been with Ameriprise and its predecessor firms since 1994. Nolte serves on the Board of Directors for the Greater St. Louis Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America and has held leadership roles in related nonprofit organizations. Ameriprise Financial Services is a large advisory firm serving both individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a Premier Retirement Income service focused on retirement-income planning through personalized Recommendation Reports and ongoing advice.

Retirement income strategy Income planning Social Security optimization Retirement withdrawal strategies Approaching retirement
user avatar

Jeremy S

Series 66

Decatur, IL

Edward Jones

Jeremy Sarna is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Decatur, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and seven years of industry experience. His work history includes two separate periods at Edward Jones totaling seven years, as well as roles at Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments and Thrivent Advisor Network dba Palomar Wealth. Prior to his advisory career, he worked at Verizon Wireless for four years. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients across a range of financial needs. The firm manages over $1 trillion in assets and offers discretionary and non-discretionary investment strategies, tax-efficient services, and affiliated mutual funds through a nationwide network of approximately 23,700 financial advisors.

Wealth management Tax-loss harvesting Multi-generational wealth transfer Retired Founder/Business Owner Executive
user avatar

James M

Series 63, Series 65

Decatur, IL

IPI Wealth Management, Inc.

James Minton Sr. is a financial advisor with IPI Wealth Management, Inc. in Decatur, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 33 years of industry experience. He has been with IPI Wealth Management since 1998 and with its predecessor, Investment Planners, Inc., since 1995. Outside of advising, he is an author and presenter with Westbow Press Publishing, as well as a ministry fundraiser and presenter for Business Men in Christ, and broadcasts boys basketball games on WOKR 107.3 FM. IPI Wealth Management serves a diverse client base including individual investors, charitable and corporate clients, and retirement plans. The firm employs a risk-based, open-architecture investment platform supported by an investment committee and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management along with retirement plan education and advice.

ESG / Sustainable investing Retirement income strategy
user avatar

Scott M

Series 63, Series 65

New York, NY

Morgan Stanley

Scott Mahoney is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in New York, NY, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 34 years of industry experience. He has been with Morgan Stanley since 2009, including roles at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved with Giants Foot Cubed LLC. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is a large SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer that serves both individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a wide range of advisory programs and financial planning services supported by structured planning tools and broad investment resources.

General estate planning guidance
user avatar

Kayla S

Series 63, Series 65

Warwick, RI

Mass Mutual Investors Services

Kayla Santos is a financial advisor with Mass Mutual Investors Services in Warwick, RI, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having 10 years of industry experience. She has worked at Mass Mutual Investors Services since 2017 and previously at MetLife Securities. In addition to her advisory role, Santos is an independent insurance agent, offering life, fixed annuities, disability, long-term care, and health insurance products. Mass Mutual Investors Services, LLC is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employers. The firm provides financial planning, asset management, wrap and money-manager programs, and educational seminars, structuring engagements as annual collaborative relationships focused on goal analysis and written recommendations.

Divorce financial planning General estate planning guidance Multi-generational wealth transfer Cash flow / budgeting Founder/Business Owner Attorney Executive Married/Couples/Partners Divorced

Gordon B

Series 66

Luling, LA

Edward Jones

Gordon Brown III is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with 18 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has been with Edward Jones since 2008. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, with approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment options, operating under a fiduciary standard.

Retirement income strategy General estate planning guidance Multi-generational wealth transfer Wealth management Oil & Gas Engineering Professional
user avatar

William S

Series 63, Series 65

College Station, TX

Smith & Wyatt

William Soltow is a financial advisor at Smith & Wyatt with 13 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked at CoreCap Advisors, LLC. Outside of advising, he is the founder of Frontier Wealth Management and serves as an independent insurance agent with Goosehead Insurance. Smith & Wyatt serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, and corporations, managing approximately $207 million across 724 clients. The firm provides tailored financial planning, discretionary portfolio management, estate-planning consulting, and specialized educational programs, utilizing mutual funds and ETFs as primary investment vehicles.

Government Employee
user avatar

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
Warmer team member

Not sure where to start?

We'll help you think it through—whether you ultimately need an advisor or not. Warmer helps you compare advisors clearly, so you can choose with confidence.

Find your advisor

For advisor listings, we rely on sources including public filings and data provided by advisors, and we cannot guarantee that all information is current or accurate. Advisors are independent and may not have reviewed or updated this information. Please review an advisor’s Form ADV and do your own diligence before deciding whether to work with them.

Advisor matching and introductions are provided by FinanceHQ LLC (“FHQ”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Warmer and an SEC-registered investment advisor. We receive compensation from certain participating advisors for introductions or referrals. This creates a conflict of interest because we have an incentive to recommend advisors who compensate us, including those who pay us more. You pay no fee to use our matching service, and advisor fees are not increased because of a referral or introduction. We do not review the ongoing performance of advisors, manage or hold assets, guarantee performance, or provide advice about specific investments.

By using our service, you agree to our Terms of Service and Advisory Agreement, and acknowledge our Privacy Policy. Please review FHQ’s ADV Part 2A and Form CRS. Logos provided by Logo.dev

© 2026 Warmer Holdings Inc. (“Warmer”)