CFP®-certified, 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.

When you're managing an estate in Ithaca, NY, you might face unexpected tax bills if your estate value slightly exceeds exemption limits. Without careful planning, these tax cliffs can catch you off guard and reduce what you leave behind.

CFP® certification means the advisors below have formal training in financial and estate planning, helping you navigate these complexities.

  • Tax cliff awareness. Confirm how they identify and plan for estate tax thresholds that could trigger large tax bills.
  • Asset titling strategies. Ask how they recommend holding assets to minimize probate and tax exposure.
  • Will and trust integration. Ensure they coordinate estate documents with your overall financial plan to avoid conflicts.
  • Beneficiary coordination. Check how they manage beneficiary designations to align with your estate goals.

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 25 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently an advisor at Moors & Cabot, Inc. and has previously worked at Wells Fargo Clearing and Morgan Stanley. Outside of his advisory role, Baier coaches women’s basketball and works as a basketball referee in Sidney, NY. Moors & Cabot serves a diverse client base including retail and high-net-worth individuals, corporations, pension plans, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm offers investment management, fee-based financial planning, and consulting services, with portfolios tailored to client objectives using strategies such as asset allocation and quantitative techniques.

Income planning Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Retirement income strategy Charitable giving & philanthropy Active portfolio management 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, holding a Series 63 designation and over 43 years of industry experience. He has been with Lincoln Investment Planning, Inc. since 1983 and previously worked with New York Life Insurance Company beginning in 1977. Outside of his advisory work, he is a minority owner in a small horse racing partnership. Lincoln Investment Planning, LLC is an enterprise firm serving a broad range of clients including individuals, high-net-worth investors, trusts, charities, and retirement plans, with a historical focus on educators and participants in 403(b) and 457(b) programs. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management, and advisor-led consulting, supported by an in-house Investment Management & Research team that develops strategic model portfolios and employs third-party managers as needed.

Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business ownership considerations Business succession planning Equity compensation tax strategy Educators, Teachers, and Academics Founder/Business Owner Executive Self-Employed Mid-Career Professionals Retired
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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 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
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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 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
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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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Sarah C

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Boston, MA

Santander Securities LLC

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.

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

CFP®, Series 66

Cleveland, OH

Cambridge Investment Research Advisors

Elanna Gould is a CFP® professional with six years of experience, currently advising at Cambridge Investment Research Advisors in Cleveland, OH. Her background includes roles at PepsiCo and The Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Center, as well as academic experience at The Ohio State University. She is also an independent insurance agent for various companies. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors serves a broad client base, including individuals, retirement plans, and charitable organizations, offering financial planning, investment management, and retirement advisory services through a network of independent professionals. The firm provides a range of portfolio management options, proprietary and third-party strategies, and various custody platforms tailored to client objectives.

Wealth management Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Retirement income strategy Annuities Self-Employed
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Ethan S

CFP®, Series 65

Auburn Hills, MI

Plante Moran financial advisors

Ethan Siekkinen is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license, currently serving as a financial advisor with Plante Moran Financial Advisors. He has one year of industry experience and has previously worked at J Wilson Wealth Management and operated Rizzo Lawn Care. Plante Moran Financial Advisors, LLC provides investment advisory, financial planning, and estate planning services to a diverse client base including individual households, institutional clients, and sovereign wealth funds. The firm employs a multi-disciplinary investment process and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, manager search, and tax-lot accounting services.

Active portfolio management Options & derivatives strategies Private / alternative investments Concentrated stock management Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Jace H

CFP®, Series 63, Series 66

Rockwall, TX

Rockwall Wealth Management

Jace Hart is a CFP® with nine years of industry experience and currently serves as a financial advisor at Rockwall Wealth Management. His prior experience includes roles at Leo Wealth, LPL Financial, and Fidelity Brokerage Services. Rockwall Wealth Management provides portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, trusts, plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm emphasizes diversified, low-cost ETF model portfolios with a focus on tax efficiency, liquidity, and systematic macro tilts, offering both traditional and advanced investment strategies tailored to client objectives.

Active portfolio management Options & derivatives strategies Private / alternative investments Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Retirement income strategy
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Jeffrey M

CFP®, ChFC®, Series 66

Greenville, DE

Investment Management & Planning LLC

Jeffrey Macdonald is a CFP® and ChFC® with 18 years of industry experience. He has worked at Investment Management & Planning LLC and LPL Financial since 2010, following two years at Wells Fargo Clearing. Investment Management & Planning LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm constructs tailored portfolios using mutual funds, ETFs, equities, and fixed-income securities, employing fundamental analysis and continuous supervision, and operates as both a wrap program sponsor and affiliated registered representatives of LPL Financial.

General retirement planning Business succession planning Tax strategies for small businesses Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive Mid-Career Professionals Approaching retirement
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