CFP®-certified, general tax planning financial advisors in Downers Grove, IL

John Gritis is a financial advisor with Bentley Financial Group and holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. He has 39 years of industry experience and has been with Bentley Financial Group since 2014. Prior to this, he worked at LPL Financial starting in 2009 and has operated his own firm, Domino, Gritis & Co., since 1976. Gritis is also a one-third owner of a manufacturing company and provides tax preparation and corporate accounting services through his accounting firm. Bentley Financial Group provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, pension plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm manages approximately $393 million in discretionary client assets, employing fundamental analysis and third-party managers, while offering a range of LPL-sponsored managed account programs and a proprietary wrap program.

Matthew Kunst is a CFP® and CFA® with nine years of industry experience. He has worked at Opus Financial Solutions LLC since 2017 and previously spent eight years at MMK Financial Services. Opus Financial Solutions provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, families, business owners, executives, trusts, and other entities, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management. The firm emphasizes integrated tax and accounting support alongside investment management, utilizing a combination of strategic and tactical asset allocation with ETFs, mutual funds, and alternative investments when appropriate.

James Cannan is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors who holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 45 years of industry experience. He has been with Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network since 2016 and also owns Yorkshire Financial Advisors Inc., a financial planning practice based in Downers Grove, IL. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network is a large broker-dealer and registered investment adviser serving individuals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm offers comprehensive financial planning and investment services, including specialized planning for business-owner transitions, special-needs analysis, and divorce planning, delivered through a network of financial advisors.

Ryan Knudsen is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Downers Grove, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and 19 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2007. Outside of his advisory role, he participates as a member of the Center Of Influence in Darien, IL. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets through a broad network of financial advisors and branch offices, offering a range of advisory programs and investment solutions under a fiduciary standard.

Lisa Mccarthy is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding the Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 12 years of industry experience. She worked at Wayne Hummer Investments L.L.C. for 10 years before rejoining LPL Financial in 2025. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that offers advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm provides financial planning and a variety of investment management options, utilizing both proprietary and third-party strategies, supported by technology tools for operational and research purposes.

Cassandra Sanchez is a financial advisor at Financial & Tax Architects, LLC with seven years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at Fisher Investments, TIAA, US Health Advisors, and various other firms. Sanchez also had involvement with Drunken Donkey, reflecting experience outside the financial sector. Financial & Tax Architects provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, focusing on those nearing or in retirement. The firm offers proprietary “Private Wealth Strategies” that use ETFs, individual securities, and trend-aware rebalancing, with accounts reviewed monthly and customizable strategies to meet client needs.

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.

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.

Terry Thomason is the sole advisor at Replica Wealth Advisors Inc in Colorado Springs, CO, holding a Series 65 designation with 12 years of industry experience. Prior to founding Replica Wealth Advisors in 2019, he worked at Gradient Advisors, LLC and Mountain Range Financial Advisors from 2014 to 2019. He also operates an affiliated insurance practice, Mountain Range Insurance Advisors, offering life insurance, Medicare, long-term care, and annuity products. Replica Wealth Advisors is an independent, single-advisor firm that provides financial planning and consulting services primarily to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, and business entities. The firm customizes asset allocations and monitors third-party managers who execute trades, while also offering written financial plans and educational workshops.

Deon Blaney is a financial advisor at Private Wealth Management LLC in Las Vegas, NV, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses with 25 years of industry experience. He has been with Private Wealth Management LLC since 2005. In addition to his advisory role, he is a self-employed life insurance agent. Private Wealth Management LLC provides discretionary portfolio management to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities, focusing on a small client base with approximately $123 million in assets under management. The firm employs fundamental analysis and tailored portfolios, including stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and ETFs, using a combination of long-term, short-term, and active trading strategies.

Sarah Currier Barrella is a CFP® professional with 26 years of experience in financial advisory services. She currently works at Santander Securities LLC and Santander Bank, NA, having previously held positions at TD Bank and Citizens Securities, Inc. Barrella is based in Boston, MA. Santander Securities LLC serves a broad retail client base with approximately $3.14 billion in regulatory assets under management across 10,800 client relationships. The firm offers investment advisory services, portfolio management through wrap-fee programs, and financial planning, operating both as a registered investment adviser and a FINRA-registered broker-dealer.

Elanna Gould is a CFP® professional with six years of experience, currently advising at Cambridge Investment Research Advisors in Cleveland, OH. Her background includes roles at PepsiCo and The Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Center, as well as academic experience at The Ohio State University. She is also an independent insurance agent for various companies. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors serves a broad client base, including individuals, retirement plans, and charitable organizations, offering financial planning, investment management, and retirement advisory services through a network of independent professionals. The firm provides a range of portfolio management options, proprietary and third-party strategies, and various custody platforms tailored to client objectives.

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.

Jace Hart is a CFP® with nine years of industry experience and currently serves as a financial advisor at Rockwall Wealth Management. His prior experience includes roles at Leo Wealth, LPL Financial, and Fidelity Brokerage Services. Rockwall Wealth Management provides portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, trusts, plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm emphasizes diversified, low-cost ETF model portfolios with a focus on tax efficiency, liquidity, and systematic macro tilts, offering both traditional and advanced investment strategies tailored to client objectives.

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.