Top charitable giving & philanthropy financial advisors in Palm Desert, CA

Adam Ochoa is a financial advisor at Lotusland Properties with a Series 65 credential and three years of industry experience. He is also a Certified Public Accountant with The Practice CPA, where he has worked for over a decade. Lotusland Properties is an independent, single-advisor firm serving individuals and high-net-worth clients by selecting and referring them to third-party investment advisers. The firm does not manage client portfolios directly and focuses on vetting recommended advisers without exercising trading authority or custody of assets.

Gregory Hill is a CFP® professional with 21 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Ameriprise since 2020. His prior experience includes roles at Ameriprise Financial Services Inc, Bank of America, N.A., and Merrill. Outside of advising, he has business ownership through Shining Star Ventures, LLC, which holds a financial partnership interest in an Ameriprise franchise. Ameriprise is an institutional firm that offers a retirement-income planning service aimed at individuals approaching or in retirement with significant investable assets. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to provide tailored, written recommendations, leveraging a centralized consulting team and algorithmic tools to support financial advisors.

Craig Mcbarnes is a financial advisor at The Wealth Consulting Group with 13 years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 66 licenses and previously worked at Intrepid Financial Planning Group. His practice is based in Palm Desert, CA. The Wealth Consulting Group is an SEC-registered wealth management firm serving individual, corporate, retirement plan, and trust clients. The firm uses a combination of fundamental, technical, macroeconomic, and quantitative analysis to tailor investment strategies, offering both active and passive solutions alongside legal and implementation support through licensed attorneys.

Michael Goodman is a CFP®-credentialed financial advisor with 28 years of industry experience. He has been with Cetera since 2026 and previously spent 20 years at Gold Coast Securities, Inc. In addition to his advisory role, he owns and operates a CPA and tax services business providing bookkeeping and accounting services. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is a large SEC-registered advisory firm serving individual, retirement plan, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients through a nationwide network of independent advisors. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services, utilizing a multi-manager platform with discretionary and non-discretionary program options.

Marsha Lee is the principal advisor at Marsha Lee & Company, Inc. in Palm Desert, CA, with 44 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 63 designation and has worked at Cetera Advisors LLC and First Allied Securities, Inc. She serves on the FINRA Board of Arbitrators. Marsha Lee & Company, Inc. provides investment advisory and portfolio management services primarily to individual clients, including high-net-worth individuals, trusts, and pension plans. The firm employs an active, discretionary management approach focused on diversification and risk optimization, offering clients a choice between asset-based or transaction-based fee arrangements.

Sally Hyman is a financial advisor at Seasons of Advice Wealth Management with 42 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Outside of finance, she is a singer who sells her own vocal CDs and is involved in publishing her father's book titled "Congenital Alterable Transmissible Asymmetry: The Spiritual Meaning of Disease and Science." Seasons of Advice Wealth Management provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, high net worth clients, trusts, small business owners, professionals, and families. The firm follows a life-cycle investment approach called the “Seasons of Advice” process and offers discretionary portfolio management, comprehensive financial planning, and specialized fixed-income programs through sub-advisors.

Richard Martin is a financial advisor at Cetera with 29 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 63 designation and has a background that includes nearly three decades at Avantax Advisory Services and eight years at Avantax Insurance Agency. Outside of his advisory work, he is the owner and sole proprietor of Martin & Pellegrin, CPAs, a tax preparation and accounting firm. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm that serves a broad client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts. The firm provides a multi-manager platform offering discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and access to various program structures and third-party money managers.

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.

Edward Blatz serves as a Senior Resident Director and Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch. He specializes in working with high net-worth individuals and families, focusing on estate and wealth management needs. Since joining Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in 1985, he has provided personalized financial solutions tailored to his clients' risk tolerance, time horizon, liquidity needs, and investment goals. Edward's expertise encompasses a range of areas including college education planning, divorce transition planning, employee benefits, executive compensation, family wealth management strategies, managing new wealth, individual and corporate investment strategies, and retirement income planning. He collaborates closely with clients' tax advisors and estate planning attorneys to ensure comprehensive management of clients' financial and personal affairs. Edward is recognized as a member of The Blatz-Rooney Group, which was named to the 2024 Forbes "Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams" list. Edward holds a Bachelor's Degree from Adelphi University and has earned several professional designations including Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). Outside of his professional work, he has interests in golfing, reading, and tennis.

Patrick Ferguson is a financial advisor at Intentional, LLC with 17 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments and Commonwealth Financial Network. In addition to his advisory role, Ferguson is licensed to sell fixed and traditional insurance products. Intentional provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, as well as retirement plan consulting for businesses and institutions. The firm combines fundamental, technical, and economic analysis in its investment approach and offers due diligence and monitoring of alternative and private investments for qualified investors.