Large-firm advisors focused on educators, teachers, and academics in Michigan

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.

You might need an advisor focused on educators, teachers, and academics if your financial life includes unique income patterns, pension plans, or benefits tied to your profession. Without expertise in these areas, advisors can overlook key details like how your pension interacts with other retirement savings.

  • Pension and benefits insight. Confirm they understand how your specific pension plan and benefits affect your overall financial picture.
  • Education sector cash flow. Ask how they handle irregular income cycles common in academic roles, such as summer breaks or sabbaticals.
  • Large-firm resources. Large firms often provide access to specialized tools and research; check how these support your financial goals.
  • Experience with academic clients. Look for examples where they've helped educators navigate career transitions or retirement decisions.

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

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Ethan S

CFP®, Series 65

Auburn Hills, MI

Plante Moran FInancial Advisors

Ethan Siekkinen is a financial advisor with Plante Moran Financial Advisors, holding a Series 65 designation and beginning his advisory career in 2023. Prior to joining the firm, he worked at J Wilson Wealth Management and has experience outside finance with Rizzo Lawn Care. Plante Moran Financial Advisors provides investment advisory, financial planning, and estate planning services to a diverse client base including individual investors, charitable organizations, corporations, and trusts. The firm emphasizes strategic asset allocation, manager selection, and uses a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis supported by a proprietary equity market valuation model.

Options & derivatives strategies Concentrated stock management Private / alternative investments Wealth management Business succession planning Founder/Business Owner Executive

Lori F

Series 66

East Lansing, MI

Edward Jones

Lori Fell is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in East Lansing, MI, holding a Series 66 designation and 16 years of industry experience. She has been with Edward Jones since 2009. Outside of her advisory role, she owns a business focused on property management. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients, with over $1 trillion in assets under management and a nationwide network of more than 23,000 financial advisors. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment strategies, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee options, tax-efficient services, and affiliated mutual funds.

General retirement planning Multi-generational wealth transfer Retired Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Terrence M

Series 63

Bergland, MI

LPL Financial

Terrence Majerko is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding a Series 63 designation and bringing 30 years of industry experience. He has worked at Linsco/Private Ledger since 2007. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved with Majerko Investment Management LLC. LPL Financial provides advisory and brokerage services to a diverse range of clients, including individual investors, retirement plan sponsors, institutions, and high-net-worth households. The firm offers various investment delivery options supported by an in-house research team and combines large-scale advisory services with non-advisory product offerings.

Wealth management Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Tax-loss harvesting Founder/Business Owner Retired
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Michael G

Series 63, Series 66

Grand Blanc, MI

J.P. Morgan Securities

Michael Gudith is a financial advisor at J.P. Morgan Securities with 39 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has been with J.P. Morgan Securities since 2012. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC provides institutional consulting services to corporations, foundations, and defined contribution plan sponsors, offering asset allocation advice, investment manager and fund searches, and customized performance reporting. The firm delivers these services alongside affiliated brokerage, distribution, and investment management capabilities.

Wealth management Executive Founder/Business Owner
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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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Arjun S

Series 66

Frisco, TX

TIAA-CREF

Arjun Swarup is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF in Frisco, TX. He holds a Series 66 designation and has recently entered the industry with experience beginning in 2023, including time at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. Prior to his advisory roles, he completed his studies at NYU College of Arts and Sciences. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with existing TIAA retirement plan relationships. The firm provides both point-in-time planning services and ongoing portfolio management through various managed account options under a fiduciary standard.

General estate planning guidance Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Educators, Teachers, and Academics Founder/Business Owner Approaching retirement Mid-Career Professionals
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Kevin H

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Birmingham, AL

RFG Advisory, LLC

Kevin Harper is a CFP® professional with 29 years of industry experience, currently serving at RFG Advisory, LLC since 2015. He has previously worked with Private Client Services and LPL Financial. Outside of his advisory role, he is a co-owner of LHP Capital LLC, where he assists with buying and managing commercial real estate. RFG Advisory is an enterprise registered investment adviser serving individuals, charitable organizations, corporations, ERISA retirement plans, and other institutional clients. The firm combines active and passive investment strategies across various platforms and acts as a sub-adviser to a multi-ETF suite, offering a range of services including portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting.

Annuities Options & derivatives strategies Tax-loss harvesting Executive Founder/Business Owner Educators, Teachers, and Academics Doctor or Medical Professional Women Professionals

Rebecka K

Series 66

Olympia, WA

Edward Jones

Rebecka Kennedy is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Olympia, WA. She holds the Series 66 designation and began her advisory career at Edward Jones in 2024. Prior to joining the firm, she worked in education with North Thurston Public Schools and Corpus Christi Independent School District. 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, with a nationwide network of more than 23,700 financial advisors and $1.01 trillion in assets under management.

College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) General estate planning guidance Educators, Teachers, and Academics Women Professionals
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Marne D

Series 63, Series 65, Series 66

Fort Washington, PA

Lincoln Investment

Marne De Santis is a financial advisor at Lincoln Investment with 33 years of industry experience. She has held roles at several firms including Rice Financial Products Company, CV Brokerage, Valdes & Moreno, Bluestone Capital Management, and Dautrich Seiler Financial Services. Her credentials include Series 63, Series 65, and Series 66 licenses. Lincoln Investment is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer managing approximately $18.9 billion in assets through a network of nearly 900 advisors. The firm serves individuals, employers, retirement plan participants, charitable organizations, corporations, and other registered investment advisers, offering financial planning, custom and model portfolios, third-party management access, and ERISA retirement plan advice.

Wealth management ESG / Sustainable investing Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business exit / sale strategy Educators, Teachers, and Academics Founder/Business Owner Retired Approaching retirement HENRY (High Earners, Not Rich Yet)
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Lindsey E

Series 63, Series 65

Cambridge, MN

EFS Advisors

Lindsey Egan is a financial advisor at EFS Advisors with 11 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at firms including First Republic Securities Company and Cambridge Investment Research. Egan is also the sole owner of Women Who Explore, a community offering outdoor adventures and group travel for women. EFS Advisors provides investment advisory and financial consulting services to a diverse client base, including individuals, business entities, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a client-centric suitability scoring system to recommend portfolios and offers continuous supervisory management with quarterly performance reviews conducted by an in-house Advisory Committee.

Options & derivatives strategies Educators, Teachers, and Academics
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Jeffrey P

Series 66

Dacula, GA

Merrill

Jeffrey Park is a financial advisor with Merrill, holding a Series 66 credential and seven years of industry experience. He has worked at Merrill in multiple capacities since 2011, with brief stints at JPMorgan Chase Bank and J.P. Morgan Securities in 2022. Merrill serves a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, and institutional clients, offering managed account programs, discretionary portfolio management, and brokerage services. The firm employs a range of program strategies and manager-constructed portfolios, with oversight from its CIO and platform management, and leverages its affiliation with Bank of America to support trading, lending, and capital markets activities.

Tax-loss harvesting Active portfolio management Executive Founder/Business Owner Mid-Career Professionals HENRY (High Earners, Not Rich Yet)
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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
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Elizabeth B

Series 66

Chicago, IL

J.P. Morgan Securities

Elizabeth Brown is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities in New York, NY, where she has worked since 2012. She has 26 years of industry experience. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services to clients such as corporations, foundations, and defined contribution plan sponsors, offering asset allocation advice, investment manager and fund searches, and customized performance reporting through a select group of Wealth Advisors. The firm combines large institutional advisory operations with brokerage, distribution, and investment management capabilities.

Wealth management Executive Founder/Business Owner
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Wesley P

Series 63, Series 66

Fort Worth, TX

Wells Fargo Clearing

Wesley Pool is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing in Fort Worth, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and 14 years of industry experience. He previously worked at JPMorgan Securities LLC for seven years and has entrepreneurial experience with #TagMeBro LLC. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting to qualified ERISA and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary services grounded in modern portfolio theory and tailored to plan objectives and risk tolerances. The firm’s advisory process includes a broad range of investment options, including insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep programs.

Retired Founder/Business Owner
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Willie M

Series 63, Series 66

Cary, NC

Equitable Advisors

Willie Myles is a financial advisor at Equitable Advisors with 16 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and has worked at Equitable Advisors since 2016, previously affiliated with Axa Advisors. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as co-chairman of a fundraising campaign for Alpha Light Fund Inc., a nonprofit organization. Equitable Advisors serves individual investors, retirement plan sponsors, corporations, and charitable organizations by providing financial planning, retirement-plan support, and access to asset management through various third-party programs. The firm operates a hybrid referral and implementation model, offering both advisory and brokerage channels to implement client recommendations.

Retirement income strategy Social Security optimization Founder/Business Owner Retired Executive Approaching retirement Baby Boomers (Born 1946-1964)
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