CFP®-certified, social Security optimization financial advisors in Madison, WI

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.

Brennan Gott is a financial advisor with Fidelity who holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has seven years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at LPL Financial and Wells Fargo Bank and Clearing. He is based in Sussex, Wisconsin. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional investors, including registered investment companies and charitable funds. The firm combines fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to manage discretionary and non-discretionary portfolios and delivers model portfolios through systematic methodologies and long-term asset allocation benchmarks.

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.

John Handy Jr. is a financial advisor at Farther with Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 38 years of industry experience. He has worked at SignalPoint Asset Management since 2013 and joined Farther Finance Advisors in 2024. Outside of finance, he serves as a strategic advisor and board member for CodaWorx, a company focused on tools for managing applications for commissioned art projects, and owns Jay Handy Ink, LLC, which sells his personally created artwork. Farther serves individual investors, trusts, and estates through a technology-driven advisory platform that offers discretionary investment management, retirement plan consulting, and non-discretionary recommendations for private investment funds. The firm’s investment approach uses Modern Portfolio Theory applied through bespoke allocations and proprietary algorithmic model portfolios with automatic rebalancing.

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.

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 and previously at AXA Advisors, LLC. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as co-chairman of a fundraising campaign for the nonprofit Alpha Light Fund Inc., focused on renovating the House of Alpha. Equitable Advisors serves a diverse client base including individual, high-net-worth, retirement plan, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients, offering financial planning, broker-dealer services, insurance distribution, and access to third-party asset management programs. The firm operates as both an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer, leveraging LPL-sponsored programs and endorsed TAMPs to deliver advisory and brokerage solutions.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Ethan Siekkinen is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license with Plante Moran Financial Advisors. He has one year of industry experience and previously worked at J Wilson Wealth Management. Outside of financial advising, he has experience in the lawn care business with Rizzo Lawn Care. Plante Moran Financial Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm provides investment advisory, financial planning, and estate-planning services, utilizing a range of investment strategies and managing both discretionary and non-discretionary assets.

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.

Jeffrey Macdonald is a CFP® and ChFC® with 17 years of industry experience. He has been with Investment Management & Planning LLC since 2010 and is also affiliated with LPL Financial LLC. Investment Management & Planning LLC provides fee-based investment advisory and comprehensive financial planning primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, offering portfolio management on both discretionary and non-discretionary bases. The firm emphasizes ongoing account supervision and individualized asset allocation, often utilizing LPL-sponsored platforms and model portfolios.