Top charitable giving tax strategies financial advisors in Palo Alto, 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 have significant assets and want to support causes you care about, charitable giving tax strategies can help you reduce your tax bill while making an impact. The biggest mistake is treating donations as one-time gifts instead of part of a broader tax and estate plan.

  • Tax impact awareness. Ask how they balance gift timing and amounts to optimize your income and estate tax benefits.
  • Asset selection guidance. Confirm whether they recommend donating cash, appreciated securities, or other assets based on your tax situation.
  • Long-term planning. Look for advisors who integrate giving strategies with your overall financial goals, not just annual tax filing.
  • Local tax nuances. Since California has high income taxes but limits on property tax increases, check how they factor state rules into your giving plan.

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

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Adam G

CFP®, Series 65

Palo Alto, CA

Frank, Rimerman Advisors LLC

Adam Gensler is a CFP® with eight years of industry experience and is currently a financial advisor at Frank, Rimerman Advisors LLC in Palo Alto, CA. He has been a tax partner at Frank, Rimerman & Co. LLP, a public accounting firm, since 2012. Frank, Rimerman Advisors LLC provides financial planning, wealth management, and portfolio management services to high-net-worth individuals, qualified investors, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and select limited liability companies. The firm employs a long-term, individualized investment approach with diversified portfolios and conducts ongoing client reviews.

Wealth management Passive / index investing
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Lavina N

CFP®, Series 65

Palo Alto, CA

Maya Advisors, Inc.

Lavina Nagar is a CFP® and Series 65-licensed financial advisor with 15 years of industry experience. She has been with Maya Advisors, Inc., an independent firm based in Menlo Park, CA, since 2008. Maya Advisors serves individual and high-net-worth clients as well as charitable organizations, offering investment and portfolio management, financial planning, and advisory services for donor-advised funds through Schwab Charitable. The firm’s investment approach emphasizes long-term fundamental analysis, utilizing low-cost diversified mutual funds and ETFs, and provides a notable client-managed program for self-directed investors.

General retirement planning
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Kanaka S

CFP®, Series 63

Los Altos, CA

Gates Pass Advisors, LLC

Kanaka Szabo Cummings is a CFP® with 27 years of experience in the financial services industry. She has been with Gates Pass Advisors, LLC since 2015. Gates Pass Advisors, LLC provides comprehensive financial planning and ongoing wealth management primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm emphasizes financial-planning-driven asset allocation, diversification, and tax-aware management, typically implementing strategies through third-party independent managers on a turn-key platform.

General retirement planning Income planning General tax planning Wealth management Founder/Business Owner Executive HENRY (High Earners, Not Rich Yet) Established Professionals
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Nicholas R

Series 63, Series 65

Los Altos Hills, CA

The Raffin Group LLC

Nicholas Raffin is a financial advisor at The Raffin Group LLC with 11 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked at Merrill from 2016 to 2020. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as an advisor and strategic partner to Rowzzy, an AI startup focused on Natural Vision Understanding technology. The Raffin Group is an independent advisory firm that provides tailored portfolio management and financial planning to individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a range of investment approaches, including model allocations with low-cost ETFs and mutual funds, and offers discretionary portfolio management, standalone financial planning, and a wrap-fee program.

Options & derivatives strategies Passive / index investing Tax-loss harvesting Founder/Business Owner Executive HENRY (High Earners, Not Rich Yet)
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Jacques S

Series 66

Palo Alto, CA

J.P. Morgan Securities

Jacques Shepherd is a financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities in Palo Alto, CA, holding a Series 66 designation and six years of industry experience. He has worked at J.P. Morgan Securities and JPMorgan Chase Bank since 2021 and previously held positions at UBS Financial Services and UBS. J.P. Morgan Securities provides investment consulting and advisory services primarily to institutional clients and retirement plan sponsors through its Institutional Consulting Services program, combining quantitative asset-allocation modeling with centralized due diligence and an ESG eligibility framework in its investment recommendations.

Wealth management Executive Founder/Business Owner
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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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Mark K

Series 63, Series 65

Mandeville, LA

Meridian Wealth Management, LLC

Mark Kebodeaux is a financial advisor at Meridian Wealth Management, LLC with 34 years of industry experience. He previously worked for First Financial for 10 years before joining Meridian in 2023. Kebodeaux holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Meridian Wealth Management serves individual and high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan services, utilizing equities, ETFs, mutual funds, fixed income, and alternative investments with ongoing monitoring and rebalancing.

Retirement income strategy Charitable giving tax strategies Options & derivatives strategies Private / alternative investments Founder/Business Owner
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Mark P

Series 66

Conneaut Lake, PA

Lakeland Investor Services, Inc.

Mark Petro is a financial advisor at Lakeland Investor Services, Inc. in Conneaut Lake, PA, with 24 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at the firm since 2002. He is also president of Lakeland Insurance Services, LLC, a business he established to handle insurance sales and related operations. Lakeland Investor Services provides fee-based wealth advisory and investment management services to individuals, multi-generational families, high-net-worth clients, small non-profit organizations, small businesses, and qualified retirement plans. The firm offers comprehensive financial planning, portfolio management, and uses a variety of analytical approaches including fundamental, technical, and Monte Carlo modeling.

Social Security optimization Retirement income strategy Annuities
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Kaylin O

Series 65

Pittsburgh, PA

Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP

Kaylin Olster is a financial advisor at Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP with one year of industry experience. She holds the Series 65 designation and has previously worked at Corient, Odyssey Capital Advisors, and has an academic background from Temple University. Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors serves high-net-worth individuals, families, trustees, endowments, and qualified retirement plan sponsors and trustees. The firm employs a committee-driven investment process to manage diversified portfolios and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary management along with retirement plan consulting and tax-aware planning strategies.

Tax-loss harvesting Charitable giving tax strategies Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Wealth management Private / alternative investments Founder/Business Owner Retired
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Angelo R

CFP®, Series 65

Hunt Valley, MD

SC&H Wealth

Angelo Romano is a CFP® with six years of experience in the financial services industry, currently serving as an advisor at SC&H Wealth. His prior experience includes roles at MECU, ADP, and APGFCU. In addition to his advisory work, he is a licensed insurance agent involved in the sale of insurance-related products. SC&H Wealth serves individuals, trusts, estates, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, small businesses, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a team approach combining CPAs and CFP® professionals to provide tailored financial planning, asset management, retirement consulting, and tax preparation services.

General tax planning Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business exit / sale strategy Charitable giving tax strategies Wealth management Founder/Business Owner Retired Executive HENRY (High Earners, Not Rich Yet) Mid-Career Professionals
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