CFP®-certified, equity compensation tax strategy financial advisors in Palo Alto, CA

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Lee Chen is a financial advisor with UBS Financial Services in Pasadena, California, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 28 years of industry experience. He has been with UBS since 2009. Outside of his advisory role, Chen serves on the board of directors for the San Gabriel Country Club. UBS Financial Services serves individual, corporate, and institutional clients through brokerage and investment advisory offerings, combining proprietary capital market research with a broad range of financial planning and portfolio management solutions.

James Cannon is a financial advisor at Cannon Wealth Group LLC in Eagle, Idaho, with 14 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has led his independent firm since 2014. Cannon Wealth Group LLC is a fee-based financial planning and investment management firm serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, and employer retirement plans. The firm offers tailored investment programs, comprehensive planning, and specialized pension consulting, including ERISA advisory and discretionary investment manager services.

Joseph Niehaus is a financial advisor at Jefferies Investment Advisers LLC with three years of industry experience. He holds the CFA® designation and Series 63 license. Prior to joining Jefferies in 2023, he worked at Golden 1 Credit Union and SAFE Credit Union. He also serves as a part-time lecturer at California State University, Sacramento, teaching a graduate-level financial markets course. Jefferies Investment Advisers LLC provides fee-based financial planning services to individuals, trusts, estates, foundations, charitable organizations, corporations, and other business entities through a customized planning process that includes balance sheet reviews, tax and estate planning, executive compensation, and philanthropic planning.

Seth Halley is a financial advisor with Goldman Sachs Wealth Services in Dallas, TX, holding a Series 66 designation and six years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at The Ayco Company, L.P./Mercer Allied and Tyson Foods/GDH Consulting. Goldman Sachs Wealth Services advises a diverse client base ranging from individual investors to institutional clients, offering financial planning, portfolio management, and specialized services such as Private Family Office and Executive Wealth programs. The firm integrates strategic allocation models, manager selections, and advanced analytics within the broader Goldman Sachs network to tailor solutions for client objectives.

Eldin Foco is a financial advisor at Sterling Advisory Group LLC with 18 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at several firms including CIG Capital Advisors and Cco Investment Services Corp. since 2012. Sterling Advisory Group provides portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting to individuals, families, trusts, foundations, businesses, and employer-sponsored plans. The firm manages client accounts on a tailored basis and also serves institutional clients, offering a range of strategic investment models that emphasize asset allocation, diversification, and Shariah-compliant selection.

Sarah Currier Barrella is a CFP® professional with 26 years of experience in financial advisory services. She currently works at Santander Securities LLC and Santander Bank, NA, having previously held positions at TD Bank and Citizens Securities, Inc. Barrella is based in Boston, MA. Santander Securities LLC serves a broad retail client base with approximately $3.14 billion in regulatory assets under management across 10,800 client relationships. The firm offers investment advisory services, portfolio management through wrap-fee programs, and financial planning, operating both as a registered investment adviser and a FINRA-registered broker-dealer.

Elanna Gould is a CFP® professional with six years of experience, currently advising at Cambridge Investment Research Advisors in Cleveland, OH. Her background includes roles at PepsiCo and The Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Center, as well as academic experience at The Ohio State University. She is also an independent insurance agent for various companies. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors serves a broad client base, including individuals, retirement plans, and charitable organizations, offering financial planning, investment management, and retirement advisory services through a network of independent professionals. The firm provides a range of portfolio management options, proprietary and third-party strategies, and various custody platforms tailored to client objectives.

Ethan Siekkinen is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license, currently serving as a financial advisor with Plante Moran Financial Advisors. He has one year of industry experience and has previously worked at J Wilson Wealth Management and operated Rizzo Lawn Care. Plante Moran Financial Advisors, LLC provides investment advisory, financial planning, and estate planning services to a diverse client base including individual households, institutional clients, and sovereign wealth funds. The firm employs a multi-disciplinary investment process and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, manager search, and tax-lot accounting services.

Jace Hart is a CFP® with nine years of industry experience and currently serves as a financial advisor at Rockwall Wealth Management. His prior experience includes roles at Leo Wealth, LPL Financial, and Fidelity Brokerage Services. Rockwall Wealth Management provides portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, trusts, plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm emphasizes diversified, low-cost ETF model portfolios with a focus on tax efficiency, liquidity, and systematic macro tilts, offering both traditional and advanced investment strategies tailored to client objectives.

Jeffrey Macdonald is a CFP® and ChFC® with 18 years of industry experience. He has worked at Investment Management & Planning LLC and LPL Financial since 2010, following two years at Wells Fargo Clearing. Investment Management & Planning LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm constructs tailored portfolios using mutual funds, ETFs, equities, and fixed-income securities, employing fundamental analysis and continuous supervision, and operates as both a wrap program sponsor and affiliated registered representatives of LPL Financial.