Top general estate planning guidance financial advisors in Ocala, FL

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 your estate in Ocala, FL, you likely want to protect your assets and ensure your wishes are clear. A common mistake is overlooking how Florida's unique tax environment and homestead protections affect your plan.

  • Homestead protection knowledge. Confirm the advisor understands Florida's strong homestead laws that safeguard your primary residence from certain creditors.
  • Federal tax focus. Since Florida has no state income tax, ask how they address federal income, property, and sales tax implications in your estate plan.
  • Asset transfer strategies. Look for guidance on how to efficiently pass assets to heirs while minimizing probate delays and costs.
  • Coordination with legal counsel. Estate planning often involves wills and trusts; check how the advisor collaborates with your attorney to align financial and legal plans.

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

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Gabriel U

Series 66

Ocala, FL

Kestra Advisory

Gabriel Umana is a financial advisor with Kestra Advisory Services in Ocala, FL, holding a Series 66 designation and less than one year of industry experience. Prior to entering the financial sector, he worked at Principal Financial Group and held roles outside finance including positions at Nike and Ross Inc., as well as self-employment in reselling. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to a range of institutional and individual clients, offering services such as plan design, fiduciary consulting, and employee education. The firm serves large institutional investors including sovereign wealth funds, and supports its advice with due diligence on investment options.

Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business exit / sale strategy Annuities Wealth management Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Diana D

Series 66

Ocala, FL

Wells Fargo Advisors

Diana Dawson is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors in Ocala, FL, holding a Series 66 designation and 24 years of industry experience. She has worked within various Wells Fargo entities since 2015, including Wells Fargo Clearing and Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network is a broker-dealer and registered investment adviser serving individuals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm offers a wide range of financial planning services using proprietary research and tools, with planning engagements generally provided on a discrete basis.

Divorce financial planning Planning for children with special needs Business exit / sale strategy Cash flow / budgeting Founder/Business Owner
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Patricia H

Series 63, Series 65, Series 66

Ocala, FL

Wells Fargo Clearing

Patricia Hall is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and having 24 years of industry experience. She has worked at Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016 and was previously with Wells Fargo Advisors LLC and Wachovia Bank, N.A. Outside of her advisory role, she manages a farming business in Ocala, Florida. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting services to qualified ERISA and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering investment policy preparation, performance reporting, participant education, and discretionary investment management grounded in modern portfolio theory.

Retired Founder/Business Owner
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Michael E

Series 66

Ocala, FL

Truist Advisory Services

Michael Estevez is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services based in Ocala, FL. He holds a Series 66 credential and has four years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Bank of America, Merrill, and Capital One Bank. Outside of his advisory work, he owns Greenstreet Mowing LLC, a lawncare business. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm offers asset allocation, investment policy analysis, fiduciary support, and manager-selection programs, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary approaches supported by third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools.

Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Richard S

Series 63

Ocala, FL

Cetera

Richard Sandy is a financial advisor with Cetera in Ocala, FL, holding a Series 63 credential and over 28 years of industry experience. He has been with Cetera and its affiliate Cetera Financial Specialists LLC since 2004. Outside of his advisory role, Mr. Sandy is president of Abacus Accounting & Tax Services, Inc., a firm providing accounting and tax services since 1996. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered advisor serving individuals, retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts. The firm offers a multi-manager platform with various portfolio management and financial planning services, supporting a large network of independent advisors nationwide.

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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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 65, Series 63

Warwick, RI

Mass Mutual Investors Services

Kayla Santos is a financial advisor with Mass Mutual Investors Services and holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses. She has 10 years of industry experience, including roles at MetLife Securities and Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company. In addition to her advisory work, she operates as an independent insurance agent specializing in life, fixed annuities, disability, long-term care, and health insurance. Mass Mutual Investors Services, LLC is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employers. The firm provides ongoing financial planning, asset management, and educational seminars, utilizing firm-approved tools to develop collaborative, goal-oriented financial plans.

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 Wealth management General estate planning guidance Oil & Gas
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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 has worked previously at CoreCap Advisors and Cambridge Investment Research. Outside of his advisory role, he is the founder of Frontier Wealth Management and works as an independent insurance agent with Goosehead Insurance. Smith & Wyatt serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, and corporations, managing approximately $207 million for around 724 clients through a team of eight advisors. The firm offers financial planning, discretionary portfolio management, and estate-planning consulting, tailoring investment advice to clients’ objectives and risk tolerances primarily through mutual funds and ETFs.

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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