Gen X advisors focused on college savings (529s, utma, etc.) in Massachusetts

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’re likely thinking about college savings because your children are approaching college age, and you want to make the most of tax-advantaged accounts like 529 plans or UTMA (Uniform Transfers to Minors Act) accounts. A common mistake is focusing only on saving amounts without understanding how different account types affect financial aid or taxes.

  • Account type trade-offs. Ask how they balance 529 plans versus UTMA accounts, since each impacts financial aid and control differently.
  • Contribution timing. Confirm their approach to when and how much to contribute, considering your Gen X timeline and college start dates.
  • Investment choices. Look for advisors who explain how investment options within these accounts align with your risk tolerance and college funding goals.

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

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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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Kristin M

Series 66

Mt Pleasant, SC

Primerica Advisors

Kristin Manna is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors and holds a Series 66 designation. She has one year of industry experience, including roles at Park Avenue Securities, Guardian Life Insurance Company, and Consolidated Planning Holdings, Inc. Prior to entering the financial industry, she worked in education for eight years. Outside of advising, Kristin is an author and publisher of a basketball coaching notebook and works as a math tutor for high school students. Park Avenue Securities serves a broad retail client base with a range of brokerage and advisory services, utilizing proprietary and third-party investment strategies across various account types and investment vehicles.

Business exit / sale strategy Tax-loss harvesting Self-Employed Founder/Business Owner
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Dequan T

Series 63, Series 65

Waltham, MA

Transamerica Financial Advisors

Dequan Tian is a financial advisor at Transamerica Financial Advisors with three years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked with firms including United Healthcare and World Financial Group. Outside of his advisory role, he occasionally assists clients with health insurance and Medicare applications as an independent contractor. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves a broad client base with investment advisory, brokerage, and retirement-plan services delivered through a large network of advisors and multiple program platforms, utilizing model portfolios and third-party managers for portfolio management.

ESG / Sustainable investing Concentrated stock management Wealth management Founder/Business Owner
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Marlean K

Series 63, Series 66

Pembroke, MA

OSAIC

Marlean Komar is a financial advisor at OSAIC with 34 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has previously worked at Securities America Advisors, Inc. and Investacorp, Inc. Komar serves as Vice-President of the American Legion Auxiliary Women’s Auxiliary and is president of Komar Wealth Management, Inc., where she is involved in securities investments and fixed insurance sales. OSAIC is an SEC-registered investment adviser and FINRA member broker-dealer serving a broad client base, including individual investors, pension plans, corporations, and charities. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, utilizing tools such as asset-allocation planning software and portfolio optimization, and supports a large network of financial advisors.

Annuities Founder/Business Owner Executive Retired

Jonah L

Series 66

Woburn, MA

Edward Jones

Jonah Lemieux is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Woburn, MA, holding a Series 66 designation with one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Edward Jones, he worked in various roles including positions at UPS, UKG, ClearCompany, and Insurance Consultants of VA. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients, offering a range of discretionary and non-discretionary investment strategies, affiliated mutual funds, and tax-efficient services. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and operates a large network of financial advisors and branch offices across the country.

Retirement income strategy General retirement planning College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Multi-generational wealth transfer Wealth management Retired Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Hassan A

Series 63, Series 65

Rockville, MD

LPL Financial

Hassan Al Kadhimi is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Rockville, MD, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and one year of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at J.P. Morgan Securities, JP Morgan Chase Bank, and TD Bank. He is also involved with NIHFCU Wealth Advisors, a DBA for his LPL business. LPL Financial provides advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plan sponsors, institutions, and high-net-worth households. The firm offers a variety of delivery options supported by an in-house research team, combining large-scale advisory operations with a broad range of financial products.

Wealth management Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Tax-loss harvesting Founder/Business Owner Retired
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Richard B

Series 63, Series 66

Austin, TX

Charles Schwab

Richard Brandi is a financial advisor with Charles Schwab based in Austin, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 32 years of industry experience. He has been with Charles Schwab and Charles Schwab Bank ssb since 2003 and 2005, respectively. Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. serves primarily high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals through its Schwab Wealth Advisory wrap fee program and affiliated managed-account and financial planning services. The firm offers a mix of non-discretionary and discretionary investment guidance, leveraging multi-asset model portfolios and research from its Schwab Center for Financial Research.

Private / alternative investments Real estate investing Multi-state taxation College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.)
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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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Paul K

CFP®, Series 65

Zimmerman, MN

Longview Financial, Inc.

Paul Kinneberg is a CFP® and Series 65-registered advisor with 24 years of industry experience. He has been the principal and sole advisor at Longview Financial, Inc. since 2000 and also holds a long-term corporate role at CenturyLink. Longview Financial, Inc. provides personalized, fee-only financial planning and investment management primarily for individual clients. The firm uses a strategic asset allocation approach with a core-and-satellite framework, combining passive index and ETF core holdings with active funds when appropriate, and manages client assets on a non-discretionary basis with an emphasis on individualized advice.

General tax planning College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Cash flow / budgeting

Justin S

CFP®, ChFC®, Series 66

Prairie Village, KS

Edward Jones

Justin Scicluna is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Prairie Village, KS, holding the CFP®, ChFC®, and Series 66 designations with 13 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2013. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients, including a range of household types, pension plans, corporate clients, and charitable organizations. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and offers various advisory programs, discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, and affiliated investment products through a nationwide network of over 23,700 financial advisors.

College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) General estate planning guidance Retirement income strategy General retirement planning Wealth management Retired Founder/Business Owner Executive

Michelle V

CFP®

Fort Worth, TX

Waymaker Financial Planning

Michelle Vargas, Certified Financial Planner™ is the President of Waymaker Financial Planning, a Fee-Only firm that provides transparent and accessible financial guidance. She enjoys helping clients navigate and plan all aspects of their financial life so that they will worry less about their future and free up more time to spend doing what they love. After earning a degree in Finance from the University of Southwestern Louisiana in 1990, she moved to Florida and started her career with Harcourt Brace Publishing. Her journey into personal finance began when she signed up for her 401K and wanted to learn about additional options to plan for retirement. This eventually led to working as a financial advisor and completing the extensive education requirements for becoming a CFP® in 1998. She believes her experience as a young professional searching for unbiased advice enables her to better serve Gen XY professionals because she remembers what it was like being in their shoes. As a former homeschool parent and the wife of a federal employee, she is passionate about helping women, homeschool families, and federal workers plan wisely for a comfortable financial future. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking in Colorado, barbecuing with family, and working in her garden.

General retirement planning Tax strategies for small businesses Cash flow / budgeting College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) General estate planning guidance Government Employee Christian Faith Based Gen X (Born 1965-1980)

Marc L

CFP®

Waterford, CT

In the Money Retirement Planning Limited Liability Company

I work with two types of clients: small business owners who need financial clarity, and families who want to make smarter decisions with their wealth. For business owners, I act as a Fractional CFO—helping you understand your numbers, improve cash flow, plan for taxes, and make better strategic decisions. Most owners don’t fail because of a lack of effort—they struggle because they’re making big decisions without a clear financial framework. That’s where I come in. For families, I serve as a long-term financial partner. Whether you're approaching retirement, building wealth, or navigating a major life transition, I help you align your investments, tax strategy, and long-term goals into one cohesive plan. At the end of the day, my job is to help you see clearly, act confidently, and build a life that actually works—not just one that looks good on paper.

Business ownership considerations Family Business Business succession planning Gen X (Born 1965-1980)

Maggie B

CFP®, CPA, RICP®

Naperville, IL

NexJenn Financial Services

I believe that everyone should have access to a professional advisor who understands their needs and can help them achieve the lifestyle they desire. As a financial advisor, I am dedicated to learning about your personal goals and using them to build a retirement plan tailored to your unique situation. NexJenn Financial Services was founded in response to the demand for financial planning from my tax clients. Often squeezed between spending for their kids’ education, caring for an elderly relative and saving for their own retirement, many were anxious about their financial future. I have enjoyed helping my clients find a balance and focus on building a strong financial future. I am a CPA® and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER Professional®, as well as a Retirement Income Certified Professional®. Additionally, I am a member of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors and the XY Planning Network. In my spare time, my husband and I volunteer at a homeless shelter. I also love to bike and travel and am an aspiring photographer. I have been married for 30 years and together with my awesome husband, we’ve raised three awesome kids.

General retirement planning Elder care planning Sandwich Generation Gen X (Born 1965-1980)

Sam W

CFP®

Indianapolis, IN

WealthGuides LLC

I'm a fiduciary & CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER living in Indianapolis, Indiana but serving clients nationwide. For years I've helped individuals and families plan for retirement and other imporant financial decisions. In college, I studied economics with a concentration in finance. After college, I worked for large wealth management firm in Indiana and then a boutique financial advising office specializing in retirement planning. That firm was later acquired and after a few years working for the acquiring firm I left to start WealthGuides. As an advisor I've worked with clients age 22 to 92. While I've worked with a wide range of people, I've always found my passion was with working with people to create a plan for retirement. As an advisor I provide guidance to my clients on taxes, their investment portfolios, estate planning, & charitable giving amongst others areas. I show people where they can save on taxes and I give clarity and strategies for how my clients can maximize the potential for what they can spend on themselves and give to others. On the personal side I'm a runner, a reader, a cat dad, and a traveler. I also enjoy sipping on a nice glass of wine or whiskey.

General retirement planning General tax planning Inherited wealth Gen X (Born 1965-1980)

Sri K

CFP®

Fremont, CA

Encover Personal Finance

I am a seasoned technology professional and an entrepreneur based in Silicon Valley. I have experience starting and running a software company that was venture-funded and subsequently acquired by a public company. During my high-tech career, I got intrigued by money matters such as savings, investments, insurance, taxes in order to achieve my family's financial goals. Out of curiosity, I spent time reading and researching various aspects of personal finance. I realized that there are a growing number of financial options available with increasing complexity in these choices. My passion towards financial planning ultimately resulted in pursuing formal education in financial planning, subsequently completing the CFP Board requirements to be a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® Professional. I launched Encover Personal Finance in 2018, primarily to help technology professionals achieve their financial life goals based on my own experience. I believe in serving clients honestly and transparently in a conflict-free manner. https://www.encoverpersonalfinance.com/about

Cash flow / budgeting College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Self-Employed Technology Professional Mid-Career Professionals Gen X (Born 1965-1980)
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