Top charitable giving & philanthropy financial advisors in Milpitas, 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 significant charitable donations or setting up philanthropy goals, you need an advisor who understands how to align your giving with your overall financial picture. A common mistake is treating charitable giving as a one-time event rather than an ongoing strategy that can evolve with your finances and tax situation.

  • Tax impact awareness. Confirm how they factor in California's high income taxes and Proposition 13's property tax limits when advising on giving.
  • Giving vehicles knowledge. Ask about their experience with trusts, donor-advised funds, or private foundations to find the best fit for your goals.
  • Integration with financial plan. Ensure they consider your cash flow, investment strategy, and estate plans alongside your philanthropy.
  • Long-term strategy focus. Look for advisors who help you plan giving over multiple years, not just immediate tax benefits.

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

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Nasser A

CFP®, Series 66

Milpitas, CA

OSAIC Advisory Services, LLC

Nasser Ahmad is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional with 17 years of industry experience. He is currently with OSAIC Advisory Services, LLC and previously worked at Arbor Point Advisors, Securities America Advisors, and LPL Financial. OSAIC Advisory Services, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving a diverse client base including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm provides a broad range of financial services through multiple program models, utilizing both proprietary and third-party platforms for portfolio management.

Annuities
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Kiff C

Series 63, Series 65

Milpitas, CA

Wells Fargo Clearing

Kiff Chui is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with nine years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked previously at Bank of America, Merrill, Comerica Bank, East West Bank, UnionBanc Investment Services, and MUFG Union Bank. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting to qualified ERISA plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary services. The firm’s advisory process is IPS-driven and based on modern portfolio theory, with an investment menu that includes insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep options.

Retired Founder/Business Owner
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Rachel L

Series 66

Milpitas, CA

Fidelity

Rachel Lu is a financial advisor at Fidelity with four years of industry experience and holds a Series 66 designation. Her prior experience includes roles at Citigroup Inc. and Lucrative Ventures. Outside of her advisory work, she is a partner involved in bookkeeping for Mckendree Assets LLC. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC, the company she is associated with, offers a range of investment management and advisory services for retail and institutional clients, including fund advisory and model portfolio delivery. The firm utilizes a combination of fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction in its investment process.

Charitable giving & philanthropy Active portfolio management
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Jingwen S

Series 66

Milpitas, CA

Merrill

Jingwen Sun is a financial advisor at Merrill with a Series 66 credential and less than one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Merrill, Sun held roles at Bank of America, New York Life, and several other companies in various capacities. 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, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Tax-loss harvesting Active portfolio management Wealth management
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Michael B

Series 63

Milpitas, CA

LPL Financial

Michael Bernier is a financial advisor at LPL Financial with 33 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 designation and previously spent 28 years at Western International Securities, Inc. before joining LPL Financial in 2025. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, financial institutions, corporations, and charitable organizations through a national network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a broad range of advisory programs, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary management strategies supported by LPL Research and third-party subadvisors.

College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.)
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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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