Top general estate planning guidance financial advisors in Indiana, PA

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 seek general estate planning guidance if you're organizing your assets to ensure they pass smoothly to your heirs or if you want to minimize potential legal complications after your passing. A common mistake is overlooking how state-specific rules affect your plan, which can lead to unintended tax consequences or probate delays.

  • Asset distribution clarity. Confirm how the advisor helps you clearly define who gets what, avoiding vague instructions that cause family disputes.
  • Tax implications awareness. Since retirement income is generally exempt from state income tax in Indiana after eligible retirement age, ask how this impacts your estate plan.
  • Document coordination. Estate plans often involve wills, trusts, and powers of attorney; check how the advisor ensures these work together seamlessly.
  • Experience with local laws. Indiana-specific knowledge matters; verify the advisor’s familiarity with state probate and inheritance rules.

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

Galen B

Series 63, Series 65

Indiana, PA

Foundations Investment Advisors LLC

Galen Bargerstock Jr. is a financial advisor with Foundations Investment Advisors LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 11 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Encompass More Asset Management LLC, Verity Investments, Inc., and Corecap Investments Inc. He also serves as president of an insurance agency, where he focuses on insurance sales. Foundations Investment Advisors LLC provides financial planning and portfolio management to individual and high-net-worth clients, employer-sponsored retirement plans, and registered investment companies, using a range of analytical approaches and model portfolios.

ESG / Sustainable investing
user avatar

Melissa H

Series 63, Series 65

Indiana, PA

Ameritas Advisory Services, LLC

Melissa Herman is a financial advisor with Ameritas Advisory Services, LLC in Indiana, Pennsylvania. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has five years of industry experience. In addition to her advisory roles, she manages Temp2Tech LLC, a staffing and recruitment firm. Ameritas Advisory Services, LLC provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, and charitable organizations. The firm combines various investment vehicles and third-party solutions across multiple platforms to build customized portfolios.

Private / alternative investments Wealth management Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Retirement income strategy Charitable giving & philanthropy Founder/Business Owner Retired Mid-Career Professionals
user avatar

John K

Series 63, Series 65

Indiana, PA

OSAIC Institutions, INC.

John Kinney is a financial advisor with OSAIC Institutions, INC., holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and over 30 years of industry experience. He has worked at Osaic Institutions since 2013, previously associated with Apollo Trust Company and Waddell & Reed. Kinney also serves as an agent for life insurance and annuity products with the National Slovak Society Life and the Greek Catholic Union. OSAIC Institutions, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, and corporate clients through a network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers customized advisory services, financial planning, ERISA plan services, and access to alternative investments, operating a hybrid adviser/broker-dealer model with both discretionary and non-discretionary assets under management.

Annuities Tax-loss harvesting Founder/Business Owner Executive

Scott W

Series 63, Series 65

Indiana, PA

Merrill

Scott Weber is the Associate Resident Director of the Indiana, Pennsylvania office and team leader of the Mackey Weber Group within Merrill. He brings over 26 years of experience in the financial services industry, including nearly eight years in banking prior to his current role. Scott and his team focus on client needs such as services for endowments, foundations, and non-profits, employee financial health, and personal retirement planning. Scott earned both his Bachelor's and Master's degrees from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He holds several professional credentials including the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP), Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor® (CPFA), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™ (CRPC), and Accredited Asset Management Specialist (AAMS) designations. He also maintains multiple FINRA registrations as well as licenses for Life/Health and variable insurance products. Active in his local community, Scott participates in organizations such as the Indiana County Community Action Program, Indiana County Endowment, and St. Thomas More University Parish. He lives in the Indiana area with his wife and two children, where they are engaged in church and volunteer activities. Outside of work, Scott has interests in football, music, and singing.

General retirement planning Retirement income strategy Income planning
user avatar

Shawn S

Series 66

Indiana, PA

Ameriprise

Shawn Steffee II is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Indiana, PA, holding a Series 66 designation and two years of industry experience. His prior positions include roles at LPL Financial, OSAIC, Lincoln Financial Advisors, Mosaic Wealth Consulting, and S&T Bank. Ameriprise Financial Services is a large, diversified advisory firm serving individual and institutional clients, offering specialized retirement income planning through its Ameriprise Premier Retirement Income service focused on dependable income sources and tax-aware withdrawal strategies.

Retirement income strategy Income planning Social Security optimization Retirement withdrawal strategies Approaching retirement
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

Kayla S

Series 63, Series 65

Warwick, RI

Mass Mutual Investors Services

Kayla Santos is a financial advisor with Mass Mutual Investors Services in Warwick, RI, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having 10 years of industry experience. She has worked at Mass Mutual Investors Services since 2017 and previously at MetLife Securities. In addition to her advisory role, Santos is an independent insurance agent, offering life, fixed annuities, disability, long-term care, and health insurance products. Mass Mutual Investors Services, LLC is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employers. The firm provides financial planning, asset management, wrap and money-manager programs, and educational seminars, structuring engagements as annual collaborative relationships focused on goal analysis and written recommendations.

Divorce financial planning General estate planning guidance Multi-generational wealth transfer Cash flow / budgeting Founder/Business Owner Attorney Executive Married/Couples/Partners Divorced

Gordon B

Series 66

Luling, LA

Edward Jones

Gordon Brown III is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with 18 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has been with Edward Jones since 2008. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, with approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment options, operating under a fiduciary standard.

Retirement income strategy General estate planning guidance Multi-generational wealth transfer Wealth management Oil & Gas Engineering Professional
user avatar

William S

Series 63, Series 65

College Station, TX

Smith & Wyatt

William Soltow is a financial advisor at Smith & Wyatt with 13 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked at CoreCap Advisors, LLC. Outside of advising, he is the founder of Frontier Wealth Management and serves as an independent insurance agent with Goosehead Insurance. Smith & Wyatt serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, and corporations, managing approximately $207 million across 724 clients. The firm provides tailored financial planning, discretionary portfolio management, estate-planning consulting, and specialized educational programs, utilizing mutual funds and ETFs as primary investment vehicles.

Government Employee
user avatar

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
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 introductions are provided by FinanceHQ LLC (“FHQ”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Warmer and an SEC-registered investment advisor. We receive compensation from certain participating advisors for introductions or referrals. This creates a conflict of interest because we have an incentive to recommend advisors who compensate us, including those who pay us more. You pay no fee to use our matching service, and advisor fees are not increased because of a referral or introduction. We do not review the ongoing performance of advisors, manage or hold assets, guarantee performance, or provide advice about specific investments.

By using our service, you agree to our Terms of Service and Advisory Agreement, and acknowledge our Privacy Policy. Please review FHQ’s ADV Part 2A and Form CRS. Logos provided by Logo.dev

© 2026 Warmer Holdings Inc. (“Warmer”)