Top inheritance planning financial advisors in Gaithersburg, MD

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 an inheritance planning advisor if you’re facing estate or inheritance taxes, which can be complex in Maryland. Without expert guidance, you risk costly mistakes like mismanaging tax liabilities or missing opportunities to preserve wealth for heirs.

  • Tax expertise in Maryland. Confirm the advisor understands both estate and inheritance taxes unique to your state.
  • Asset transfer strategies. Ask how they help structure inheritances to minimize tax impact and maximize what your heirs receive.
  • Family communication. Inheritance planning often involves sensitive conversations; check how the advisor supports clear, respectful dialogue.
  • Coordination with legal professionals. Effective planning requires working alongside your estate attorney to align financial and legal documents.

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

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Martin D

Series 66

Montgomery Village, MD

Fidelity

Martin Depetris is a Series 66 registered advisor with Fidelity Investments, bringing six years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Bank of America, Merrill, H. Beck, Inc., Scottrade, and the University of Maryland University College. He works with Strategic Advisers LLC, a Fidelity Investments company that provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients. The firm utilizes a combination of proprietary fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to manage model portfolios involving mutual funds, ETFs, and ETPs.

Charitable giving & philanthropy Active portfolio management
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Matthew B

CFP®, Series 66

Gaithersburg, MD

MAI Capital Management, LLC

Matthew Bacon is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 14 years of industry experience. He is currently with Carmichael Hill & Associates, Inc and has prior experience at University Federal Credit Union and Cuso Financial Services, L.P. He is based in Gaithersburg, MD. Matthew is affiliated with MAI Capital Management, LLC, an enterprise firm managing $72.3 billion in assets as of May 31, 2026. MAI provides a range of services including discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, integrated wealth management, retirement plan consulting, and family-office services for individuals, families, sports professionals, trusts, and institutional clients.

Private / alternative investments Business exit / sale strategy Trust structures (GRAT, IDGT, revocable) Tax strategies for small businesses Founder/Business Owner
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Cornell A

Series 65

Gaithersburg, MD

Beacon Investment Advisors LLC

Cornell Abod is the principal of Beacon Investment Advisors LLC in Gaithersburg, MD, holding a Series 65 designation and with 22 years of industry experience. He has been with Beacon Investment Advisors since 2003 and also owns C.P. Abod & Co., LLC, an accounting services firm, and Beacon RPC, LLC, a retirement plan consulting company. Mr. Abod dedicates a significant portion of his time to accounting and retirement plan consulting activities. Beacon Investment Advisors provides wealth management and discretionary portfolio management services to individuals, families, trusts, estates, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm’s investment approach centers on customized asset allocation guided by fundamental analysis and includes a range of securities and strategies tailored to client needs.

Active portfolio management Concentrated stock management Options & derivatives strategies Private / alternative investments
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Mariah L

Series 66

Gaithersburg, MD

LPL Financial

Mariah Lightfoot is a financial advisor at LPL Financial with eight years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at LPL Financial since 2019. Prior to that, she was with Mass Mutual Investors Services and Mass Mutual Life Insurance Company from 2017 to 2019. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, corporations, and charitable organizations through a national network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, financial planning, and consulting services, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary management supported by proprietary and third-party research.

College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.)
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Robert C

Series 63, Series 65

Gaithersburg, MD

Transamerica Financial Advisors

Robert Costello is a financial advisor at Transamerica Financial Advisors with 30 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has worked at several firms including Grove Point Investments, H. Beck, and Prudential. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in rental property management. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves a wide range of clients including individual investors, pension plans, trusts, and corporations. The firm offers both advisory and broker-dealer services, utilizing proprietary and third-party model portfolios across discretionary and non-discretionary platforms.

ESG / Sustainable investing Concentrated stock management Wealth management Founder/Business Owner

Sean A

Series 66

Boulder, CO

Edward Jones

Sean Alexander is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Boulder, CO, holding a Series 66 designation. He joined Edward Jones in 2025 and has prior experience in mortgage lending and residential mortgage companies, as well as a role at The Fitter and time at the University of Colorado, Boulder. 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 financial advisors and branch offices.

Retirement income strategy Business ownership considerations Business exit / sale strategy Business succession planning Inheritance planning Founder/Business Owner

Steve S

CFP®

Eldersburg, MD

ABEL Financial Management Co.

Hi, I'm Steve. I've loved financial planning ever since I was a kid watching the ticker tape on CNBC as my mom, a homemaker learned about finances herself. I grew up in a very frugal household who taught me about working hard and saving for the future. My mother was a homemaker or "domestic engineer" as she calls it and my father was a federal employee. I was fortunate to be introduced to Rita Abel and become the owner of her small, family owned financial planning firm in 2019. Today we work with approximately 60 families. What makes us unique is our passion to be "accountability partner's" for our clients to ensure they take care of the important financial matters in their lives. We are part financial advisors and party financial therapists for our married couples but most importantly we are organized, proactive and have a passion for financial planning. Looking forward to meeting and if you want to know more, I encourage you to read our google reviews online. Just search "Abel Financial Reviews" in google.

Roth conversion strategy Early retirement planning General tax planning Inheritance planning Wealth management Retired Executive Military & Veterans Government Employee Biotech Professional Established Professionals Approaching retirement Retired

Scott M

Series 63, Series 65

Incline Village, NV

Merrill

Scott Macdonald is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management and the founder of the Special Needs Team. He has spent over thirty years focusing on the financial needs of disabled, special-needs, and elder-abuse victims and their families. Scott and his team specialize in wealth planning and investment management for Special Needs Trusts, court-supervised trusts, and probate investing for Conservatorships and Guardianships. They work closely with attorneys, caregivers, trustees, fiduciaries, benefits counselors, and other professionals to address the short- and long-term financial needs of their clients. Scott applies in-depth knowledge of the Uniform Prudent Investment Act, various state Probate Codes and Rules of Courts, and National Guardianship Standards. Scott holds a Bachelor's Degree from the California State University system. He is a Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) and a Senior Portfolio Manager who manages discretionary personalized and defined investment strategies. He has been recognized by Forbes as one of the Best-in-State Wealth Advisors for six consecutive years from 2020 through 2025. Scott is also a member of the Rotary Club of Tahoe Incline and is involved with the Society for disAbilities and the Tahoe Fire Helicopter Project. Outside of his professional work, Scott enjoys boating, fishing, hiking, skiing, and spending time with his family. He lives in Incline Village, Nevada, with his wife Meredith and their four children.

Planning for children with special needs Elder care planning General estate planning guidance Trust structures (GRAT, IDGT, revocable) Inheritance planning

Clayton D

Series 65

Sonoma, CA

Sonoma Wealth Advisors

Clayton Dunkle is a financial advisor at Fermata Advisors in Sonoma, CA, holding a Series 65 designation with six years of industry experience. His work history includes roles at Sonoma Wealth Advisors and Enso Wealth Management, as well as experience outside the financial sector at Cline Family Cellar and Mule Head Growers. Fermata Advisors provides investment management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting primarily to individuals, small businesses, and plan fiduciaries. The firm employs a coaching-centered client relationship model and uses a combination of behavioral, charting, cyclical, fundamental, and technical analysis to guide portfolio allocation.

General retirement planning Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Equity Recipients (RS/RSU, SOP, ESPP) Business succession planning Inheritance planning Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Maris G

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Seattle, WA

Mg Financial, Inc.

Maris Galins is a CFP® professional with 24 years of industry experience, currently serving as the sole advisor at Mg Financial, Inc. Based in Seattle, WA, Galins has led the firm since 2008. Mg Financial, Inc. provides personalized financial planning and advisory services to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm focuses on non-discretionary asset allocation and utilizes SEI model portfolios and third-party money managers, emphasizing planning and adviser selection rather than direct portfolio management.

General retirement planning Inheritance planning Business Financial Management

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