Large-firm, social Security optimization financial advisors in Orangeburg, SC

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 approaching retirement and want to maximize your Social Security benefits, timing and claiming strategies are crucial. Without expert guidance, you might claim too early or miss out on benefits that could boost your income.

  • Claim timing strategies. Ask how they determine the best age to start benefits based on your full work history and future income needs.
  • Spousal and survivor benefits. Confirm they understand how to optimize benefits for couples, including options for spouses and survivors.
  • Coordination with other income. Social Security interacts with pensions and retirement accounts; check how they integrate these for tax-efficient income.
  • Large-firm resources. Advisors here often have access to broader research and tools, which can support complex Social Security planning decisions.

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

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James P

Series 66

Orangeburg, SC

Edward Jones

James Page Jr. is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with Edward Jones in Orangeburg, SC, with three years of industry experience. Prior to joining Edward Jones, he was the owner of Lions Roar, LLC, a fitness training business where he currently programs and virtually coaches a small number of athletes. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of discretionary and non-discretionary investment strategies and maintains a large nationwide network of advisors and branch offices.

College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Divorce financial planning Retirement income strategy Wealth management Founder/Business Owner
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Chase L

Series 63, Series 66

Cameron, SC

Charles Schwab

Chase Langford is a financial advisor at Charles Schwab with 11 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has worked within various Schwab entities since 2015, including Charles Schwab Trust Bank and Charles Schwab Premiere Bank. Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. serves a large client base primarily composed of high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals through its Schwab Wealth Advisory wrap fee program and affiliated managed-account and financial planning services. The firm offers both non-discretionary and discretionary investment guidance, utilizing multi-asset model portfolios and a centralized operational structure that includes custody, brokerage, and alternative investment services.

Private / alternative investments Real estate investing Multi-state taxation College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.)
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Denise M

Series 65, Series 63

Orangeburg, SC

Primerica Advisors

Denise Medaglia is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors in Orangeburg, SC, holding Series 65 and Series 63 credentials and 12 years of industry experience. She has been with Primerica Advisors since 2014 and Primerica Financial Services since 2013. Outside of finance, she serves as the varsity softball coach at Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School and works as a part-time tutor for Wyzant, Inc. Primerica Advisors sponsors a wrap-fee asset management program serving primarily individual investors alongside corporate and charitable clients. The firm employs model-delivery strategies from unaffiliated asset managers and offers advisory services through a large network of financial advisors.

ESG / Sustainable investing Tax-loss harvesting Income planning
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Robert S

Series 65

Orangeburg, SC

Farther

Robert Smith is a financial advisor at Waypoint Strategic Advisors in Orangeburg, SC, holding a Series 65 designation with four years of industry experience. Prior to joining Waypoint Strategic Advisors in 2021, he was involved with Kansas-Smith Farms from 2014 to 2021. Waypoint Strategic Advisors serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, and corporations, offering asset management, ERISA plan advisory services, and financial planning. The firm’s investment approach is based on Modern Portfolio Theory and the Efficient Market Hypothesis, primarily utilizing passively managed institutional asset-class mutual funds and model portfolios, with a focus on non-discretionary asset management.

Passive / index investing Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Options & derivatives strategies
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Robert U

Series 63, Series 66

Orangeburg, SC

OSAIC

Robert Utsey Jr. is a financial advisor at OSAIC with 35 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has worked with firms including Securities America Advisors and Securities Service Network. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as Treasurer of First Baptist Church in Orangeburg, SC, and acts as a deputy historian for an alumni fraternity chapter. OSAIC serves a diverse client base ranging from individual investors to institutions, offering integrated brokerage and advisory services, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money managers. The firm employs a range of portfolio construction tools and supports various managed account platforms.

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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Willie M

Series 63, Series 66

Cary, NC

Equitable Advisors

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.

Retirement income strategy Social Security optimization Founder/Business Owner Retired Executive Approaching retirement Baby Boomers (Born 1946-1964)
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Stavroula K

Series 63, Series 65

Linwood, NJ

Ameriprise

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.

Retirement income strategy Income planning Social Security optimization Retirement withdrawal strategies Approaching retirement
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Cassandra S

Series 63, Series 65

Plano, TX

Financial & Tax Architects, LLC

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.

Retirement income strategy Social Security optimization Annuities Income planning General tax planning Retired
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Keith E

CFP®

Pittsburgh, PA

Keith L. Eliou, CFP

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.

Social Security optimization Retirement income strategy Cash flow / budgeting Charitable giving tax strategies Business exit / sale strategy Founder/Business Owner
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Charles P

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

San Rafael, CA

WealthSpire Advisors

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.

Retirement income strategy Social Security optimization Roth conversion strategy Tax-loss harvesting Private / alternative investments Founder/Business Owner Retired Mid-Career Professionals Established Professionals
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Jeffrey P

Series 66

Dacula, GA

Merrill

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.

Tax-loss harvesting Active portfolio management Wealth management
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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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Elizabeth B

Series 66

New York, NY

J.P. Morgan Securities

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.

Wealth management Executive Founder/Business Owner
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Wesley P

Series 63, Series 66

Fort Worth, TX

Wells Fargo Clearing

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.

Retired Founder/Business Owner
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Willie M

Series 63, Series 66

Cary, NC

Equitable Advisors

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.

Retirement income strategy Social Security optimization Founder/Business Owner Retired Executive Approaching retirement Baby Boomers (Born 1946-1964)
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