Top business succession planning financial advisors in East Lansing, MI

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 preparing to transfer your business ownership or retire, you need an advisor who understands the complexities of business succession planning. A common mistake is overlooking how your business transition impacts your personal finances and retirement goals.

  • Pension integration. Given East Lansing's auto industry ties, ask how they incorporate pension benefits into your succession plan.
  • Tax impact awareness. Confirm they evaluate tax consequences of ownership transfer methods to avoid unexpected liabilities.
  • Family dynamics. Succession often involves family; check how they handle communication and conflict resolution.
  • Exit strategy options. Explore whether they present multiple exit paths tailored to your business and personal objectives.

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

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Joseph B

ChFC®, Series 63

East Lansing, MI

Fairhaven Financial Advisory Corporation

Joseph Brooks is a financial advisor with Fairhaven Financial Advisory Corporation in East Lansing, MI, holding the ChFC® and Series 63 designations and bringing 45 years of industry experience. He has worked at firms including Innovation Partners LLC and Royal Alliance Associates, INC., and has been with Fairhaven Financial Advisory Corporation since 1999. Brooks is also a licensed insurance agent for various life, health, disability, and fixed interest annuity products. Fairhaven Financial Advisory Corporation serves individual investors, including high-net-worth clients and sponsors of qualified retirement plans, focusing on retirees and those nearing retirement. The firm offers portfolio management, retirement distribution planning, financial consulting, and employer-sponsored plan advisory services using an asset-allocation approach with strategies ranging from conservative to aggressive.

Retirement income strategy Social Security optimization General estate planning guidance Income planning Life insurance needs analysis Retired
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Bryan F

Series 66

East Lansing, MI

Fairway Investment Group, LLC

Bryan Frazzini is an Investment Advisor Representative with Fairway Investment Group, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and three years of industry experience. He has worked at Fairway Investment Group, Paradigm Equities, and MEA Financial Services since 2022. Outside of his financial advisory role, Frazzini serves as a Sales Manager for SWAT Environmental, where he designs radon mitigation systems. Fairway Investment Group primarily serves members of the Michigan Education Association and their families, offering portfolio management through LPL Financial-sponsored programs. The firm provides tailored, non-discretionary investment advice based on an investor profile and a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis.

Wealth management Real estate investing Educators, Teachers, and Academics
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Richard J

ChFC®, Series 63

East Lansing, MI

LPL Financial

Richard Johnston is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding the ChFC® designation and Series 63 license, and has 42 years of industry experience. He has been with LPL Financial since 2004. Outside of his advisory role, he acts as a successor trustee for a family trust and operates a financial consulting business in East Lansing, MI. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolios, third-party asset management, and 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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Tobias T

Series 63, Series 66

East Lansing, MI

Oppenheimer

Tobias Timm is a financial advisor with Oppenheimer, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 39 years of industry experience. He has worked at Oppenheimer since 2017 and previously held roles at Cantor Fitzgerald Wealth Partners, LLC and Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. Oppenheimer is a registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving a diverse client base—including individuals, corporations, pension plans, and charitable organizations. The firm provides a wide range of programs and advisory services spanning equity, balanced, and fixed-income portfolios, with an emphasis on both discretionary and non-discretionary management.

Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business exit / sale strategy General retirement planning Wealth management Executive Founder/Business Owner
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William S

CFP®, ChFC®, Series 63, Series 65

East Lansing, MI

OSAIC

William Stoskopf is a financial advisor with OSAIC based in East Lansing, MI, holding CFP® and ChFC® designations and possessing 31 years of industry experience. He has worked at Royal Alliance Associates, Inc. since 2018 and previously spent 24 years with Signator Investors, Inc. In addition to his advisory role, he is a musician and music teacher in Bath, MI. He is also the owner and managing member of Comprehensive Financial Solutions, LLC, which focuses on employee benefits and insurance services. OSAIC serves a broad mix of retail and institutional clients through a large network of financial advisers, offering integrated brokerage and investment advisory services, financial planning, and access to third-party money managers. The firm employs asset-allocation tools and efficient-frontier analysis to construct diversified portfolios and supports multiple advisory platforms and legacy program transitions.

Annuities Wealth management Tax-loss harvesting Private / alternative investments Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Ethan S

CFP®, Series 65

Auburn Hills, MI

Plante Moran financial advisors

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.

Active portfolio management Options & derivatives strategies Private / alternative investments Concentrated stock management Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Michael I

Series 63, Series 65

Livingston, NJ

Raymond James Financial

Michael Ipp is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 42 years of industry experience. He has been with Raymond James Financial Services Advisors since 2010 and serves as an independent contractor for 1792 Wealth Advisors. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors provides financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm offers tailored, non-discretionary planning and uses analytical tools to support client decision-making, while also maintaining specialized programs such as municipal advisory services and SIMPLE IRA Employer Advisory & Consulting Services.

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

CFP®, ChFC®, Series 66

Greenville, DE

Investment Management & Planning LLC

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.

General retirement planning Business succession planning Tax strategies for small businesses Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive Mid-Career Professionals Approaching retirement
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Patrick F

Series 66

New Market, MD

Intentional

Patrick Ferguson is a financial advisor at Intentional with 17 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, Commonwealth Financial Network, and LPL Financial. In addition to his advisory role, he is a licensed agent involved in the sales of fixed and traditional insurance products. Intentional provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, businesses, and institutions. The firm offers pension consulting, estate planning support, business exit planning, and due diligence on alternative investments, utilizing a combination of fundamental, technical, and economic analysis within a fiduciary framework.

Business exit / sale strategy Multi-generational wealth transfer Private / alternative investments Founder/Business Owner
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Jerald L

Series 63

San Antonio, TX

Frost Investment Services

Jerald Liesman is a financial advisor at Frost Investment Services with 33 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 63 designation and has worked at Frost Brokerage Services, Inc. and Frost Bank since 1993 and 1987, respectively. Frost Investment Services is a retail-focused, SEC-registered adviser serving individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management, comprehensive financial planning, and managed account programs that integrate model portfolios from its affiliate with third-party managers, utilizing a research-driven investment process and providing optional tax and ESG overlay services.

Tax-loss harvesting ESG / Sustainable investing Retirement income strategy General estate planning guidance Business succession planning Founder/Business Owner Executive
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