Large-firm, social Security optimization financial advisors in Mount Sterling, KY

Melody Townsend is a CFP® professional with 15 years of experience, currently serving as an advisor at Townsend Financial Planning since 2006. She is the managing member of Mountain Sage Holdings, LLC, a commercial property management business in Mt. Sterling, Kentucky. Townsend Financial Planning is an SEC-registered, fee-only fiduciary firm that provides financial planning and investment management services to individuals, families, and small businesses. The firm employs a long-term, buy-and-hold investment strategy using diversified, low-cost mutual funds and ETFs, and offers a range of engagement types including trustee services and retirement-plan consulting.

Farley Stephenson serves as Vice President and Financial Consultant at Fidelity Investments, a role held since 2022. He has been with Fidelity Investments since 2011, progressing through various positions including Financial Consultant, Senior Portfolio Specialist, and Portfolio Specialist. His career reflects extensive experience in financial and investment solutions as well as retirement planning. Stephenson emphasizes a collaborative approach to financial strategies, aiming to simplify complex topics into actionable steps to empower his clients. His work is grounded in building trust and designing personalized plans that adapt to the evolving needs of individuals and families. Outside of his professional responsibilities, Farley Stephenson engages in activities such as camping, fishing, hiking, running, and volunteering.

John Saunier is a financial advisor at Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. with 11 years of industry experience and holds the Series 66 designation. He has worked at Edward Jones and has been with Raymond James since 2018. Saunier is also involved with Central Bank & Trust and Central Investment Center Inc., where he sells and services investment clients and supports investment-related activities. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors provides financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to individual, high-net-worth, institutional, and nonprofit clients. The firm offers tailored non-discretionary planning and consulting using analytical tools and supports institutional consulting and portfolio management through a large advisor network.

Robert Becker Jr. is a financial advisor at LPL Enterprise with six years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked previously with Transamerica Financial Advisors, Pruco Securities LLC, and The Prudential Insurance Company of America. Becker is also a notary and operates a wealth management business as a sole owner. LPL Enterprise serves a wide range of clients including individuals, retirement plans, charitable organizations, corporations, and institutional clients through advisory and brokerage channels. The firm offers financial planning, access to model wealth portfolios, third-party asset management, and brokerage and insurance products via an integrated platform.

Lindsay Rice is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Mt Sterling, KY. She holds the ChFC® designation and Series 66 license, and has nine years of industry experience. Prior to joining Edward Jones in 2017, she worked for Clark County Public Schools from 2011 to 2016. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, including both high-net-worth and non-high-net-worth households. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, managed strategies, and affiliated investment products, supported by a large nationwide network of financial advisors and branch offices.

Willie Myles is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Cary, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 16 years of industry experience. He has worked at Equitable Advisors since 2016 and previously at AXA Advisors, LLC. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as co-chairman of a fundraising campaign for the nonprofit Alpha Light Fund Inc., focused on renovating the House of Alpha. Equitable Advisors serves a diverse client base including individual, high-net-worth, retirement plan, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients, offering financial planning, broker-dealer services, insurance distribution, and access to third-party asset management programs. The firm operates as both an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer, leveraging LPL-sponsored programs and endorsed TAMPs to deliver advisory and brokerage solutions.

Stavroula Koutsfetsoulis is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with 25 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Ameriprise and its affiliated entities since 2011. In addition to her advisory role, she is involved in fiduciary activities as an attorney-in-fact (power of attorney). Ameriprise is a large institutional firm that provides retirement-income planning services primarily to individuals with substantial investable assets. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to deliver written recommendation reports through a centralized consulting team, focusing on tailored retirement income strategies.

Cassandra Sanchez is a financial advisor at Financial & Tax Architects, LLC with seven years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at Fisher Investments, TIAA, US Health Advisors, and various other firms. Sanchez also had involvement with Drunken Donkey, reflecting experience outside the financial sector. Financial & Tax Architects provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, focusing on those nearing or in retirement. The firm offers proprietary “Private Wealth Strategies” that use ETFs, individual securities, and trend-aware rebalancing, with accounts reviewed monthly and customizable strategies to meet client needs.

Keith Eliou is the principal of Keith L. Eliou, CFP, an investment management firm based in Pittsburgh, PA. He holds the CFP® designation and has one year of experience as a financial advisor. In addition to his advisory role, he practices law focusing on elder law and real estate and is involved in insurance, mortgage lending, and real estate brokerage businesses. The firm primarily serves pooled vehicles and institutional accounts, offering portfolio management, retirement plan services, and financial planning. It utilizes an open-architecture investment approach with third-party money managers and employs multiple analytical methods and strategies, conducting annual account reviews.

Charles Pyfer III is a CFP® professional with 19 years of industry experience, currently serving at Wealthspire Advisors since 2024. Prior to this, he spent 15 years at Private Ocean. Wealthspire Advisors provides wealth management, investment advisory, financial planning, and family office support to a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, retirement plans, and nonprofit organizations. The firm employs a relationship-driven, customized investment approach that emphasizes diversified, institutional-style asset allocation and utilizes a range of investment vehicles and third-party platforms for comprehensive portfolio management.

Jeffrey Park is a financial advisor at Merrill with eight years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Merrill and affiliated firms since 2011, including roles at JPMorgan Chase Bank and J.P. Morgan Securities. Outside of his advisory work, he is a sole owner and co-owner of family rental properties in Lawrenceville, Georgia. 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 strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors.

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.

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.

Wesley Pool is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with 15 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and previously worked at JPMorgan Securities LLC for seven years. Outside of finance, he has been involved with #TagMeBro LLC and Fry Street Public House. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and offers both brokerage and advisory solutions.

Willie Myles is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Cary, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 16 years of industry experience. He has worked at Equitable Advisors since 2016 and previously at AXA Advisors, LLC. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as co-chairman of a fundraising campaign for the nonprofit Alpha Light Fund Inc., focused on renovating the House of Alpha. Equitable Advisors serves a diverse client base including individual, high-net-worth, retirement plan, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients, offering financial planning, broker-dealer services, insurance distribution, and access to third-party asset management programs. The firm operates as both an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer, leveraging LPL-sponsored programs and endorsed TAMPs to deliver advisory and brokerage solutions.