Independent advisors focused on inheritance planning in the US

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 expecting to receive a significant estate or want to manage assets passed down to you. Without focused guidance, it's easy to overlook tax implications or mismanage the timing of asset transfers, which can reduce the value you ultimately receive. Independent advisors here operate without firm constraints, potentially offering advice aligned with your unique situation.

  • Tax impact awareness. Ask how they help minimize estate and inheritance taxes, including strategies for timing and asset selection.
  • Asset transition planning. Confirm how they assist in coordinating the transfer of various asset types, such as real estate, investments, or family businesses.
  • Beneficiary communication. Inquire about their approach to managing family dynamics and ensuring clear communication among heirs.
  • Long-term wealth preservation. Explore how they plan for sustaining inherited wealth across generations, not just immediate distribution.

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

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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 Executive Founder/Business Owner Mid-Career Professionals HENRY (High Earners, Not Rich Yet)
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Clayton D

Series 65

Sonoma, CA

Fermata Advisors

Clayton Dunkle is a financial advisor with Fermata Advisors based in Sonoma, CA. He holds a Series 65 designation and has five years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Sonoma Wealth Advisors, Enso Wealth Management, and experience in the beverage industry with 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 delivers both discretionary and non-discretionary services using a range of analytical approaches and supports employer plans with ERISA fiduciary services.

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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Jared F

Series 65

Huntington Beach, CA

Northwest Asset Management

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.

Retirement income strategy Wealth management Active portfolio management Founder/Business Owner
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Edwina M

Series 65

Cincinnati, OH

Waverly Advisors, LLC

Edwina Martin is a financial advisor at Waverly Advisors, LLC with two years of industry experience. She holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at 9258 Wealth Management for five years and Teradata Corp for eleven years. In addition to her advisory role, she serves as assistant director of tax planning at 9258 Tax and Planning. Waverly Advisors, LLC is an SEC-registered enterprise adviser serving individuals, corporations, retirement plans, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and fiduciary services, employing a combination of centralized and customized investment strategies across traditional and alternative asset classes.

Private / alternative investments Real estate investing Tax-loss harvesting Options & derivatives strategies ESG / Sustainable investing Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Craig M

Series 63, Series 65

Columbia, SC

Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC

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.

Active portfolio management Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Annuities Options & derivatives strategies Founder/Business Owner Retired
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David H

Series 65

Corona, CA

Safeguard Investment Advisory Group, LLC

David Hart is a financial advisor with Safeguard Investment Advisory Group, LLC, holding a Series 65 credential and 15 years of industry experience. He has worked with Safeguard since 2020 and previously held roles at LifePro Asset Management, LLC, Martin and Associates Insurance Services, Inc., and Martin Wealth Management, LLC. Hart is also a Certified Financial Fiduciary and volunteers as an instructor with the Foundation for Fiduciary Education (NACFF), providing unbiased fiduciary financial education. Safeguard Investment Advisory Group, LLC serves individual, high-net-worth, institutional, and business clients, offering discretionary portfolio management, access to third-party sub-advisers, and fee-based financial planning. The firm employs a fundamental-analysis investment process with a preferred horizon of two to ten years and manages over $600 million across approximately 1,800 client relationships.

Wealth management Passive / index investing Active portfolio management Retirement income strategy
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Sarah C

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Boston, MA

Santander Securities LLC

Sarah Currier Barrella is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 26 years of industry experience. She is currently with Santander Securities LLC and Santander Bank, NA, having previously worked at TD Bank and Citizens Securities, Inc. Barrella holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Santander Securities LLC provides investment advisory and related services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, charitable organizations, retirement plans, and institutional clients. The firm offers wrap-fee advisory programs and financial planning services, delivering investment advice through the FMAX managed-account platform with discretionary portfolio management and ongoing suitability reviews.

ESG / Sustainable investing Tax-loss harvesting General retirement planning Income planning Founder/Business Owner
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