CFP®-certified, life insurance needs analysis financial advisors in Evanston, IL

Edward Bothfeld is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network in Evanston, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and 11 years of industry experience. He has operated Bothfeld Financial Partners since 2015, conducting fixed insurance sales alongside his advisory practice. Commonwealth Financial Network is a dual-registered broker/dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,900 advisors and managing over $200 billion in client assets. The firm provides a broad range of managed-account programs, third-party asset manager access, and comprehensive back-office support.

Joseph Simoncelli is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF, holding a Series 66 designation and two years of industry experience. He has worked at TIAA, Nuveen Asset Management, and Nuveen Securities since 2022. Outside of his advisory role, Simoncelli serves as an assistant coach for the Renegades High School hockey club. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans, often serving clients connected to TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm provides both point-in-time planning and ongoing portfolio management through various managed account options.

Brian Kearns is a CFP®-designated financial advisor with 14 years of industry experience. He is currently with Mutual Advisors, LLC, where he has worked since 2019. His prior roles include positions at Twombly Asset Management, Emberhouse, Morgan Stanley, and Mass Mutual Investors Services. Outside of advisory work, Kearns serves as Co-Chair of the Personal Financial Planning Forum for the Illinois CPA Society and is Treasurer for the Sons of the American Legion Post 42; he also leads a tax preparation service business. Mutual Advisors, LLC serves a diverse range of clients, including individual investors, trusts, retirement plan participants and sponsors, and institutional investors. The firm offers asset management and financial planning services, employing a blend of active and passive strategies tailored to client objectives, and is notable for its scale of institutional work and use of specialized platforms and third-party manager relationships.

Patricia Finley is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with eight years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Edward Jones since 2017. Prior to that, she spent 12 years at CitiBank. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment strategies, supported by a large nationwide network of advisors and branch offices, managing approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management.

Zachary Steinhandler is a financial advisor at MariPau Wealth Management LLC with nine years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at MariPau Wealth Management since 2022. Steinhandler also owns and operates Steinhandler Wealth Advisors and Steinhandler Insurance Group, where he provides investment advisory services and specializes in annuity and life insurance sales. MariPau Wealth Management offers tailored investment advisory and portfolio management services, financial planning, consulting, and educational seminars for individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm collaborates with advisory affiliates and uses various third-party platforms and strategies to support client portfolios.

Aden Partee is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license, currently serving as a financial advisor at Foundations Investment Advisors LLC with two years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at JEHM Wealth & Retirement, Alloy Investment Management, and LPL Financial. Outside of finance, he has work experience in the retail and service industries, including multiple years at Chick-fil-A. Foundations Investment Advisors LLC provides financial planning and portfolio management to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, employer-sponsored retirement plans, and registered investment companies. The firm uses a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis in its investment approach and offers services through a large network of affiliated offices and representatives.

Don Larson is the principal advisor at Larson Wealth Management, LLC in Mesa, Arizona, holding a CFP® designation along with Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and bringing 20 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Steele Larson Advisors, LLLP for seven years before founding Larson Wealth Management in 2011. Outside of advisory services, he owns and manages a bookkeeping and tax preparation business and serves as secretary and treasurer for AEM International (US) Ltd. Larson Wealth Management provides investment supervisory and consulting services to a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals, family offices, corporate and Taft-Hartley employee benefit plans, and charitable organizations. The firm employs customized strategic asset allocations across various equity and fixed income securities, emphasizing mutual funds and ETFs, and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management with regular reviews.

Malissa Mc Nanna is a financial advisor with Black Knight Wealth Management, LLC and holds a Series 65 designation. She has four years of industry experience and has previously worked at Optivise Advisory Services, LLC, OnPointe Advisory and Financial Services LLC, and Vision Advisors, Inc. Outside of her advisory role, she is involved with Vision Advisors, Inc., where she recruits agents, conducts product training, and provides sales support for annuity and life insurance products. Black Knight Wealth Management serves individual and high-net-worth clients by offering portfolio management, financial planning, and coordination with other professional advisors. The firm employs a range of investment strategies and prepares individualized Investment Policy Statements, managing accounts primarily on a discretionary, asset-based basis while reviewing portfolios monthly.

Gregory Smarr is a financial advisor with Smarr Financial Services Inc. in Atlanta, GA, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and possessing 21 years of industry experience. He has led his independent firm since 2004. Outside of his advisory work, he is licensed to sell various insurance products including life, fixed annuities, and property and casualty insurance through multiple carriers. Smarr Financial Services, Inc. provides financial planning and investment supervisory services to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and other business entities. The firm employs a fundamental investment approach combining long-term buy-and-hold strategies with selective short-term trading, managing a diverse portfolio that includes equities, mutual funds, ETFs, REITs, fixed income, alternatives, and options.

Jacob Binner is a financial advisor at BinnerInvestments with four years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and previously worked at Fidelity, Merrill Lynch, and E*Trade Securities. BinnerInvestments provides ongoing portfolio management and standalone financial planning for individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm’s investment approach combines multiple analytical methods to construct diversified portfolios and typically manages discretionary assets while delivering quarterly reports and written investment policy statements.

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.