Top college savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) financial advisors in Meridian, MS

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.

Saving for college often starts when you want to make the most of tax-advantaged accounts like 529 plans or UTMA (Uniform Transfers to Minors Act) accounts. Without careful planning, you might miss opportunities to reduce taxes or affect financial aid eligibility.

  • Tax impact awareness. Confirm how they handle state and federal tax implications of college savings plans, especially with Mississippi's gradual income tax changes.
  • Account selection guidance. Ask why they recommend 529s versus UTMA accounts based on your family's financial and educational goals.
  • Financial aid strategy. Check if they consider how your savings accounts might influence your child's eligibility for need-based aid.
  • Investment approach. Understand how they adjust investment risk as your child nears college age to balance growth and preservation.

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

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Thomas B

Series 66

Meridian, MS

First Command Advisory Services

Thomas Booker is a financial advisor with First Command Advisory Services in Meridian, MS, holding a Series 66 designation and three years of industry experience. His prior work includes positions at Woodstock Furniture and Wal-Mart. First Command Advisory Services is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, corporate, and charitable clients, with a particular focus on active-duty service members and their families. The firm provides financial planning and multiple wrap-fee asset management programs managed through a centralized Investment Management Team.

Passive / index investing Active portfolio management Retirement income strategy Tax-loss harvesting ESG / Sustainable investing Self-Employed Young Professionals
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Melinda R

Series 66

Meridian, MS

Merrill

Melinda Russell is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor at Merrill with seven years of industry experience. She has worked at Bank of America and Merrill since 2019 and has prior experience in education and mental health sectors. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, offering model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors.

Tax-loss harvesting Active portfolio management Wealth management
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John M

Series 63, Series 66

Meridian, MS

Raymond James Financial

John Mcrae is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial in Meridian, MS, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and with 33 years of industry experience. He has been affiliated with Raymond James since 1999 and also serves as president of JCM Tree, managing timber tract operations. Mcrae participates as a member of the Mississippi State University Faculty Executive Advisory Board and has been involved with the Queen City Investment Club since 2014. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. 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 consulting using various analytical tools and supports advisory programs alongside institutional consulting and portfolio management.

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

Series 66

Meridian, MS

Edward Jones

Robert Autry III is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Meridian, MS, holding a Series 66 designation with 11 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2015. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment strategies supported by a large nationwide network of financial advisors and branch offices.

Wealth management Tax-loss harvesting Multi-generational wealth transfer Retired Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Christopher K

Series 66

Meridian, MS

STIFEL

Christopher Knight is a financial advisor at Stifel with six years of industry experience. He has worked at Stifel Nicolaus & Co Inc since 2019 and previously held roles at Organogenesis, Inc. and Johnson & Johnson, Inc. Outside of his advisory work, Knight is a co-owner and manager of Midas Medical, LLC, a medical device sales distributor. Stifel serves a broad client base, including individuals, institutional clients, and charitable organizations, offering both brokerage and advisory services. The firm employs a proprietary investment methodology developed by its Investment Strategy Group to provide guidance on asset allocation, retirement, and estate planning.

General retirement planning Income planning
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Hassan A

Series 63, Series 65

Rockville, MD

LPL Financial

Hassan Al Kadhimi is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and two years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. He is also involved with NIHFCU Wealth Advisors, a related business entity. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolio programs, and institutional platforms, supported by a large network of investment adviser representatives.

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

Series 63, Series 66

Austin, TX

Charles Schwab

Richard Brandi is a financial advisor with Charles Schwab based in Austin, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 32 years of industry experience. He has been with Charles Schwab and Charles Schwab Bank ssb since 2003 and 2005, respectively. Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. serves primarily high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals through its Schwab Wealth Advisory wrap fee program and affiliated managed-account and financial planning services. The firm offers a mix of non-discretionary and discretionary investment guidance, leveraging multi-asset model portfolios and research from its Schwab Center for Financial Research.

Private / alternative investments Real estate investing Multi-state taxation College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.)
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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
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Paul K

CFP®, Series 65

Zimmerman, MN

Longview Financial, Inc.

Paul Kinneberg is a CFP® and Series 65-registered advisor with 24 years of industry experience. He has been the principal and sole advisor at Longview Financial, Inc. since 2000 and also holds a long-term corporate role at CenturyLink. Longview Financial, Inc. provides personalized, fee-only financial planning and investment management primarily for individual clients. The firm uses a strategic asset allocation approach with a core-and-satellite framework, combining passive index and ETF core holdings with active funds when appropriate, and manages client assets on a non-discretionary basis with an emphasis on individualized advice.

General tax planning College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Cash flow / budgeting

Justin S

CFP®, ChFC®, Series 66

Prairie Village, KS

Edward Jones

Justin Scicluna is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Prairie Village, KS, holding the CFP®, ChFC®, and Series 66 designations with 13 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2013. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients, including a range of household types, pension plans, corporate clients, and charitable organizations. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and offers various advisory programs, discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, and affiliated investment products through a nationwide network of over 23,700 financial advisors.

College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) General estate planning guidance Multi-generational wealth transfer Retirement income strategy General retirement planning Retired Founder/Business Owner Executive
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