CFP®-certified, equity compensation tax strategy financial advisors in Pasadena, 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 equity compensation like stock options or restricted stock units (RSUs), you need an advisor who understands the tax rules that come with these benefits. Without expert guidance, you might miss opportunities to reduce your tax bill or trigger unexpected taxes.

CFP® certification means these advisors have formal training in financial planning, including tax strategies related to equity compensation.

  • Tax timing strategies. Ask how they plan the timing of exercising options or selling shares to minimize taxes.
  • State tax implications. Confirm they consider California's high income taxes and how Proposition 13 affects your property taxes.
  • Integration with your pay. Check if they coordinate equity compensation tax planning with your overall income and withholding.
  • Long-term planning. See if they help you balance immediate tax costs with your future financial goals.

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

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Wan Lin L

Series 66

Pasadena, CA

Griffinest Asia Asset Management, LLC

Wan Lin Liao is a financial advisor at Griffinest Asia Asset Management, LLC with 13 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Griffinest Asia Management, LLC since 2019 and Griffinest Asia Securities since 2012. Griffinest Asia Asset Management serves high-net-worth and qualified individual investors, as well as corporations and institutional clients, providing discretionary portfolio management, investment advisory, and personal financial planning services. The firm customizes portfolios based on clients’ risk tolerances and objectives and manages approximately $10.27 million in assets across nine accounts.

Private / alternative investments Wealth management
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G Miguel A

CFP®, Series 66

Pasadena, CA

Vida Private Wealth LLC

G Miguel Alves is a CFP® with 21 years of experience in the financial industry, currently serving at Vida Private Wealth LLC. His prior experience includes roles at Merrill Lynch and Cantella & Co., Inc. He is also a general partner of VIDA Vision Fund GP, LLC, a private fund. Vida Private Wealth serves high-net-worth individuals and families with private wealth management, multi-family office services, and financial life planning. The firm emphasizes fiduciary advice and multi-asset portfolios, offering tailored discretionary portfolio management and access to private fund investments for qualified clients.

Multi-generational wealth transfer Charitable giving & philanthropy Private / alternative investments ESG / Sustainable investing Founder/Business Owner Executive Young Families Mid-Career Professionals
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Alex C

Series 63, Series 65

Pasadena, CA

Lake Avenue Financial LLC

Alex Chalekian is a financial advisor with Lake Avenue Financial LLC in Pasadena, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 28 years of industry experience. He has worked at Lake Avenue Financial and its predecessor firms since 2014 and previously spent 17 years at LPL Financial. Outside of advisory work, he is involved with Disrupter Labs, LLC, a real estate investment and consulting business. Lake Avenue Financial LLC serves individual clients, including high-net-worth and non-HNW individuals, as well as brokerage customers and financial institutions. The firm offers financial planning and portfolio management using customized asset allocation and model-based strategies, combining fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis with ongoing supervision and rebalancing.

Options & derivatives strategies ESG / Sustainable investing
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Mark L

Series 66

Pasadena, CA

Pacific Trust Wealth Management

Mark Lechler is a financial advisor at Pacific Trust Wealth Management in Pasadena, CA, with 14 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at J.W. Korth & Company from 2011 to 2017. Pacific Trust Wealth Management is an independent, single-advisor registered investment adviser serving a small client base with tailored financial planning and discretionary portfolio management. The firm focuses on qualified clients and employs a combination of asset allocation and fundamental analysis through strategies ranging from a Global Macro approach to more conservative risk-hedging methods.

Active portfolio management Options & derivatives strategies
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David H

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Pasadena, CA

OakGrowth Wealth Management LLC

David Hindi is a CFP® professional with 28 years of industry experience. He is the principal advisor at OakGrowth Wealth Management LLC, an independent firm he founded in 2020. Prior to that, he worked at Avantax Investment Services, INC. and DH Advisors for 18 years. In addition to his advisory work, he is a licensed life and health insurance agent, providing related services since 2000. OakGrowth Wealth Management serves individual, high-net-worth, and business clients with investment management and comprehensive financial planning. The firm primarily uses passive investment strategies with non-discretionary account supervision, offering tailored advice on portfolios, cash flow, insurance, retirement, tax, and estate matters.

College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Cash flow / budgeting Business ownership considerations
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Lee C

Series 63, Series 65

Pasadena, CA

UBS Financial Services

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.

General retirement planning Cash flow / budgeting Equity compensation tax strategy Executive Founder/Business Owner Mid-Career Professionals Approaching retirement
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James C

Series 65

Eagle, ID

Cannon Wealth Group LLC

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.

Equity compensation tax strategy
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Joseph N

CFA®, Series 63

New York, NY

Jefferies Investment Advisers LLC

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.

General retirement planning Income planning Equity compensation tax strategy Concentrated stock management Charitable giving & philanthropy
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Seth H

Series 66

Dallas, TX

Goldman Sachs Wealth Services

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.

Wealth management Equity compensation tax strategy Tax-loss harvesting Executive Founder/Business Owner Intergenerational Families
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Eldin F

Series 63, Series 65

Southfield, MI

Sterling Advisory Group LLC

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.

ESG / Sustainable investing Private / alternative investments Equity compensation tax strategy Business succession planning Retirement income strategy Founder/Business Owner Executive Values-based investing
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Sarah C

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Boston, MA

Santander Securities LLC

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.

ESG / Sustainable investing Tax-loss harvesting General retirement planning Income planning Founder/Business Owner
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Elanna G

CFP®, Series 66

Cleveland, OH

Cambridge Investment Research Advisors

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.

Wealth management Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Retirement income strategy Annuities Self-Employed
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Ethan S

CFP®, Series 65

Auburn Hills, MI

Plante Moran FInancial Advisors

Ethan Siekkinen is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license with Plante Moran Financial Advisors. He has one year of industry experience and previously worked at J Wilson Wealth Management. Outside of financial advising, he has experience in the lawn care business with Rizzo Lawn Care. Plante Moran Financial Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm provides investment advisory, financial planning, and estate-planning services, utilizing a range of investment strategies and managing both discretionary and non-discretionary assets.

Options & derivatives strategies Private / alternative investments Concentrated stock management Wealth management Executive Founder/Business Owner
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Jace H

CFP®, Series 63, Series 66

Rockwall, TX

Rockwall Wealth Management

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.

Active portfolio management Options & derivatives strategies Private / alternative investments Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Retirement income strategy
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Jeffrey M

CFP®, ChFC®, Series 66

Greenville, DE

Investment Management & Planning LLC

Jeffrey Macdonald is a CFP® and ChFC® with 17 years of industry experience. He has been with Investment Management & Planning LLC since 2010 and is also affiliated with LPL Financial LLC. Investment Management & Planning LLC provides fee-based investment advisory and comprehensive financial planning primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, offering portfolio management on both discretionary and non-discretionary bases. The firm emphasizes ongoing account supervision and individualized asset allocation, often utilizing LPL-sponsored platforms and model portfolios.

General retirement planning Business succession planning Tax strategies for small businesses Wealth management Founder/Business Owner Retired Mid-Career Professionals Established Professionals
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