Top charitable giving & philanthropy financial advisors in Merced, CA

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 planning to make significant charitable donations or set up philanthropy efforts, you want an advisor who understands how to maximize your impact while managing tax implications. A common mistake is overlooking how state-specific tax rules, like California's Proposition 13, affect your long-term property tax benefits.

  • Tax-aware giving strategies. Confirm how the advisor integrates California's high income taxes and property tax limits into your giving plan.
  • Gift timing and sequencing. Ask how they recommend scheduling donations to optimize tax benefits over multiple years.
  • Philanthropic vehicle options. Explore which giving structures they suggest, such as donor-advised funds or charitable trusts, and why.
  • Coordination with estate plans. Ensure they consider how your charitable goals fit within your broader estate and wealth transfer strategies.

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

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Elias R

Series 63, Series 65

Merced, CA

Centaurus Financial, Inc.

Elias Reyna is a financial advisor at Centaurus Financial, Inc. with 26 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked with Securities America Advisors and Securities America, Inc. Outside of his advisory role, he sells health insurance through Anthem Blue Cross. Centaurus Financial, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base including individuals, families, small businesses, corporations, trusts, and foundations. The firm offers a range of financial planning and portfolio management services, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary arrangements with various analytical approaches and specialized advisory management options.

Wealth management Private / alternative investments Annuities Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) General tax planning Founder/Business Owner
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Lynnette M

Series 66

Merced, CA

LPL Financial

Lynnette Mcgill Koehn is a financial advisor at LPL Financial with 17 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and previously worked with Cetera Advisor Networks LLC and Choice Financial Group. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, corporations, and charitable organizations through a national network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting, with access to model portfolios, research, and both discretionary and non-discretionary management services.

College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.)
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Mark S

CFP®, Series 63

Merced, CA

Ameriprise

Mark Seivert is a CFP® professional with 43 years of industry experience, currently serving at Ameriprise since 2020. He was previously with Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. from 2005 to 2020. Outside of his advisory role, he serves on the boards of Love Inc of Merced and the Merced Breakfast Lions foundation. Ameriprise is a large institutional firm offering a retirement-income planning service tailored for individuals approaching or in retirement with significant investable assets. The firm provides a comprehensive range of advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions through affiliated companies, combining research-driven, algorithm-assisted recommendations with personalized financial advice.

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

Series 63, Series 65

Merced, CA

Thrivent Investment Management

Matthew Sebastian is a financial advisor with Thrivent Investment Management in Merced, California. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 24 years of industry experience, having worked with Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and Thrivent Investment Management since 2002. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in managing a single-family residence rental. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients through a nationwide network of financial advisors. The firm offers comprehensive, goal-based planning across multiple financial topics, combining planning with managed-account programs while keeping those services distinct.

Business ownership considerations
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Adam B

Series 66

Merced, CA

Citigroup Global Markets

Adam Bain is a financial advisor at Citigroup Global Markets with 23 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has been with Citigroup Global Markets since 2007. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients across various wealth segments, offering a broad range of investment advisory programs, execution, and custody services. The firm employs multi-asset, multi-manager strategies and combines large institutional scale with specialized market roles and arrangements.

Tax-loss harvesting ESG / Sustainable investing Executive Founder/Business Owner Attorney Consultant Technology Professional
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Sally H

Series 63, Series 65

New York, NY

Seasons of Advice Wealth Management

Sally Hyman is a financial advisor at Seasons of Advice Wealth Management with 42 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Outside of finance, she is a singer who sells her own vocal CDs and is involved in publishing her father's book titled "Congenital Alterable Transmissible Asymmetry: The Spiritual Meaning of Disease and Science." Seasons of Advice Wealth Management provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, high net worth clients, trusts, small business owners, professionals, and families. The firm follows a life-cycle investment approach called the “Seasons of Advice” process and offers discretionary portfolio management, comprehensive financial planning, and specialized fixed-income programs through sub-advisors.

Charitable giving & philanthropy Business exit / sale strategy Founder/Business Owner Executive Mid-Career Professionals Established Professionals
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Richard M

Series 63

Fort Walton, FL

Cetera

Richard Martin is a financial advisor at Cetera with 29 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 63 designation and has a background that includes nearly three decades at Avantax Advisory Services and eight years at Avantax Insurance Agency. Outside of his advisory work, he is the owner and sole proprietor of Martin & Pellegrin, CPAs, a tax preparation and accounting firm. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm that serves a broad client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts. The firm provides a multi-manager platform offering discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and access to various program structures and third-party money managers.

Wealth management Tax-loss harvesting Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business exit / sale strategy Founder/Business Owner Executive
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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

Edward B

Series 63, Series 65, Series 66

Forest Hills, NY

Merrill

Edward Blatz serves as a Senior Resident Director and Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch. He specializes in working with high net-worth individuals and families, focusing on estate and wealth management needs. Since joining Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in 1985, he has provided personalized financial solutions tailored to his clients' risk tolerance, time horizon, liquidity needs, and investment goals. Edward's expertise encompasses a range of areas including college education planning, divorce transition planning, employee benefits, executive compensation, family wealth management strategies, managing new wealth, individual and corporate investment strategies, and retirement income planning. He collaborates closely with clients' tax advisors and estate planning attorneys to ensure comprehensive management of clients' financial and personal affairs. Edward is recognized as a member of The Blatz-Rooney Group, which was named to the 2024 Forbes "Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams" list. Edward holds a Bachelor's Degree from Adelphi University and has earned several professional designations including Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). Outside of his professional work, he has interests in golfing, reading, and tennis.

Wealth management General estate planning guidance Family Business Retirement income strategy Divorce financial planning
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Patrick F

Series 66

New Market, MD

Intentional

Patrick Ferguson is a financial advisor at Intentional, LLC with 17 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments and Commonwealth Financial Network. In addition to his advisory role, Ferguson is licensed to sell fixed and traditional insurance products. Intentional provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, as well as retirement plan consulting for businesses and institutions. The firm combines fundamental, technical, and economic analysis in its investment approach and offers due diligence and monitoring of alternative and private investments for qualified investors.

Business succession planning Charitable giving & philanthropy Founder/Business Owner
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