Top general estate planning guidance financial advisors in Marion, IL

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.

When you're organizing your assets and deciding who inherits what, you need clear guidance to avoid family disputes or costly mistakes. Without a focused approach, you might overlook how property taxes in Marion, IL, could affect your estate's value.

  • Asset distribution clarity. Confirm how the advisor helps you create a plan that clearly states who gets what, reducing confusion later.
  • Tax impact awareness. Ask how they factor in local property taxes, since Illinois doesn't tax retirement income but property taxes can be significant.
  • Legacy goals alignment. See if they discuss your wishes for passing on wealth beyond just legal documents.
  • Document coordination. Check how they ensure your wills, trusts, and powers of attorney work together smoothly.

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

Want help finding the right advisor?

Answer a few questions to see advisors matched to you.

user avatar

William H

Series 63, Series 66

Marion, IL

Raymond James Financial

William Hartmann is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 29 years of industry experience. He has worked at Raymond James and its affiliated firms since 2017 and previously spent two years at Hilliard Lyons. He is also involved with Arcadia Wealth Group, where he assists in portfolio management. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. provides financial planning and investment consulting to a wide range of clients, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and institutions. The firm offers tailored, non-discretionary advisory services supported by analytical tools and manages specialized programs in municipal finance and SIMPLE IRA employer consulting.

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

Curtis W

Series 63, Series 65

Marion, IL

J. W. Cole Advisors, Inc.

Curtis Wharton is a financial advisor at J. W. Cole Advisors, Inc. with 27 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has been associated with Jonathan Roberts Advisory Group, Inc. and J.W. Cole Financial, Inc. since 2010. Outside of his advisory role, he works as a property and casualty insurance producer and is involved with Wharton Enterprises, Ltd. J.W. Cole Advisors is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, charities, corporations, and retirement plans through a national network of over 400 independent representatives. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, access to third-party managers, and various managed account solutions.

Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Retired Founder/Business Owner
user avatar

Lisa E

Series 63, Series 65

Marion, IL

LPL Financial

Lisa Emling is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 33 years of industry experience. She has worked with LPL Financial since 2010 and has been affiliated with First Southern Wealth Management since 2014. Outside of her advisory work, she serves on the City of Carbondale Economic Development Committee and operates a home-based retail crafts business. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides advisory and brokerage services through a broad network of representatives to individuals, retirement plans, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a variety of financial planning and portfolio management solutions supported by research and technology tools.

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

Beth W

Series 63, Series 65

Marion, IL

LPL Enterprise

Beth Walker is a financial advisor with LPL Enterprise who holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has 10 years of industry experience. She previously worked at Prudential Insurance Company of America and Pruco Securities, LLC. Outside of her advisory role, she serves on the Church Parish Council and Finance Council for Our Lady of Mount Carmel Regional Catholic Church in Marion, IL, contributing to church governance and financial matters. LPL Enterprise provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, and charitable entities. The firm utilizes model-driven investment implementation with access to third-party asset managers and offers financial planning, consulting, and insurance product sales through affiliated entities.

Tax-loss harvesting
user avatar

Michael N

Series 65, Series 66

Marion, IL

Prospera Financial Services, inc.

Michael Nichols is a financial advisor at Prospera Financial Services, Inc. with 28 years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 66 licenses and previously worked at Cutter & Company Brokerage, Inc. for 21 years and Morgan Stanley DW Inc. for 2 years. Nichols is involved with Cutter Advisors, a DBA operating in multiple Missouri and Illinois locations. Prospera Financial Services is a multi-team advisory firm with 271 advisors managing approximately $14.4 billion in client assets. The firm serves individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities, offering financial planning, portfolio management, and access to multiple advisory platforms and programs.

Wealth management Active portfolio management Options & derivatives strategies Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Retired
user avatar

Scott M

Series 63, Series 65

New York, NY

Morgan Stanley

Scott Mahoney is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in New York, NY, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 34 years of industry experience. He has been with Morgan Stanley since 2009, including roles at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved with Giants Foot Cubed LLC. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is a large SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer that serves both individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a wide range of advisory programs and financial planning services supported by structured planning tools and broad investment resources.

General estate planning guidance
user avatar

Kayla S

Series 63, Series 65

Warwick, RI

Mass Mutual Investors Services

Kayla Santos is a financial advisor with Mass Mutual Investors Services in Warwick, RI, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having 10 years of industry experience. She has worked at Mass Mutual Investors Services since 2017 and previously at MetLife Securities. In addition to her advisory role, Santos is an independent insurance agent, offering life, fixed annuities, disability, long-term care, and health insurance products. Mass Mutual Investors Services, LLC is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employers. The firm provides financial planning, asset management, wrap and money-manager programs, and educational seminars, structuring engagements as annual collaborative relationships focused on goal analysis and written recommendations.

Divorce financial planning General estate planning guidance Multi-generational wealth transfer Cash flow / budgeting Founder/Business Owner Attorney Executive Married/Couples/Partners Divorced

Gordon B

Series 66

Luling, LA

Edward Jones

Gordon Brown III is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with 18 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has been with Edward Jones since 2008. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, with approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment options, operating under a fiduciary standard.

Retirement income strategy General estate planning guidance Multi-generational wealth transfer Wealth management Oil & Gas Engineering Professional
user avatar

William S

Series 63, Series 65

College Station, TX

Smith & Wyatt

William Soltow is a financial advisor at Smith & Wyatt with 13 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked at CoreCap Advisors, LLC. Outside of advising, he is the founder of Frontier Wealth Management and serves as an independent insurance agent with Goosehead Insurance. Smith & Wyatt serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, and corporations, managing approximately $207 million across 724 clients. The firm provides tailored financial planning, discretionary portfolio management, estate-planning consulting, and specialized educational programs, utilizing mutual funds and ETFs as primary investment vehicles.

Government Employee
user avatar

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
Warmer team member

Not sure where to start?

We'll help you think it through—whether you ultimately need an advisor or not. Warmer helps you compare advisors clearly, so you can choose with confidence.

Find your advisor

For advisor listings, we rely on sources including public filings and data provided by advisors, and we cannot guarantee that all information is current or accurate. Advisors are independent and may not have reviewed or updated this information. Please review an advisor’s Form ADV and do your own diligence before deciding whether to work with them.

Advisor matching and introductions are provided by FinanceHQ LLC (“FHQ”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Warmer and an SEC-registered investment advisor. We receive compensation from certain participating advisors for introductions or referrals. This creates a conflict of interest because we have an incentive to recommend advisors who compensate us, including those who pay us more. You pay no fee to use our matching service, and advisor fees are not increased because of a referral or introduction. We do not review the ongoing performance of advisors, manage or hold assets, guarantee performance, or provide advice about specific investments.

By using our service, you agree to our Terms of Service and Advisory Agreement, and acknowledge our Privacy Policy. Please review FHQ’s ADV Part 2A and Form CRS. Logos provided by Logo.dev

© 2026 Warmer Holdings Inc. (“Warmer”)