Top stock option exercise strategy financial advisors in Des Plaines, 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.

If you have stock options nearing their expiration or a planned job change, deciding when and how to exercise them can significantly impact your financial outcome. A common mistake is exercising too early or too late without considering tax implications and your overall financial goals.

  • Tax impact awareness. Confirm how the advisor evaluates the tax consequences of exercising options, including potential alternative minimum tax (AMT) effects.
  • Exercise timing strategy. Ask how they balance market conditions and personal cash flow needs to determine the best exercise schedule.
  • Integration with financial goals. Ensure they consider how exercising options fits into your broader investment and retirement 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

Candace V

CFA®, Series 63

Des Plaines, IL

William Blair

Candace Vondra is a CFA® charterholder with 23 years of industry experience, currently serving at William Blair since 2006. She holds the Series 63 designation and is based in Des Plaines, IL. William Blair’s Private Wealth Management division provides investment management, financial planning, and wealth services to individuals, foundations, pension, and corporate clients. The firm employs an active, research-driven approach across multiple asset classes and offers proprietary models, third-party sub-advisers, and access to private funds and co-investment opportunities.

Private / alternative investments Wealth management Active portfolio management ESG / Sustainable investing Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive

Nancy M

Series 66

Schaumburg, IL

Fidelity

Nancy Morales Calara is a Financial Consultant currently working at Fidelity Investments since 2024. Prior to this role, she held positions including Relationship Manager and Transition Services Specialist at Fidelity Investments, as well as various roles at Merrill and Banker's Life and Casualty Co. Her career demonstrates a progressive experience in financial services and client relationship management. Nancy emphasizes the importance of listening and building trust in financial planning. She approaches financial discussions with a focus on understanding each client's unique circumstances, whether addressing retirement, investments, or unforeseen financial events. Her professional philosophy centers on providing clarity and support as clients navigate their financial situations. Outside of her professional work, Nancy has interests in art, badminton, cars, food, social events, and traveling.

General retirement planning Wealth management
user avatar

Nancy S

Series 63, Series 65

Des Plaines, IL

UBS Financial Services

Nancy Szymula is a financial advisor with UBS Financial Services in Des Plaines, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 40 years of industry experience. She has been with UBS Financial Services since 2013. UBS Financial Services Inc. serves individual, corporate, and institutional clients through brokerage and investment advisory offerings, combining institutional trading capabilities with wealth management services. The firm provides fee-based financial planning, portfolio management, and access to proprietary research and capital markets services.

General retirement planning Cash flow / budgeting Equity compensation tax strategy Executive Founder/Business Owner Mid-Career Professionals Approaching retirement
user avatar

Krzysztof G

CFP®, Series 66

Des Plaines, IL

Prosperifi LLC

Krzysztof Garlewicz is a CFP® and Series 66-registered advisor with 18 years of industry experience. He has worked at ProsperiFi LLC since 2017 and previously spent seven years with LPL Financial. In addition to his advisory work, he is an author associated with the Financial Freedom Formula and has engaged in speaker and content creation activities. ProsperiFi LLC provides advisory services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and family-owned businesses. The firm employs a multi-faceted investment approach incorporating fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis, along with modern portfolio theory, and offers access to alternative investments and third-party money managers.

Private / alternative investments Options & derivatives strategies Real estate investing Annuities
user avatar

Michal W

Series 66, Series 63

Des Plaines, IL

J.P. Morgan Securities

Michal Walaszek is a financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities in Des Plaines, IL, holding Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and six years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Northwestern Mutual Investment Management and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Walaszek also spent two years working in the construction industry. J.P. Morgan Securities provides investment consulting and advisory services primarily to institutional clients and retirement plan sponsors through its Institutional Consulting Services program. The firm combines quantitative asset-allocation modeling with centralized due diligence and integrates an ESG eligibility framework when recommending strategies.

Wealth management Executive Founder/Business Owner

Andrew G

Series 66

Cincinnati, OH

Merrill

Andrew Grombala is a Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He focuses on serving corporate executives and high-earning professionals who have complex compensation structures, including equity awards such as RSUs, stock options, ESPP programs, deferred compensation packages, and performance awards. In his role, he helps clients manage concentration risk, reduce tax implications, and align their equity compensation with long-term, goals-based wealth strategies. Since entering the industry in 2017, Andrew has adopted a structured, plan-first approach that incorporates compensation, cash flow, family priorities, retirement planning, and overall risk management. He guides clients through various financial events, including vesting, diversification, liquidity management, and retirement income planning. His expertise extends to executive compensation, family wealth management strategies, legacy planning, managing new wealth, portfolio management services, and tax minimization. Andrew holds FINRA Series 7 and Series 66 registrations and is licensed in Accident & Health, Life, and Variable Insurance. He earned a Bachelor's degree in Economics from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, where he also competed as a student-athlete in football and lacrosse. He resides in Anderson Township with his wife and two children. Outside of work, Andrew enjoys boating, golfing, football, ice hockey, music, and spending time with his family.

Exec comp design Stock option exercise strategy Equity Recipients (RS/RSU, SOP, ESPP) Liquidity event planning Concentrated stock management Executive Parents
user avatar

Tyler M

Series 65

Vienna, VA

Rembert Pendleton Jackson

Tyler Morris is a financial advisor at Rembert Pendleton Jackson with a Series 65 designation and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining RPJ, he worked at Clarendon Wealth Management and has experience with Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and Brambleton Bettas. Rembert Pendleton Jackson provides investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and business consulting to a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals and institutional clients. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory-based approach and manages both discretionary and non-discretionary assets.

Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business exit / sale strategy Stock option exercise strategy Charitable giving & philanthropy General tax planning Founder/Business Owner Retired

Eric B

CFP®, Series 66

Santa Maria, CA

Edward Jones

Eric Bravo is a CFP® professional with 18 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Edward Jones since 2007. He is based in Santa Maria, CA. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory programs and investment strategies supported by a large nationwide network of advisors and branch offices.

Retirement income strategy Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Liquidity event planning Startup equity planning Wealth management Founder/Business Owner
user avatar

Robin C

Series 63, Series 65

Knoxville, TN

Knox Wealth Partners Advisory

Robin Clark is a financial advisor with Knox Wealth Partners Advisory, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 17 years of industry experience. He has worked with LPL Financial since 2008 and has been with Knox Wealth Partners Advisory since 2018. Outside of advisory services, he operates an independent insurance agency specializing in fixed insurance products. Knox Wealth Partners Advisory serves primarily high-net-worth individuals and business owners, managing approximately $231 million across a seven-advisor team. The firm employs an open-architecture investment approach that includes a variety of asset classes and strategies, and it offers both discretionary and non-discretionary management alongside financial planning and consulting services.

Business ownership considerations Business succession planning Stock option exercise strategy Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive
user avatar

Arriana N

Series 65

Palm Beach Gardens, FL

LRI Investments

Arriana Neese is a financial advisor at LRI Investments with a Series 65 credential and three years of industry experience. She has worked at LRI Investments and Lindberg & Ripple since 2023, and previously held roles at Advanced Insurance Strategies, Inc. and Retirement Income Strategies, Inc. Neese is also involved in marketing activities through Lindberg & Ripple’s broker/dealer operations. LRI Investments provides financial planning and fee-based investment advisory services primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients, as well as businesses, financial institutions, retirement plans, and government entities. The firm constructs tailored portfolios using mutual funds, ETFs, and individual securities, emphasizing ongoing supervision and periodic rebalancing aligned with client objectives.

Stock option exercise strategy Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Retirement income strategy Tax-loss harvesting Cash flow / budgeting Founder/Business Owner Retired Executive
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 referrals are provided by FinanceHQ LLC ("FHQ"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Warmer and an SEC-registered investment adviser. We may be compensated by participating advisors. You pay no fee to use our matching service, and advisor fees are not increased because of a referral. We do not supervise advisors, manage or hold assets, guarantee performance, or provide advice about specific investments.

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

© 2026 Warmer Holdings Inc. ("Warmer")