Top general estate planning guidance financial advisors in Ithaca, NY

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 general estate planning guidance if you're organizing your assets to avoid unexpected tax bills or ensuring your wishes are clear for your heirs. A common mistake is overlooking how estate tax cliffs can trigger large taxes just above exemption limits.

  • Tax cliff awareness. Confirm the advisor understands how small changes in your estate's value can lead to big tax jumps and plans accordingly.
  • Will and trust integration. Ask how they coordinate wills and trusts to reflect your goals and minimize probate complications.
  • Beneficiary review. Ensure they regularly check and update beneficiary designations to keep your estate plan current.
  • Long-term flexibility. Inquire about how they build plans that can adapt to changes in your family or tax laws over time.

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

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Linda P

CFP®, Series 65

Ithaca, NY

Forum Financial Management, Lp

Linda Parks is a CFP® and Series 65 credentialed financial advisor with 12 years of industry experience. She has worked at Forum Financial Management, LP since 2022 and previously operated her own advisory firm, Linda Parks, Financial Advisor, LLC, for nine years. Parks is also a licensed CPA with over 26 years in that profession. Forum Financial Management, LP provides investment advisory and related services to individuals, retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and institutional clients. The firm employs model asset-allocation portfolios based on Modern Portfolio Theory, utilizing institutional mutual funds, ETFs, and individual fixed income strategies, while also supporting independent advisors and RIAs through its turnkey asset management and back-office services.

Wealth management Passive / index investing ESG / Sustainable investing Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Retired Mid-Career Professionals
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Keith B

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Ithaca, NY

Moors & Cabot, Inc.

Keith Baier is a CFP® professional with 24 years of industry experience. He has been with Moors & Cabot, Inc. since 2022, following six years at Wells Fargo Clearing and four years at Wells Fargo Advisors LLC. Outside of his advisory role, Baier is involved in his local community as a basketball referee and coach for women's basketball in Sidney, NY. Moors & Cabot provides investment advisory and related services to a wide range of clients, including individuals, high-net-worth investors, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a variety of analytic approaches and offers both discretionary portfolio management and fee-based financial planning services.

Wealth management ESG / Sustainable investing Options & derivatives strategies Private / alternative investments Founder/Business Owner Retired
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Geoffrey W

Series 63

Ithaca, NY

Lincoln Investment

Geoffrey Wright is a financial advisor with Lincoln Investment in Ithaca, NY, holding a Series 63 designation and 43 years of industry experience. He has been with Lincoln Investment Planning, Inc. since 1983 and has also worked with New York Life Insurance Company since 1977. Outside of his advisory role, he is a partial owner of a small number of racehorses. Lincoln Investment serves individuals, charitable organizations, businesses, and employer-sponsored retirement plans, with a particular focus on educators and 403(b)/457(b) participants. The firm offers a range of financial planning and retirement plan services, employing a mix of strategic and tactical investment approaches, and manages both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolios.

ESG / Sustainable investing Wealth management Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business succession planning General estate planning guidance Educators, Teachers, and Academics Self-Employed Executive Retired Mid-Career Professionals
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Walter H

Series 63, Series 66

Ithaca, NY

SPC

Walter Hails Jr. is a financial advisor with SPC based in Ithaca, NY, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 26 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Parkland Securities, Sigma Financial Corporation, Morgan Stanley, Charles Schwab, and Invictus Wealth Management. He serves as a board member for The RHO Foundation and as vice president of the Sigma Pi Phi/Zeta Zeta Boule chapter in Syracuse, NY. SPC serves a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals, charitable organizations, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and ERISA-related retirement plan services, delivering both discretionary and nondiscretionary strategies supported by a network of over 460 advisers and approximately $5.66 billion in assets under management.

Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Retirement income strategy Income planning General estate planning guidance Tax-loss harvesting Founder/Business Owner Retired Executive
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Guillermo R

Series 63

Ithaca, NY

Bolton Securities Corporation

Guillermo Rossi is a financial advisor with Bolton Securities Corporation, holding a Series 63 designation and 16 years of industry experience. He has worked at UBS Financial Services Inc. for 12 years before joining Bolton Global Asset Management and Bolton Global Capital in 2023. Outside of his advisory role, he is the owner and managing director of NY Capital Markets LLC and also manages Martik LLC, both entities related to securities and investment advisory services. Bolton Global Asset Management provides discretionary and non-discretionary asset management and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth investors, charitable organizations, corporations, retirement plans, and banks. The firm employs an IAR-driven approach that customizes portfolios using mutual funds, ETFs, equities, and fixed-income securities, with a generally long-term orientation and tactical flexibility.

Wealth management Active portfolio management Options & derivatives strategies Tax-loss harvesting Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Retired Executive
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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
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Kayla S

Series 65, Series 63

Warwick, RI

Mass Mutual Investors Services

Kayla Santos is a financial advisor with Mass Mutual Investors Services and holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses. She has 10 years of industry experience, including roles at MetLife Securities and Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company. In addition to her advisory work, she operates as an independent insurance agent specializing in life, fixed annuities, disability, long-term care, and health insurance. Mass Mutual Investors Services, LLC is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employers. The firm provides ongoing financial planning, asset management, and educational seminars, utilizing firm-approved tools to develop collaborative, goal-oriented financial plans.

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 Wealth management General estate planning guidance Oil & Gas
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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 has worked previously at CoreCap Advisors and Cambridge Investment Research. Outside of his advisory role, he is the founder of Frontier Wealth Management and works as an independent insurance agent with Goosehead Insurance. Smith & Wyatt serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, and corporations, managing approximately $207 million for around 724 clients through a team of eight advisors. The firm offers financial planning, discretionary portfolio management, and estate-planning consulting, tailoring investment advice to clients’ objectives and risk tolerances primarily through mutual funds and ETFs.

Government Employee
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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
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