Top college savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) financial advisors in Gaffney, SC

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.

Saving for college often starts when you want to make the most of tax-advantaged accounts like 529 plans or UTMA (Uniform Transfers to Minors Act) accounts. A common mistake is not aligning the savings plan with your child's education timeline and financial aid considerations, which can reduce the benefits.

  • Account type guidance. Confirm which savings vehicles they recommend and why, ensuring they fit your family's goals and timeline.
  • Investment strategy. Ask how they balance growth potential with risk as your child approaches college age.
  • Financial aid impact. Check if they consider how savings accounts affect eligibility for need-based aid.
  • State-specific benefits. Since South Carolina offers favorable tax deductions, see how they leverage local rules to maximize your savings.

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

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Debra M

Series 66

Gaffney, SC

Edward Jones

Debra Miller is a Series 66-credentialed financial advisor with Edward Jones in Gaffney, SC, where she has worked since 2008. She has 18 years of industry experience. Outside of her advisory role, she serves as secretary for the Buford Street United Methodist Church, handling billing for the church daycare. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients across a broad range of financial needs. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and offers various advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds.

Wealth management Tax-loss harvesting Multi-generational wealth transfer Retired Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Jeffrey R

Series 63, Series 65

Gaffney, SC

Raymond James Financial

Jeffrey Richardson is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial in Gaffney, SC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 35 years of industry experience. His career includes longstanding roles at Piedmont Service Center and First Piedmont Bank since 2001, along with experience at First Piedmont Federal Savings & Loan since 2018. Outside of advisory work, he is involved as an insurance agent selling fixed annuities and owns a property rental business in Myrtle Beach and Gaffney. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. provides financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to a wide client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and institutional investors. The firm offers tailored non-discretionary planning and consulting, supported by analytical tools and a range of advisory programs.

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

Series 63, Series 66

Charlotte, NC

TIAA-CREF

Brandon Wright is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF who holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has 21 years of industry experience. He has been with TIAA-CREF since 2012. TIAA‑CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division offers financial planning, discretionary managed account programs, and broker-dealer services primarily to individuals connected to TIAA-administered retirement plans, as well as to trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans. The firm distinguishes between one-time planning services and ongoing discretionary management, operating under a fiduciary standard for its RIA services and managing portfolios through model-based or customized approaches.

General estate planning guidance Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Educators, Teachers, and Academics Founder/Business Owner Approaching retirement Mid-Career Professionals
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Clarissa I

Series 63, Series 66

Bluffton, SC

Principal Advised Services

Clarissa Iannetti is a financial advisor with Principal Advised Services in Bluffton, SC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and four years of industry experience. She has worked in various roles within Principal Financial Group since 2022 and has prior experience in staffing, real estate, and management. Principal Advised Services provides investment advice and related services primarily to retirement plan participants and retail IRA clients, combining third-party methodologies with proprietary models. The firm offers both non-discretionary recommendations and a discretionary, wrap-fee investment management program called SimpleInvest, serving participants in employer plans recordkept by Principal Financial Group as well as other retail clients.

General retirement planning Retirement income strategy Income planning Retirement withdrawal strategies Cash flow / budgeting Retired
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Barbara M

Series 63, Series 65

Boiling Springs, NC

Cambridge Investment Research Advisors

Barbara Mull is a financial advisor with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 25 years of industry experience. She worked at Edward Jones from 2001 to 2017 before joining Cambridge Investment Research Advisors. Mull serves on the finance committee and board of the First Baptist Church of Bostic. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors is a large SEC-registered firm that provides financial planning, investment management, and retirement plan advisory services to a diverse client base, including individuals, pension plans, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of investment solutions through independent Financial Professionals, utilizing both proprietary models and third-party strategies.

Wealth management Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Retirement income strategy Annuities Self-Employed
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Hassan A

Series 63, Series 65

Rockville, MD

LPL Financial

Hassan Al Kadhimi is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and two years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. He is also involved with NIHFCU Wealth Advisors, a related business entity. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolio programs, and institutional platforms, supported by a large network of investment adviser representatives.

Wealth management Retirement income strategy College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Tax-loss harvesting Annuities Retired Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Richard B

Series 63, Series 66

Austin, TX

Charles Schwab

Richard Brandi is a financial advisor with Charles Schwab based in Austin, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 32 years of industry experience. He has been with Charles Schwab and Charles Schwab Bank ssb since 2003 and 2005, respectively. Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. serves primarily high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals through its Schwab Wealth Advisory wrap fee program and affiliated managed-account and financial planning services. The firm offers a mix of non-discretionary and discretionary investment guidance, leveraging multi-asset model portfolios and research from its Schwab Center for Financial Research.

Private / alternative investments Real estate investing Multi-state taxation College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.)
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Thaddeus P

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Grand Rapids, MI

Advance Wealth Management Service, LLC

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.

College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Charitable giving & philanthropy General estate planning guidance General tax planning Options & derivatives strategies
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Paul K

CFP®, Series 65

Zimmerman, MN

Longview Financial, Inc.

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.

General tax planning College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Cash flow / budgeting

Justin S

CFP®, ChFC®, Series 66

Prairie Village, KS

Edward Jones

Justin Scicluna is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Prairie Village, KS, holding the CFP®, ChFC®, and Series 66 designations with 13 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2013. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients, including a range of household types, pension plans, corporate clients, and charitable organizations. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and offers various advisory programs, discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, and affiliated investment products through a nationwide network of over 23,700 financial advisors.

College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) General estate planning guidance Multi-generational wealth transfer Retirement income strategy General retirement planning Retired Founder/Business Owner Executive
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