Top financial advisors working with retirees in North Carolina

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.

Arjun Aggarwal is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 18 years of industry experience. He has been with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney since 2009 and has worked at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association since 2015. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer offering a wide range of advisory programs to individuals and institutions, including tailored financial planning services. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and employs a structured planning process using firm-approved tools and economic modeling techniques.

Robert Pike is a CFA® charterholder with 20 years of industry experience. He is affiliated with Sheets Smith Wealth Management in Winston Salem, NC, and has been with Stratford Advisors, Inc. since 2004. Sheets Smith Wealth Management serves individuals, families, trusts, foundations, endowments, and retirement plans, providing customized investment management and financial planning. The firm employs a long-term, buy-and-hold strategy for equities combined with tactical fixed-income adjustments, serving clients including senior corporate executives and heirs.

Mitchell Hodgkiss is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 27 years of industry experience. He has been with Ameriprise and its affiliated entities since 2009. Outside of his advisory role, he serves on the Board of Directors for the Pi Kappa Alpha KK Alumni Association. Ameriprise offers retirement-income planning services primarily for individuals nearing or in retirement with significant investable assets, combining research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to provide tailored, non-discretionary recommendations delivered through a centralized consulting team.

Andrew Driscoll is a financial advisor at Lake Effect Wealth LLC in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 65 designation with six years of industry experience. He previously worked at Grandview Analytics from 2015 to 2019 before founding Lake Effect Wealth, where he has been the sole advisor since 2019. Lake Effect Wealth serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as corporations and businesses, offering discretionary portfolio management alongside project-based and comprehensive financial planning. The firm employs a passive investment strategy based on Modern Portfolio Theory, incorporating low-turnover, tax-aware portfolio construction, and distinguishes itself by providing business planning and employee benefits optimization services uncommon among independent solo advisers.

Omar Esparza is a financial advisor at Voya Financial Advisors, Inc. with 18 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has been with Voya since 2014. Voya Financial Advisors, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individual and institutional investors such as retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, corporations, and high-net-worth individuals. The firm provides financial planning, portfolio management, and consulting through multiple program structures, emphasizing recommendation-based advice over discretionary management.

Daniel Esquirell is a CFP® professional with 25 years of industry experience. He has been with Wescott Financial Advisory Group LLC since 2022 and previously worked for Asset Planning Services, Ltd for 15 years. Wescott Financial Advisory Group LLC provides wealth management and comprehensive financial planning to a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, foundations, pension and profit-sharing plans, and corporations. The firm employs an open-architecture, multi-manager investment approach combining passive and active strategies within a tax-sensitive, disciplined process.

William Hurt is a financial advisor with Arax Advisory Partners in Houston, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 26 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors, LLC and USCA Securities LLC. Arax Advisory Partners is a multi-team SEC-registered wealth manager overseeing approximately $26.5 billion in regulatory assets. The firm serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, family offices, institutions, and retirement plans using a combination of internal portfolio management, third-party models, and tailored asset allocation strategies.

Jeffrey Meenes is a CFP® and Series 66 licensed financial advisor with 14 years of industry experience. He has worked at Blueprint Financial Planning, LLC since 2010. Meenes operates as the sole advisor at Meenes Wealth Partners in Shrewsbury, MA. Meenes Wealth Partners provides flat-fee, fiduciary wealth management and comprehensive financial planning primarily for pre-retiree and retiree households. The firm emphasizes evidence-based investment strategies focused on global diversification, tax-aware management, and client-approved, non-discretionary portfolio implementation.

Scott Pinheiro is a Senior Consultant with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, bringing extensive experience to his role since joining the firm in 2015. He has been involved in the financial services industry since 1979. Scott holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Thomas Edison State University and professional designations including Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC), Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), and Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA) from the American College of Financial Services. Scott specializes in working with executives and retirees from major banks and insurance companies, managing client accounts typically ranging from $500,000 to $5,000,000. His expertise encompasses a disciplined financial process tailored to clients’ unique situations, including college education planning, family wealth management, retirement income, tax minimization, and socially responsible investing. As a Senior Portfolio Advisor, he also builds and manages customized investment strategies utilizing Merrill model portfolios and third-party investments. In addition to his professional work, Scott is committed to community involvement through his participation with the local Optimist Club. He resides near Princeton, New Jersey with his wife of 40 years and their Yorkshire terrier. Personal interests include cooking, fishing, golfing, reading, and traveling.