CFP®-certified, business succession planning financial advisors in Madison, WI

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 preparing to transfer your business ownership or retire soon, you need an advisor who understands the complexities of business succession planning. Without expert guidance, you might overlook tax implications or undervalue your business, leading to costly mistakes. CFP® certification means these advisors have comprehensive financial planning training, including business transitions.

  • Valuation insight. Ask how they determine your business's worth and whether they consider market conditions and future earnings.
  • Tax strategy integration. Confirm how they plan to minimize taxes during the ownership transfer, including potential capital gains or estate taxes.
  • Stakeholder coordination. Effective succession involves aligning interests of partners, family members, and employees; check how they manage these relationships.
  • Retirement alignment. Since many business owners also plan for retirement, see how they integrate succession with your retirement goals, especially considering local pension systems.

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

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Sandeep B

Series 65

Pewaukee, WI

Creative Planning

Sandeep Brion is a financial advisor at Creative Planning with a Series 65 designation and four years of industry experience. He previously worked at Wealthspire Advisors and Morgan Dempsey Capital Management. Creative Planning provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, foundations, trusts, and retirement plans. The firm employs a financial planning–led investment process emphasizing low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, supported by a large advisory team and centralized investment infrastructure.

Private / alternative investments Tax-loss harvesting ESG / Sustainable investing Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Retirement income strategy Founder/Business Owner Executive Retired
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Brennan G

Series 63, Series 65

Sussex, WI

Fidelity

Brennan Gott is a financial advisor at Fidelity with eight years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has previously worked at LPL Financial and Wells Fargo. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC offers investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, employing a process that combines proprietary research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to manage portfolios including mutual funds, ETFs, and ETPs. The firm also serves as an adviser to multiple registered investment companies and constructs model portfolios for Fidelity Institutional Wealth Adviser.

Charitable giving & philanthropy Active portfolio management

Ryan M

CFP®, CPWA®

Madison, WI

Oak Wealth Advisors LLC

Oak Wealth Advisors was founded to provide families with special needs members with experienced and objective financial advice and investment management services that have traditionally been available only to very wealthy families and institutions. I first met Oak Wealth Advisors founder, Mike Walther, when Mike guest lectured about special needs financial planning in one of my classes at the University of Wisconsin. In the decade that has followed, I have taught courses at the University of Wisconsin while deepening my knowledge and experience in financial planning and wealth management. I am a CFP® practitioner. I also obtained the Certified Private Wealth Advisor® designation issued by the Investments & Wealth Institute after completing the course work at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. In addition to my personal experiences living with a sister with special needs, I have increased my technical knowledge of special needs financial planning. I earned the Chartered Special Needs Consultant®(ChSNC®) designation from the American College in 2018, and in 2020, was admitted as a member of the Academy of Special Needs Planners. I served on the Board of Directors of Wispact, Inc., an organization that manages pooled Special Needs Trusts for over 3,000 individuals in Wisconsin. At the appointment of Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers, I serve on the Wisconsin Board for Persons with Developmental Disabilities and the state College Savings Board. At Oak Wealth Advisors, in addition to advising clients, I lead the innovation efforts to ensure that new opportunities for client service are implemented seamlessly to support the delivery of the best possible client experience with the firm.

Planning for children with special needs
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John H

Series 63, Series 65

Madison, WI

Farther

John Handy Jr. is a financial advisor at Farther with 39 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked previously at SignalPoint Asset Management, Wells Fargo Advisors, and Merrill. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a strategic advisor and board member for CodaWorx, a company specializing in tools for managing commissioned art projects, and he owns Jay Handy Ink, LLC, where he sells his personally created artwork. Farther provides discretionary investment management and advisory services primarily to individual investors, trusts, and estates through a combination of digital platforms and in-person meetings. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory-based approach using proprietary model portfolios, algorithmic rebalancing, and AI tools while focusing on exchange-traded funds, mutual funds, equities, and fixed income.

Passive / index investing Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Options & derivatives strategies
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Zachary P

Series 65

Rockford, IL

Choreo, LLC

Zachary Pearsall is a financial advisor at Choreo, LLC with three years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at BDO Wealth Advisors, LLC and Taiber Kosmala & Associates. Choreo provides investment and advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, family offices, endowments, and corporate clients. The firm’s investment approach emphasizes strategic asset allocation and diversified model portfolios managed by a centralized team and overseen by an Investment Committee.

Retirement income strategy Founder/Business Owner Retired Executive
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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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Michael I

Series 63, Series 65

Livingston, NJ

Raymond James Financial

Michael Ipp is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 42 years of industry experience. He has been with Raymond James Financial Services Advisors since 2010 and serves as an independent contractor for 1792 Wealth Advisors. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors provides financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm offers tailored, non-discretionary planning and uses analytical tools to support client decision-making, while also maintaining specialized programs such as municipal advisory services and SIMPLE IRA Employer Advisory & Consulting Services.

Wealth management Tax strategies for small businesses Business succession planning General estate planning guidance Founder/Business Owner Executive
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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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Patrick F

Series 66

New Market, MD

Intentional

Patrick Ferguson is a financial advisor at Intentional with 17 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, Commonwealth Financial Network, and LPL Financial. In addition to his advisory role, he is a licensed agent involved in the sales of fixed and traditional insurance products. Intentional provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, businesses, and institutions. The firm offers pension consulting, estate planning support, business exit planning, and due diligence on alternative investments, utilizing a combination of fundamental, technical, and economic analysis within a fiduciary framework.

Business exit / sale strategy Multi-generational wealth transfer Private / alternative investments Founder/Business Owner
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Jerald L

Series 63

San Antonio, TX

Frost Investment Services

Jerald Liesman is a financial advisor at Frost Investment Services with 33 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 63 designation and has worked at Frost Brokerage Services, Inc. and Frost Bank since 1993 and 1987, respectively. Frost Investment Services is a retail-focused, SEC-registered adviser serving individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management, comprehensive financial planning, and managed account programs that integrate model portfolios from its affiliate with third-party managers, utilizing a research-driven investment process and providing optional tax and ESG overlay services.

Tax-loss harvesting ESG / Sustainable investing Retirement income strategy General estate planning guidance Business succession planning Founder/Business Owner Executive
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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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