Large-firm, social Security optimization financial advisors in Durham, NC

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 approaching Social Security age and want to maximize your benefits, the advisors below can help you navigate the complex claiming rules. A common mistake is claiming too early or in the wrong sequence, which can reduce your lifetime benefits.

  • Claiming strategy expertise. Look for advisors who explain how different claiming ages and spousal benefits affect your total income.
  • Coordination with retirement income. Ask how they integrate Social Security timing with your other income sources to optimize cash flow.
  • Large-firm resources. Advisors at large firms often have access to specialized tools and teams that can model complex Social Security scenarios.
  • State tax considerations. Since North Carolina has a flat income tax, confirm how they factor state taxes into your Social Security planning.

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

Gary G

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Durham, NC

Osaic Advisory Services, LLC

Gary Gaulden is a CFP®-certified advisor with over 33 years of experience in financial services. He has worked at Osaic Advisory Services, LLC since 2024 and previously held roles at Securities America, Inc., Arbor Point Advisors, and Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. He operates a satellite office in Atlantic Beach, North Carolina, under Gaulden & Associates. Osaic Advisory Services, LLC is an SEC-registered firm serving a diverse client base that includes individuals, pension plans, corporations, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm provides investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and other related services through multiple program models, utilizing a combination of proprietary guidance and third-party platforms.

Annuities
user avatar

Travis H

CFP®, CFA®, Series 63

Durham, NC

SLP Wealth

Travis Hornsby is a financial advisor at SLP Wealth with CFP®, CFA®, and Series 63 credentials and three years of industry experience. He has been involved in web publishing and consulting through his ownership of Student Loan Planner since 2016. SLP Wealth is an SEC-registered advisory firm serving individual clients and small-business owners with discretionary investment management, financial planning, and non-discretionary 401(k) services. The firm employs diversified, risk-based portfolios using no-load mutual funds and ETFs, with ongoing monitoring and periodic rebalancing.

Tax-loss harvesting Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Charitable giving tax strategies Founder/Business Owner
user avatar

Gary C

Series 63, Series 65

Durham, NC

Raymond James Financial

Gary Crenshaw is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 31 years of industry experience. He has worked at Pinnacle Bank/Pinnacle Financial Partners and Suntrust Investments. He is also an associate at Pinnacle Asset Management, where he serves as a financial consultant. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. provides financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to individual, high-net-worth, corporate, institutional, and nonprofit clients. The firm utilizes risk profiling and analytical tools to tailor non-discretionary planning and encourages clients to implement recommendations through various advisory programs.

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

Brad C

Series 63, Series 65

Durham, NC

Verity Asset Management

Brad Corbett is a financial advisor at Verity Asset Management in Durham, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 12 years of industry experience. He has been with Verity Asset Management since 2014. Corbett serves as a board member at Thalweg Capital Management, a real estate company, providing oversight and governance. Verity Asset Management is an SEC-registered multi-team advisory firm managing approximately $1.15 billion and serving individuals, retirement plan sponsors, institutional clients, and other registered investment advisers. The firm employs a largely model-based investment approach with tactical asset allocation, utilizing both internally managed and third-party strategies, and offers services such as portfolio management, retirement plan consulting, and sub-advisory arrangements.

Concentrated stock management Tax-loss harvesting Passive / index investing Active portfolio management ESG / Sustainable investing
user avatar

Nahnsan G

Series 65

Durham, NC

Capital Solutions Advisors, LLC

Nahnsan Guseh is a financial advisor with Capital Solutions Advisors, LLC in Durham, NC, holding a Series 65 designation and three years of industry experience. Prior to founding Capital Solutions Advisors in 2023, Nahnsan has held roles at Intuitive Surgical, where he currently works as a data scientist, as well as positions with Swing Low Sweet Chariot, LLC, NSG Solutions, LLC, and the U.S. EPA. He combines his advisory work with ongoing employment in the medical device and renewable energy sectors. Capital Solutions Advisors, LLC serves primarily individual clients, offering discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, comprehensive financial planning, and consulting. The firm employs a diverse investment approach incorporating fundamental, technical, charting, and cyclical analysis, with strategies that include options and hedged-equity, and also provides a paid educational digital magazine as an ancillary service.

General retirement planning Income planning Tax-loss harvesting
user avatar

Willie M

Series 63, Series 66

Cary, NC

Equitable Advisors

Willie Myles is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Cary, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 16 years of industry experience. He has worked at Equitable Advisors since 2016, previously serving at Axa Advisors and MSI Financial Services. Outside of advising, he is a co-chairman of a fundraising campaign for Alpha Light Fund Inc., a nonprofit focused on renovating the House of Alpha. Equitable Advisors serves a range of clients including individuals, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations, providing financial planning, retirement consulting, and asset management through a network of representatives and third-party managers. The firm offers various investment vehicles and ERISA fiduciary services, relying on third-party program sponsors and an affiliation with a publicly traded parent company.

Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business exit / sale strategy Concentrated stock management Equity Recipients (RS/RSU, SOP, ESPP) Long-term care insurance Founder/Business Owner Retired Executive Approaching retirement Sandwich Generation
user avatar

Stavroula K

Series 63, Series 65

Linwood, NJ

Ameriprise

Stavroula Koutsfetsoulis is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with 25 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Ameriprise and its affiliated entities since 2011. In addition to her advisory role, she is involved in fiduciary activities as an attorney-in-fact (power of attorney). Ameriprise is a large institutional firm that provides retirement-income planning services primarily to individuals with substantial investable assets. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to deliver written recommendation reports through a centralized consulting team, focusing on tailored retirement income strategies.

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

Cassandra S

Series 63, Series 65

Plano, TX

Financial & Tax Architects, LLC

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.

Retirement income strategy Social Security optimization Annuities Income planning General tax planning Retired
user avatar

Keith E

CFP®

Pittsburgh, PA

Keith L. Eliou, CFP

Keith Eliou is the principal of Keith L. Eliou, CFP, an investment management firm based in Pittsburgh, PA. He holds the CFP® designation and has one year of experience as a financial advisor. In addition to his advisory role, he practices law focusing on elder law and real estate and is involved in insurance, mortgage lending, and real estate brokerage businesses. The firm primarily serves pooled vehicles and institutional accounts, offering portfolio management, retirement plan services, and financial planning. It utilizes an open-architecture investment approach with third-party money managers and employs multiple analytical methods and strategies, conducting annual account reviews.

Social Security optimization Retirement income strategy Cash flow / budgeting Charitable giving tax strategies Business exit / sale strategy Founder/Business Owner
user avatar

Charles P

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

San Rafael, CA

WealthSpire Advisors

Charles Pyfer III is a CFP® professional with 19 years of industry experience, currently serving at Wealthspire Advisors since 2024. Prior to this, he spent 15 years at Private Ocean. Wealthspire Advisors provides wealth management, investment advisory, financial planning, and family office support to a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, retirement plans, and nonprofit organizations. The firm employs a relationship-driven, customized investment approach that emphasizes diversified, institutional-style asset allocation and utilizes a range of investment vehicles and third-party platforms for comprehensive portfolio management.

Retirement income strategy Social Security optimization Roth conversion strategy Tax-loss harvesting Private / alternative investments Founder/Business Owner Retired Mid-Career Professionals Established Professionals
user avatar

Jeffrey P

Series 66

Dacula, GA

Merrill

Jeffrey Park is a financial advisor at Merrill with eight years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Merrill and affiliated firms since 2011, including roles at JPMorgan Chase Bank and J.P. Morgan Securities. Outside of his advisory work, he is a sole owner and co-owner of family rental properties in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Merrill, together 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 strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors.

Tax-loss harvesting Active portfolio management Wealth management
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

Elizabeth B

Series 66

New York, NY

J.P. Morgan Securities

Elizabeth Brown is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities in New York, NY, where she has worked since 2012. She has 26 years of industry experience. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services to clients such as corporations, foundations, and defined contribution plan sponsors, offering asset allocation advice, investment manager and fund searches, and customized performance reporting through a select group of Wealth Advisors. The firm combines large institutional advisory operations with brokerage, distribution, and investment management capabilities.

Wealth management Executive Founder/Business Owner
user avatar

Wesley P

Series 63, Series 66

Fort Worth, TX

Wells Fargo Clearing

Wesley Pool is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with 15 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and previously worked at JPMorgan Securities LLC for seven years. Outside of finance, he has been involved with #TagMeBro LLC and Fry Street Public House. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and offers both brokerage and advisory solutions.

Retired Founder/Business Owner
user avatar

Willie M

Series 63, Series 66

Cary, NC

Equitable Advisors

Willie Myles is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Cary, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 16 years of industry experience. He has worked at Equitable Advisors since 2016, previously serving at Axa Advisors and MSI Financial Services. Outside of advising, he is a co-chairman of a fundraising campaign for Alpha Light Fund Inc., a nonprofit focused on renovating the House of Alpha. Equitable Advisors serves a range of clients including individuals, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations, providing financial planning, retirement consulting, and asset management through a network of representatives and third-party managers. The firm offers various investment vehicles and ERISA fiduciary services, relying on third-party program sponsors and an affiliation with a publicly traded parent company.

Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business exit / sale strategy Concentrated stock management Equity Recipients (RS/RSU, SOP, ESPP) Long-term care insurance Founder/Business Owner Retired Executive Approaching retirement Sandwich Generation
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”)