Independent, trust structures (GRAT, IDGT, revocable) financial advisors in Houston, TX

Markos Pappas is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Houston, TX, holding a Series 66 designation and 14 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Edward Jones and Investment Professionals, Inc. before joining Ameriprise in 2018. Ameriprise offers a retirement-income planning service targeting individuals approaching or in retirement with significant investable assets, providing detailed recommendation reports that address income sources, Social Security options, and tax-efficient withdrawal strategies. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax analysis to deliver customized, non-discretionary advice through a centralized consulting team.

Jared Tobin is a CFP® with four years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Olive Wealth Management in Houston, TX. He has been with Olive Wealth Management since 2021 and previously attended Texas Tech University. Olive Wealth Management is a small, supported registered investment adviser managing approximately $83.9 million across 54 clients. The firm serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, small businesses, trusts, and retirement plans, providing discretionary portfolio management and integrated financial planning with a focus on tax efficiency, cost minimization, and diversified global asset-class portfolios.

New Heights Planning is a fee-only financial advising firm specializing in oil and gas professionals. Our clients work at Shell, Hess, Chevron, EOG, Oxy, and More. Our Financial Independence Framework combines modern financial planning and investment management to help you reduce your taxes, invest smarter, and be prepared for retirement. I spent 14 years at Shell as an engineer and a leader. I know what it's like to be a professional at a large energy company: fascinating work, great people, and excellent pay, accompanied by frequent lay-offs, corporate bureaucracy, and never-ending meetings. My favorite part was helping people realize the career they desired. Now, I help people optimize their finances to realize the life they desire. I chose to leave Shell and transition into financial advising to go from work I liked to work I love. Before starting New Heights Planning, I built financial plans for high-net-worth individuals and families at Asset Management Advisors. I later founded New Heights Planning to do this for those I like working with the most, Shell and other oil and gas professionals. I am committed to learning and continuing my education to serve you best. I have: -Completed the financial planning program at Rice University and am a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional. -Passed the Series 65 exam -Received the CRPC® designation from the College for Financial Planning -Joined the Financial Planning Association (FPA), the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA), and the XY Planning Network New Heights Planning is not endorsed by nor affiliated with Shell or any other oil and gas company. Read Trevor's blog here: https://newheightsplanning.com/videos/

Christopher Hopper is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Houston, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 28 years of industry experience. He has been with LPL Financial since 2002 and previously worked at UBS Financial Services from 2000 to 2002. Outside of his advisory role, Hopper is involved in accounting and tax preparation through C. Cleet Hopper & Co., Inc., and also operates Hopper Farms, a hay-selling business. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of services including financial planning, asset management programs, and institutional platforms, supported by a large network of investment adviser representatives utilizing various investment strategies.

Jonathan Ginsburgh is a financial advisor with Cetera, holding a Series 66 designation and 11 years of industry experience. He has worked at Cetera Investment Services LLC and Cetera Investment Advisors LLC since 2018, following prior roles at Infinex Investments, Inc. and Iberia Financial Services. He is based in Houston, TX. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm that serves a wide range of clients including individuals, employer-sponsored retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services through a multi-manager platform that provides access to affiliated and unaffiliated model portfolios and third-party managers.

Neil Hantak Jr. is a CFA® charterholder with 12 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at MAI Capital Management, LLC since 2019. He previously worked at John Dovich and Associates and The Randolph Co. MAI Capital Management, LLC provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, integrated wealth management, retirement plan consulting, and family-office services to a diverse client base including individuals, families, sports professionals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm offers customized portfolio management across multiple strategies and incorporates financial planning and tax services into its client relationships.

Justin Kohler is a CFP® with 12 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at The Fiduciary Group. His prior roles include positions at Sharp Wealth Advisory, Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, Sharp Financial Services, and AXA Advisors. Outside of his advisory work, he assists with the operations of a marketing and media company owned by his wife. The Fiduciary Group serves high-net-worth individuals and families, providing discretionary investment management for trusts, estates, nonprofits, and retirement plans. The firm employs a structured investment approach with multiple strategy profiles and integrates with the Focus Financial Partners platform to offer clients access to a broad range of financial solutions.

Matthew Benefiel is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. In this role, he collaborates with families, individuals, and businesses to develop customized wealth management strategies. His expertise includes portfolio design, manager selection, investment due diligence, and performance evaluation. He utilizes a disciplined process to build custom portfolios aligned with clients' objectives and regularly assesses investments to adapt to changing needs and market conditions. Additionally, Matthew employs Merrill Personal Wealth Analysis® to develop personalized financial plans that establish clear goals and track progress. Matthew joined Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in 2017 as a Financial Advisor for the Benefiel Group. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Biola University and maintains the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification. Furthermore, he has earned the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. Residing in Phoenix, Arizona, Matthew lives with his wife, Heather, and their daughter, Ruby. Outside of his professional responsibilities, he enjoys playing golf and supporting the Phoenix Suns basketball team.

Clark Gay is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) with 25 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently with Visionary Wealth Advisors, LLC and has worked there since 2020. Prior to that, he spent 15 years at Financial Engines Advisor Center, LLC, continuing with Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. since 2016. Visionary Wealth Advisors provides financial planning, consulting, and investment management to a diverse client base including individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, business entities, and retirement plans. The firm employs model-based strategies and separately managed accounts, combining fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis within an asset-allocation framework grounded in Modern Portfolio Theory.

Todd Batty is the Vice President Private Wealth Management Advisor. In this role, he assists multiple generations of families in developing personalized wealth strategies focused on growth, preservation, and transfer of their assets. He collaborates with a team that includes an Investment Manager, a Senior Wealth Planner, and a Trust Officer to provide comprehensive wealth planning services. Todd has been with Fidelity Investments since 2008, initially serving as Vice President, Financial Consultant until 2015, and then advancing to his current position. Prior to that, he worked as an Account Coordinator at T. Rowe Price from 2002 to 2007.

Jared Fruth is a financial advisor at Northwest Asset Management with four years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at Securities America, Inc., KMS Financial Services, Inc., Oppenheimer Funds, and John Paul Mitchell Systems. Northwest Asset Management is a registered investment adviser managing approximately $3.6 billion for nearly 3,000 clients, including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charities, and corporations. The firm employs a customized, fiduciary approach using Modern Portfolio Theory and strategic asset allocation, combining fundamental and technical analysis to build diversified portfolios with periodic rebalancing.

Edwina Martin is a Series 65 licensed financial advisor with two years of industry experience, currently with Waverly Advisors, LLC. She previously worked at 9258 Wealth Management for five years and was employed at Teradata Corp for eleven years. Martin also serves as assistant director of tax planning at 9258 Tax and Planning, a non-investment related business. Waverly Advisors is a multi-team registered investment adviser managing portfolios for individuals, retirement plans, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm combines traditional equity and fixed-income strategies with alternative and private-market allocations, offering a range of investment management and financial planning services.

Craig Mcdaniel Jr. is a financial advisor with Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC in Columbia, SC. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 13 years of industry experience. He has been with Capital Investment Group, Inc. and The McDaniel Corporation since 2012. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in life insurance sales and serves as an independent agent for annuities and related products. Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC provides investment advisory and supervisory services to individuals, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm offers customized investment management through discretionary mandates, third-party managers, and private-label model portfolios, using a blend of analytical methods with ongoing portfolio monitoring.

David Hart is a financial advisor with Martin Wealth Management, LLC in Irvine, CA. He holds a Series 65 credential and has 15 years of industry experience. Hart previously worked with Safeguard Investment Advisory Group and LifePro Asset Management. He is also a Certified Financial Fiduciary and volunteers as an instructor with the Foundation for Fiduciary Education, providing unbiased fiduciary financial education to the public. Martin Wealth Management offers investment advisory services primarily to individuals and high-net-worth clients by co-advising and directing accounts to a third-party money manager, Matson Money. The firm focuses on client onboarding, documentation, and ongoing review of third-party manager accounts rather than direct asset management.

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.