Top social Security optimization 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.

You might need a Social Security optimization advisor if you're approaching retirement and want to maximize your benefits without risking penalties or reduced payments. A common mistake is claiming benefits too early or without considering spousal and survivor options, which can significantly lower your lifetime income.

  • Claiming strategy nuances. Ask how they tailor your claiming age and benefit choices to your unique work history and family situation.
  • Coordination with other income. Confirm they consider how Social Security interacts with your pensions, investments, and tax brackets.
  • Spousal and survivor benefits. Ensure they evaluate options beyond your own earnings record to boost household income.
  • State-specific factors. Since South Carolina offers favorable retirement deductions, check how they incorporate local tax rules into your plan.

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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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)
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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
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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
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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
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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

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