CFP®-certified, social Security optimization financial advisors in Mauldin, SC

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 approaching retirement and want to maximize your Social Security benefits, timing and claiming strategies are crucial. Without expert guidance, you might claim too early or miss out on spousal or survivor benefits that could increase your income.

  • Claiming age strategies. Ask how they determine the best age to start benefits based on your full retirement age and life expectancy.
  • Spousal and survivor benefits. Confirm they evaluate options beyond your own work record to boost household income.
  • Coordination with retirement income. Social Security decisions affect your overall retirement cash flow; see how they integrate these plans.
  • State-specific considerations. In South Carolina, favorable retirement deductions and climate can influence your broader retirement strategy.

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

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Bailey M

CFP®, Series 66

Mauldin, SC

Carson Wealth

Bailey Mcnamara is a CFP® with nine years of industry experience, currently serving as a wealth advisor at Carson Wealth in Mauldin, SC. Their prior roles include positions at Financial Benefits, Inc., Raymond James Financial Services, and OlinDe Financial Group. Mcnamara is also an insurance agent, selling life, health, disability, annuities, and long-term care products. Carson Wealth is an SEC-registered investment adviser overseeing approximately $50.6 billion through a network of over 650 advisors. The firm offers discretionary asset management, financial planning, and retirement plan services, utilizing a model portfolio approach supported by an Investment Committee and a range of tailored investment solutions.

Wealth management Tax-loss harvesting ESG / Sustainable investing Private / alternative investments Options & derivatives strategies
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Emmet M

Series 63, Series 65

Mauldin, SC

Trustmont Advisory Group, Inc.

Emmet Martin is a financial advisor with Trustmont Advisory Group, Inc. in Mauldin, South Carolina, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 27 years of industry experience. He has worked at Trustmont Advisory Group and its affiliated entity, Trustmont Financial Group, since 2010. Outside of his advisory role, Martin owns a notary service and is involved in insurance sales, including fixed and fixed indexed annuities. Trustmont Advisory Group serves individual and institutional clients, offering financial planning, investment advice, discretionary portfolio management, and group seminars. The firm employs a long-term investment outlook and manages approximately $1.1 billion in discretionary assets as of December 31, 2024.

Annuities
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Jerome L

Series 66

Mauldin, SC

International Assets Investment Management, LLC

Jerome Long III is a financial advisor with International Assets Investment Management, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and 12 years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Bank of America and Merrill. He is the founder and president of Loyal Trust Private Wealth, LLC, a private label entity for his financial business. International Assets Investment Management provides investment advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, retirement plans, and corporations through a national network of independent advisers. The firm offers customized, long-term portfolio management using mutual funds, ETFs, equities, fixed income, and may utilize third-party money managers and wrap programs.

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

Series 65

Mauldin, SC

Cambridge Investment Research Advisors

Joseph Macias is a financial advisor with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors holding a Series 65 designation and four years of industry experience. His work history includes roles at Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Shellpoint Mortgage Servicing, and Turnkey Financial. He also operates an independent insurance agency and provides bookkeeping and payroll services through TurnKey Financial. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors serves a diverse client base, including individuals, retirement plans, and charitable organizations, offering financial planning, investment management, and retirement plan advisory services through a large network of independent Financial Professionals. The firm provides a range of investment solutions, including proprietary and third-party strategies, with both discretionary and non-discretionary management options.

Wealth management Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Retirement income strategy Annuities Self-Employed
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Kayla C

Series 66

Mauldin, SC

Thrivent Investment Management

Kayla Campbell is a Series 66-credentialed financial advisor with three years of industry experience, currently with Thrivent Investment Management. Her prior work includes roles in healthcare and education sectors. Outside of advising, she operates a small baking business, creating decorated cookies for private events. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients, focusing on comprehensive, goal-based financial planning without discretionary trading authority.

Business ownership considerations
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Willie M

Series 63, Series 66

Cary, NC

Equitable Advisors

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, previously serving at Axa Advisors and MSI Financial Services. Outside of advising, he is a co-chairman of a fundraising campaign for Alpha Light Fund Inc., a nonprofit focused on renovating the House of Alpha. Equitable Advisors serves a range of clients including individuals, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations, providing financial planning, retirement consulting, and asset management through a network of representatives and third-party managers. The firm offers various investment vehicles and ERISA fiduciary services, relying on third-party program sponsors and an affiliation with a publicly traded parent company.

Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business exit / sale strategy Concentrated stock management Equity Recipients (RS/RSU, SOP, ESPP) Long-term care insurance Founder/Business Owner Retired Executive Approaching retirement Sandwich Generation
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Stavroula K

Series 63, Series 65

Linwood, NJ

Ameriprise

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.

Retirement income strategy Income planning Social Security optimization Retirement withdrawal strategies Approaching retirement
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Cassandra S

Series 63, Series 65

Plano, TX

Financial & Tax Architects, LLC

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.

Retirement income strategy Social Security optimization Annuities Income planning General tax planning Retired
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Keith E

CFP®

Pittsburgh, PA

Keith L. Eliou, CFP

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.

Social Security optimization Retirement income strategy Cash flow / budgeting Charitable giving tax strategies Business exit / sale strategy Founder/Business Owner
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Charles P

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

San Rafael, CA

WealthSpire Advisors

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.

Retirement income strategy Social Security optimization Roth conversion strategy Tax-loss harvesting Private / alternative investments Founder/Business Owner Retired Mid-Career Professionals Established Professionals
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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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