CFP®-certified, social Security optimization financial advisors in Knoxville, TN

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.

If you're approaching Social Security age or planning your retirement income, optimizing your Social Security benefits can significantly impact your financial security. A common mistake is claiming benefits too early or without considering how it affects your overall tax situation and long-term income.

  • Claiming strategy clarity. Ask how they determine the best age to start benefits based on your full financial picture, not just your current needs.
  • Tax impact awareness. Confirm they consider how Social Security benefits interact with your federal taxes, especially since Tennessee has no state income tax.
  • Coordination with other income. Look for advisors who integrate Social Security timing with your other retirement income sources to avoid unintended tax consequences.
  • Longevity planning. Ensure they factor in your life expectancy and health when recommending when to claim benefits.

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

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Jonathan M

Series 63, Series 65

Knoxville, TN

OSAIC

Jonathan Matthews is a financial advisor at OSAIC with 26 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at firms including Securities America, Inc., Securities America Advisors, Inc., and SSN Advisory, Inc. In addition to his advisory career, Matthews owns and operates JonSpot Photography, specializing in wedding, family, and senior photo sessions. OSAIC serves a broad range of retail and institutional clients through a large network of affiliated advisers, offering integrated brokerage and investment advisory services along with financial planning and managed account solutions. The firm employs firm-provided asset-allocation tools and supports multiple platforms and third-party services to construct diversified portfolios tailored to client needs.

Annuities Wealth management Tax-loss harvesting Private / alternative investments Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Gail H

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Knoxville, TN

LPL Financial

Gail Hatfield is a CFP® with LPL Financial in Knoxville, TN, bringing eight years of industry experience. She worked at UT Federal Credit Union before joining LPL Financial in 2017. Hatfield is also a notary public. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plans, banks, and institutions, offering a range of investment strategies and financial planning tools through a large network of investment adviser representatives.

Wealth management Retirement income strategy College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Tax-loss harvesting Annuities Retired Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Daniel V

Series 63, Series 65

Talbott, TN

Primerica Advisors

Daniel Vick is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 15 years of industry experience. He has worked at PFS Investments, Inc. since 2010 and with Primerica Financial Services since 2009. Outside of advisory services, he is involved in the sale of loan products and home-related services through affiliated companies. Primerica Advisors provides discretionary asset management via its Lifetime Investment Program, which includes model-delivery strategies and discretionary separately managed accounts for individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm uses third-party asset managers and offers a tiered wrap-fee structure while maintaining oversight of model selection and implementation.

ESG / Sustainable investing Tax-loss harvesting Income planning
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Patrick E

CFP®, Series 66

Knoxville, TN

Uprise Advisers LLC

Patrick Elliott is a CFP® professional with 18 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Uprise Advisers LLC. His prior roles include positions at Creative Planning, Facet Wealth, Mariner Wealth Advisors, and USAA Financial Planning Services. Outside of financial advising, he owns Krinos Consulting, a business consulting firm that assists businesses with profit growth. Uprise Advisers primarily serves individual clients through its online platform, offering asynchronous financial planning that incorporates employer benefits and equity compensation. The firm employs an advisory approach grounded in modern portfolio theory and offers a subscription model with limited ongoing consultations, without managing client assets or exercising investment discretion.

Equity Recipients (RS/RSU, SOP, ESPP) Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Debt management General estate planning guidance
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Jacob C

CFP®, Series 66

Springboro, OH

SLP Wealth

Jacob Courtney is a CFP® with five years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at SLP Wealth. He previously worked at Ameriprise Financial Services and Strategy & Resources, LLC. In addition to his advisory role, he provides student loan consulting through Student Loan Planner. SLP Wealth is an SEC-registered advisory firm serving individual clients and small-business owners with discretionary investment management and financial planning. The firm offers diversified, risk-based portfolio management primarily using no-load mutual funds and ETFs, and provides tax preparation and 401(k) services without a minimum account size.

Tax-loss harvesting Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Charitable giving tax strategies Founder/Business Owner
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Willie M

Series 63, Series 66

Cary, NC

Equitable Advisors

Willie Myles is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Cary, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 16 years of industry experience. He has worked at Equitable Advisors since 2016, previously serving at Axa Advisors and MSI Financial Services. Outside of advising, he is a co-chairman of a fundraising campaign for Alpha Light Fund Inc., a nonprofit focused on renovating the House of Alpha. Equitable Advisors serves a range of clients including individuals, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations, providing financial planning, retirement consulting, and asset management through a network of representatives and third-party managers. The firm offers various investment vehicles and ERISA fiduciary services, relying on third-party program sponsors and an affiliation with a publicly traded parent company.

Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business exit / sale strategy Concentrated stock management Equity Recipients (RS/RSU, SOP, ESPP) Long-term care insurance Founder/Business Owner Retired Executive Approaching retirement Sandwich Generation
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Stavroula K

Series 63, Series 65

Linwood, NJ

Ameriprise

Stavroula Koutsfetsoulis is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with 25 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Ameriprise and its affiliated entities since 2011. In addition to her advisory role, she is involved in fiduciary activities as an attorney-in-fact (power of attorney). Ameriprise is a large institutional firm that provides retirement-income planning services primarily to individuals with substantial investable assets. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to deliver written recommendation reports through a centralized consulting team, focusing on tailored retirement income strategies.

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

Series 63, Series 65

Plano, TX

Financial & Tax Architects, LLC

Cassandra Sanchez is a financial advisor at Financial & Tax Architects, LLC with seven years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at Fisher Investments, TIAA, US Health Advisors, and various other firms. Sanchez also had involvement with Drunken Donkey, reflecting experience outside the financial sector. Financial & Tax Architects provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, focusing on those nearing or in retirement. The firm offers proprietary “Private Wealth Strategies” that use ETFs, individual securities, and trend-aware rebalancing, with accounts reviewed monthly and customizable strategies to meet client needs.

Retirement income strategy Social Security optimization Annuities Income planning General tax planning Retired
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Keith E

CFP®

Pittsburgh, PA

Keith L. Eliou, CFP

Keith Eliou is the principal of Keith L. Eliou, CFP, an investment management firm based in Pittsburgh, PA. He holds the CFP® designation and has one year of experience as a financial advisor. In addition to his advisory role, he practices law focusing on elder law and real estate and is involved in insurance, mortgage lending, and real estate brokerage businesses. The firm primarily serves pooled vehicles and institutional accounts, offering portfolio management, retirement plan services, and financial planning. It utilizes an open-architecture investment approach with third-party money managers and employs multiple analytical methods and strategies, conducting annual account reviews.

Social Security optimization Retirement income strategy Cash flow / budgeting Charitable giving tax strategies Business exit / sale strategy Founder/Business Owner
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Charles P

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

San Rafael, CA

WealthSpire Advisors

Charles Pyfer III is a CFP® professional with 19 years of industry experience, currently serving at Wealthspire Advisors since 2024. Prior to this, he spent 15 years at Private Ocean. Wealthspire Advisors provides wealth management, investment advisory, financial planning, and family office support to a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, retirement plans, and nonprofit organizations. The firm employs a relationship-driven, customized investment approach that emphasizes diversified, institutional-style asset allocation and utilizes a range of investment vehicles and third-party platforms for comprehensive portfolio management.

Retirement income strategy Social Security optimization Roth conversion strategy Tax-loss harvesting Private / alternative investments Founder/Business Owner Retired Mid-Career Professionals Established Professionals
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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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