Top advisors focused on disability insurance in Kentucky

Julie Smith is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Prestonsburg, KY, holding a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Edward Jones, she worked at Community Trust Bank and held various roles in healthcare and therapy organizations. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, offering a wide range of advisory programs and investment strategies supported by a large nationwide network of financial advisors and branch offices.

Linda Oeth is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial in Louisville, KY, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 28 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Weinzapfel Wealth Advisors, Economy Securities, and CWM, LLC. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individual investors, high-net-worth and non-HNW clients, pension plans, charitable organizations, corporations, and municipal entities. The firm provides financial planning and non-discretionary investment consulting through various programs and emphasizes advisory and implementation-support services rather than discretionary management.

George Rassi is a financial advisor with Fifth Third Securities, Inc. in Centerville, OH, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 14 years of industry experience. He has been with Fifth Third Securities since 2011 and has worked with Fifth Third Bank since 2010. Outside his advisory role, he is involved in managing several rental properties through personal ownership and business entities. Fifth Third Securities, Inc. offers brokerage and investment advisory services through its Passageway Managed Account Program to individuals, charitable organizations, corporate clients, and institutional investors. The firm combines a municipal-advisor registration with its affiliation to Fifth Third Bank and provides clients access to multiple discretionary managed-account options, including advisor-directed models and tax-overlay services.

Jordan Pruden is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Bowling Green, KY, and has eight years of industry experience. He has worked at Morgan Stanley since 2019, including time at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A., and previously spent two years at Merrill and one year at Service One Credit Union. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals and institutional clients with a wide range of advisory programs, including tailored financial and estate planning. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and employs structured planning tools and models to support its advisory services.

Myron Barker is a CFP® professional with 37 years of industry experience, currently serving at Wells Fargo Clearing since 2021. He previously worked at UBS Financial Services for nine years. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting to qualified ERISA plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both non-discretionary and discretionary services. The firm’s advisory process is IPS-driven and grounded in modern portfolio theory, with a notable inclusion of insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep options among its investment menu.

Phillip Rademacher is a CFP® with 33 years of experience in financial services and is the principal of Rademacher Financial, Inc. in Lawrence, KS. He has held roles at multiple firms including Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. and leads RTP, LLC as CEO. Rademacher Financial, Inc. serves individuals, trusts, charitable organizations, corporations, insurance companies, and retirement plan participants, offering discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs an individualized, typically discretionary investment approach and places a notable focus on retirement-plan consulting and participant education.

Gregory Smarr is the sole advisor at Smarr Financial Services Inc. in Atlanta, GA, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses with 20 years of industry experience. He has operated Smarr Financial Services since 2004. Outside of advisory work, he has been involved in selling various insurance products through multiple agencies. Smarr Financial Services provides financial planning and investment supervisory services to individuals, high net-worth clients, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and other business entities. The firm also functions as an insurance agency, offering life, disability, long-term care, group life and health products, and fixed annuities. Its investment approach emphasizes fundamental analysis and long-term buy-and-hold strategies supplemented by moderate trading across a range of asset classes.

John Hale is a financial advisor with Worth Asset Management in Waxahachie, TX, holding Series 65 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 13 years of industry experience. He has been with Worth Asset Management since 2014 and also manages The Hale Law Firm, P.C., where he practices as an attorney. Outside of financial advising, Hale is involved in legal practice and real estate management. Worth Asset Management provides portfolio management, financial planning, and insurance advisory services to individuals, high net worth clients, trusts, and retirement plans. The firm customizes investment strategies based on client objectives and employs various analytical methods, maintaining ongoing portfolio reviews and discretionary authority to manage assets.

Matthew Kimberley is a financial advisor with Des Moines Investments, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and over 30 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Des Moines Wealth Management LLC and Royal Alliance Associates, INC. Kimberley also operates Kimberley Tax Preparation, providing tax preparation services. Outside of finance, he coaches youth softball, offering private lessons in pitching and hitting. Des Moines Investments manages approximately $264.8 million in discretionary assets for around 700 clients, including individuals, business owners, and trusts. The firm offers portfolio management and financial planning services, creating tailored investment profiles and utilizing a range of securities such as ETFs, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and REITs.

Benjamin Doernberg is a financial advisor at First Step Financial in Boston, MA, holding a Series 65 designation with one year of industry experience. Prior to founding First Step Financial, he worked with Never Again Action and Escape the Room Boston. First Step Financial provides financial planning and advisory services to individual and high-net-worth clients through one-off plans, ad-hoc hourly engagements, and an ongoing subscription option, focusing on modern portfolio theory and broad index mutual funds and ETFs. The firm does not custody or trade client accounts and uses a pricing model based on subscription and hourly fees rather than asset-based charges.