Top general estate planning guidance 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.

You might seek general estate planning guidance if you're organizing your assets to protect your family or planning for potential incapacity. Without clear planning, your estate could face unnecessary taxes or legal hurdles that complicate your wishes.

  • Tax impact awareness. California's high income taxes and Proposition 13's property tax limits can affect your estate plan; ask how these rules influence your strategy.
  • Asset distribution clarity. Confirm how the advisor helps ensure your assets pass smoothly to your heirs, avoiding probate delays.
  • Incapacity planning. Check if they include tools like powers of attorney or healthcare directives to manage your affairs if you become unable to act.
  • Coordination with other professionals. Estate plans often involve lawyers and tax experts; ask how the advisor collaborates with them to align your plan.

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 financial advisor with Osaic Advisory Services, LLC, holding the CFP® designation and a Series 66 license. He has 17 years of industry experience, including prior roles at Arbor Point Advisors, Securities America Advisors, and LPL Financial. Osaic Advisory Services, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, institutions, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of services including investment management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting, utilizing multiple program models and both proprietary and third-party platforms.

Annuities
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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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The Phong T

Series 63, Series 65, Series 66

Milpitas, CA

Merrill

The Phong Truong is a financial advisor at Merrill with six years of industry experience. He holds Series 63, Series 65, and Series 66 licenses. Prior to joining Merrill, he worked at Bank of America, N.A. for five years and was engaged in homemaking for two years. Merrill, along with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program. The firm offers model-based and discretionary 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 Series 63-licensed financial advisor at LPL Financial in Milpitas, CA, with 34 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Western International Securities, Inc. for 28 years before joining LPL Financial in 2025. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of financial planning and investment management services through a large network of investment adviser representatives using both proprietary and third-party strategies.

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

Series 63, Series 65

Milpitas, CA

Citigroup Global Markets

Shiou Yean Chen is a financial advisor with Citigroup Global Markets in San Jose, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and having 20 years of industry experience. Chen 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, broker-dealer execution, and custody services. The firm implements multi-asset, multi-manager strategies through both discretionary and non-discretionary programs, combining large institutional scale with specialized market roles.

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

Series 63, Series 65

Warwick, RI

Mass Mutual Investors Services

Kayla Santos is a financial advisor with Mass Mutual Investors Services in Warwick, RI, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having 10 years of industry experience. She has worked at Mass Mutual Investors Services since 2017 and previously at MetLife Securities. In addition to her advisory role, Santos is an independent insurance agent, offering life, fixed annuities, disability, long-term care, and health insurance products. Mass Mutual Investors Services, LLC is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employers. The firm provides financial planning, asset management, wrap and money-manager programs, and educational seminars, structuring engagements as annual collaborative relationships focused on goal analysis and written recommendations.

Divorce financial planning General estate planning guidance Multi-generational wealth transfer Cash flow / budgeting Founder/Business Owner Attorney Executive Married/Couples/Partners Divorced

Gordon B

Series 66

Luling, LA

Edward Jones

Gordon Brown III is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with 18 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has been with Edward Jones since 2008. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, with approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment options, operating under a fiduciary standard.

Retirement income strategy General estate planning guidance Multi-generational wealth transfer Wealth management Oil & Gas Engineering Professional
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William S

Series 63, Series 65

College Station, TX

Smith & Wyatt

William Soltow is a financial advisor at Smith & Wyatt with 13 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked at CoreCap Advisors, LLC. Outside of advising, he is the founder of Frontier Wealth Management and serves as an independent insurance agent with Goosehead Insurance. Smith & Wyatt serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, and corporations, managing approximately $207 million across 724 clients. The firm provides tailored financial planning, discretionary portfolio management, estate-planning consulting, and specialized educational programs, utilizing mutual funds and ETFs as primary investment vehicles.

Government Employee
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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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