Seasoned, social Security optimization financial advisors in Fountain Valley, CA

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, you need an advisor who understands the nuances of claiming strategies. A common mistake is claiming too early or in the wrong sequence, which can reduce your lifetime income.

Seasoned advisors bring decades of experience navigating complex Social Security rules and tax implications.

  • Claiming strategy expertise. Ask how they tailor claiming ages and spousal benefits to your unique work and earnings history.
  • Tax impact awareness. Confirm they consider how Social Security benefits interact with your other income and state taxes.
  • Coordination with retirement income. Look for advisors who integrate Social Security timing with your broader retirement cash flow plan.
  • Long-term benefit planning. Ensure they model scenarios beyond the first few years to optimize total lifetime benefits.

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

Connie P

Series 66, Series 63

Fountain Valley, CA

Merrill

Connie Phan is a financial advisor at Merrill with 11 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 and Series 63 designations and has been with Merrill and Bank of America since 2016. 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. The firm offers model-based and discretionary investment strategies and supports a range of clients, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional entities.

Tax-loss harvesting Active portfolio management Wealth management
user avatar

Na L

Series 66

Fountain Valley, CA

Citigroup Global Markets

Na Li is a financial advisor at Citigroup Global Markets with a Series 66 designation and three years of industry experience. She has been with Citigroup since 2019, initially at Citibank and then at Citigroup Global Markets starting in 2022. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients across various wealth segments, offering multi-asset, multi-manager investment strategies through discretionary and non-discretionary programs. The firm combines large institutional scale with unique market roles, including in-house research and functioning as a swap dealer and futures commission merchant.

Tax-loss harvesting ESG / Sustainable investing Executive Founder/Business Owner Attorney Consultant Technology Professional
user avatar

Neil H

Series 63, Series 65

Fountain Valley, CA

Royal Fund Management, LLC

Neil Higger is a financial advisor with Royal Fund Management, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and 10 years of industry experience. He has worked at Royal Fund Management since 2015 and has been associated with Academic Financial Insurance Services since 2000. Outside of his advisory roles, he operates a separate LLC for 1099 income unrelated to investment activities. Royal Fund Management serves individuals, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, and charitable organizations by providing portfolio management, financial planning, pension consulting, and participant account management. The firm uses fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to implement strategies tailored to client risk tolerances and offers access to select non-traded REITs and an options-writing overlay for enrolled clients.

Options & derivatives strategies Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Real estate investing Annuities Founder/Business Owner
user avatar

Thane M

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Fountain Valley, CA

Perennial Financial Services

Thane McCready is a CFP® with 29 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Perennial Financial Services since 2017. He has also been affiliated with LPL Financial since 2005. Outside of his advisory roles, he operates Perennial Legacy Insurance Solutions, focusing on non-variable insurance. Perennial Financial Services provides investment advisory and consulting services to individuals, trusts, retirement plans, and business entities. The firm offers discretionary asset management and financial planning, utilizing multiple platform relationships and third-party managers to tailor portfolios across various securities while combining ERISA retirement plan consulting with licensed insurance activities.

Equity compensation tax strategy Tax strategies for small businesses Options & derivatives strategies
user avatar

Quang Mike T

Series 65, Series 63

Fountain Valley, CA

Transamerica Financial Advisors

Quang Mike Tran is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and one year of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Golden Choice Lending Corporation and 24/7 Mortgage Corporation. Tran has served in the Army National Guard for 20 years and maintains ownership of QTD International LLC since 2012. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves individual investors, pension plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporations, offering a combination of advisory and broker-dealer services. The firm uses a range of proprietary and third-party investment models with both discretionary and non-discretionary program options.

ESG / Sustainable investing Concentrated stock management Wealth management 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 and previously at AXA Advisors, LLC. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as co-chairman of a fundraising campaign for the nonprofit Alpha Light Fund Inc., focused on renovating the House of Alpha. Equitable Advisors serves a diverse client base including individual, high-net-worth, retirement plan, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients, offering financial planning, broker-dealer services, insurance distribution, and access to third-party asset management programs. The firm operates as both an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer, leveraging LPL-sponsored programs and endorsed TAMPs to deliver advisory and brokerage solutions.

Retirement income strategy Social Security optimization Founder/Business Owner Retired Executive Approaching retirement Baby Boomers (Born 1946-1964)
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

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

David C

Series 63, Series 65

Houston, TX

LPL Financial

David Cade is a financial advisor at LPL Financial with 42 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked for Next Financial Group, Inc. for 20 years before joining LPL Financial in 2025. LPL Financial is a national SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and financial planning services with both discretionary and non-discretionary management, utilizing research and model portfolios to support diversified investment strategies.

College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.)
user avatar

Sarah C

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Boston, MA

Santander Securities LLC

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.

ESG / Sustainable investing Tax-loss harvesting General retirement planning Income planning Founder/Business Owner
user avatar

Linda P

Series 63

Mt. Laurel, NJ

BC Advisors, LLC

Linda Postorivo is a financial advisor at BC Advisors, LLC with 43 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 63 designation and has worked with MAFG RIA Services, Inc. since 1994 and with Mid-Atlantic Companies since 1981. BC Advisors provides investment advisory and portfolio management services primarily to high-net-worth individuals, family trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, and other institutional clients. The firm emphasizes non-discretionary investment recommendations grounded in fundamental analysis alongside technical and cyclical reviews, employing a variety of strategies including long-term, short-term, trading, options, and alternatives.

Active portfolio management
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")