Top financial advisors working with educators, teachers, and academics in Oakland, 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 work in education or academia, your income and benefits might have unique patterns that affect your financial planning. Without an advisor familiar with these nuances, you risk missing opportunities to optimize your retirement savings and manage tax impacts effectively.

  • Understanding educator benefits. Confirm how they incorporate pensions, 403(b) plans, and other education-specific retirement accounts into your overall strategy.
  • Navigating income variability. Ask how they plan for summers, sabbaticals, or grant cycles that can cause fluctuations in your cash flow.
  • Tax planning in California. Since state income taxes are high but property taxes are capped by Proposition 13, check how they balance these factors in your long-term plan.
  • Experience with academic career paths. Inquire about their familiarity with tenure timelines, contract renewals, and career transitions common in education.

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

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Michael B

Series 66

Alameda, CA

Planmember Securities Corporation

Michael Britton is a Series 66-credentialed advisor with PlanMember Securities Corporation, based in Alameda, CA, and has four years of industry experience. Prior to joining PlanMember, he worked at Raymond James Financial Services Advisors and has held a director role in supply planning and co-manufacturing at Peet's Coffee since 2017. Outside of his advisory work, he maintains a self-employed practice focused on investment-related insurance services. PlanMember Securities Corporation provides retirement-plan advisory services to employers and plan participants, focusing on ERISA Section 3(38) fiduciary responsibilities and participant-level investment options. The firm employs a top-down strategic asset allocation framework and manages risk-based mutual fund portfolios, while offering education and support services including seminars and personalized retirement planning.

Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) General retirement planning Retirement income strategy Founder/Business Owner

Corey H

CFP®, Series 66

Petaluma, CA

Edward Jones

Corey Hayashi is a CFP® and Series 66-registered financial advisor with Edward Jones in Alameda, CA. He has 15 years of industry experience and has been with Edward Jones since 2010. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients, with approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management and over 23,700 financial advisors nationwide. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, operating under a fiduciary standard.

College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Wealth management Retirement income strategy Business ownership considerations Founder/Business Owner Intergenerational Families
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Edward K

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Alameda, CA

OSAIC

Edward Kofman is a financial advisor at OSAIC with 40 years of industry experience. He holds the CFP® designation and has worked at Royal Alliance Associates and Cal Cap Planning, among other firms. Kofman serves on several nonprofit boards in Alameda, including as president of the Alameda Community Fund and treasurer for the Temple Israel of Alameda Foundation. He is also a financial educator and a wedding officiant. OSAIC Wealth, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth investors, pension plans, and charitable organizations through a large network of advisors. The firm offers integrated brokerage and advisory services with a focus on asset allocation, risk management, and access to third-party money managers and unified managed accounts.

Annuities Wealth management Tax-loss harvesting Private / alternative investments Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Todd W

Alameda, CA

Legacy Wealth Management, LLC

Todd Wellnitz is a financial advisor at Legacy Wealth Management, LLC with 2 years of industry experience. He has been involved with Wellguard Insurance Solutions, INC. since 2010. Legacy Wealth Management serves individual clients across wealth levels, charitable organizations, and business entities by providing portfolio management, financial planning, consulting, and related services including annuity and insurance solutions through affiliated partners. The firm uses a range of investment strategies, including in-house models and alternative investments, and offers customized portfolios based on clients’ goals and risk tolerances.

Private / alternative investments Options & derivatives strategies Concentrated stock management Annuities
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Kevin K

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Alameda, CA

Kevin Kennedy, LLC

Kevin Kennedy is a CFP® with 28 years of industry experience and the principal of Kevin Kennedy, LLC, where he has worked since 2004. He also serves on the Board of Directors for Bank of Marin Bancorp. Additionally, he has been employed by the City of Alameda since 2000. Kevin Kennedy, LLC provides comprehensive financial planning and investment advisory services to individuals, pension plans, and not-for-profit organizations, utilizing SEI-managed account programs and model portfolios for asset allocation and investment selection. The firm primarily offers non-discretionary services and focuses on retirement plans and institutional clients.

Tax-loss harvesting Retirement income strategy Cash flow / budgeting Annuities
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Arjun S

Series 66

Frisco, TX

TIAA-CREF

Arjun Swarup is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Frisco, TX, holding a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining TIAA-CREF, he worked at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management and has an academic background from NYU College of Arts and Sciences. TIAA‑CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and small retirement plans, often serving clients connected to TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm offers both point-in-time planning and ongoing managed account services within a fiduciary framework, including acting as adviser to a donor-advised fund.

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 Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) with 29 years of industry experience. He is currently with RFG Advisory, LLC in Birmingham, AL, where he has worked since 2015, including prior roles at LPL Financial and Ameriprise. Harper is a co-owner of LHP Capital LLC, a commercial real estate business. RFG Advisory provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, and select institutional clients. The firm employs discretionary investment strategies through model portfolios, third-party platforms, and serves as a sub-adviser to multiple ETFs, with additional specialized services for retirement accounts and alternative investments.

Options & derivatives strategies Private / alternative investments Tax-loss harvesting Founder/Business Owner Executive Retired Women Professionals Mid-Career Professionals

Jacob H

Series 63, Series 66

Charlotte, NC

Edward Jones

Jacob Heinz is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Charlotte, NC, with 15 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 66 designations. His previous positions include roles at Fidelity Investments and E*TRADE Capital Management. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory solutions, including discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, supported by a nationwide network of thousands of financial advisors and branch offices.

Divorce financial planning Retirement income strategy Wealth management Real estate investing Educators, Teachers, and Academics
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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 previously worked at First Republic Securities and First Republic Investment Management from 2016 to 2019. Outside of her financial advisory role, Lindsey is the owner of Women Who Explore, a community offering outdoor adventures and small group travel experiences for women. EFS Advisors provides investment advice and portfolio management to a broad client base, including individuals, business entities, charitable organizations, and qualified retirement plans. The firm employs a client-centric suitability scoring process combined with technology tools to recommend model portfolios and supports clients through discretionary and non-discretionary account management.

Options & derivatives strategies Educators, Teachers, and Academics
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Scott S

Series 63, Series 65

Farmington, CT

Medallion Wealth Advisors, LLC

Scott Stevens is a financial advisor at Medallion Wealth Advisors, LLC with 34 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at firms including Morgan Stanley and American Portfolios Financial Services, Inc. Stevens is also the proprietor of Stevens & Associates, LLC, a separate business. Medallion Wealth Advisors serves individuals, families, and retirement plans for educators and nonprofit organizations. The firm provides portfolio management, financial planning, and pension consulting with a long-term investment approach that includes discretionary and non-discretionary account management and may utilize third-party managers when appropriate.

General retirement planning Educators, Teachers, and Academics
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