Top business succession planning financial advisors in Petaluma, 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're preparing to transfer your business to a family member, partner, or buyer, you need an advisor who understands the complexities of timing and valuation. A common mistake is underestimating tax impacts and property tax protections, which can erode your legacy or financial goals.

  • Tax impact awareness. Confirm how they navigate California's high income taxes alongside Proposition 13's property tax limits to protect your wealth.
  • Valuation expertise. Ask how they determine your business's worth, considering both market conditions and your long-term plans.
  • Transition timing. Inquire about their approach to sequencing the sale or transfer to optimize tax outcomes and business continuity.
  • Stakeholder coordination. Ensure they work with your legal and tax professionals to align all aspects of the succession plan.

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

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Alicia M

Series 66

Petaluma, CA

Merrill

Alicia Marquez is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor at Merrill with 8 years of industry experience. She has been with Bank of America and Merrill since 2012. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, offering model-based and discretionary strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Tax-loss harvesting Active portfolio management Wealth management
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Russell A

Series 63, Series 65

Petaluma, CA

Sovran Advisors, LLC

Russell Albright is a financial advisor at Sovran Advisors, LLC with 15 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has held positions at multiple firms including RWA Wealth Partners, Polaris Wealth Advisory Group, and Bank of the West. He is also the owner of Russell Albright CTFA, LLC, an entity established for tax management and income purposes related to his wealth management business. Sovran Advisors serves individual, corporate, and retirement plan clients by providing financial planning, advisory services, and portfolio management through various program types. The firm utilizes a combination of active and passive investment strategies implemented via written investment policy statements and third-party managers, supported by technology-enabled rebalancing and administrative services.

Business sale tax planning Annuities Options & derivatives strategies Executive Founder/Business Owner

Elliot S

CFP®, Series 66

Petaluma, CA

Edward Jones

Elliot Sandvig is a CFP® and Series 66 licensed financial advisor at Edward Jones with six years at the firm and a total of five years in the industry. His prior experience includes roles at Medtronic and Ascent Services Group, as well as research work at the University of California, Davis (Bers Lab). Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment solutions, managing approximately $1.01 trillion in assets through a large network of advisors and branch offices.

Charitable giving & philanthropy Family Business Business ownership considerations Real estate investing Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Leah P

Series 65, Series 63

Petaluma, CA

LPL Financial

Leah Ponce De Leon is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and four years of industry experience. Prior to joining LPL Financial in 2024, she worked at CUSO Financial Services from 2017 to 2024 and has been associated with Redwood Credit Union since 2017. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of financial planning and investment management services through a large network of advisors, utilizing both proprietary and third-party strategies.

Wealth management Retirement income strategy College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Tax-loss harvesting Annuities Retired Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Matthew F

Series 66

Petaluma, CA

J.P. Morgan Securities

Matthew Foster is a financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities who holds the Series 66 designation and has 19 years of industry experience. He has worked at J.P. Morgan Securities and JP Morgan Chase Bank since 2019 and previously held roles at Bank of America and Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith Inc from 2011 to 2019. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC provides investment consulting and advisory services primarily to institutional clients and retirement plan sponsors, combining quantitative asset-allocation modeling with centralized due diligence and applying an ESG eligibility framework in its investment recommendations.

Wealth management Executive Founder/Business Owner
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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, 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.

Active portfolio management Options & derivatives strategies Private / alternative investments Concentrated stock management Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Michael I

Series 63, Series 65

Livingston, NJ

Raymond James Financial

Michael Ipp is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 42 years of industry experience. He has been with Raymond James Financial Services Advisors since 2010 and serves as an independent contractor for 1792 Wealth Advisors. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors provides financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm offers tailored, non-discretionary planning and uses analytical tools to support client decision-making, while also maintaining specialized programs such as municipal advisory services and SIMPLE IRA Employer Advisory & Consulting Services.

Wealth management Tax strategies for small businesses Business succession planning General estate planning guidance Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Jeffrey M

CFP®, ChFC®, Series 66

Greenville, DE

Investment Management & Planning LLC

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.

General retirement planning Business succession planning Tax strategies for small businesses Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive Mid-Career Professionals Approaching retirement
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Patrick F

Series 66

New Market, MD

Intentional

Patrick Ferguson is a financial advisor at Intentional with 17 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, Commonwealth Financial Network, and LPL Financial. In addition to his advisory role, he is a licensed agent involved in the sales of fixed and traditional insurance products. Intentional provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, businesses, and institutions. The firm offers pension consulting, estate planning support, business exit planning, and due diligence on alternative investments, utilizing a combination of fundamental, technical, and economic analysis within a fiduciary framework.

Business exit / sale strategy Multi-generational wealth transfer Private / alternative investments Founder/Business Owner
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Jerald L

Series 63

San Antonio, TX

Frost Investment Services

Jerald Liesman is a financial advisor at Frost Investment Services with 33 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 63 designation and has worked at Frost Brokerage Services, Inc. and Frost Bank since 1993 and 1987, respectively. Frost Investment Services is a retail-focused, SEC-registered adviser serving individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management, comprehensive financial planning, and managed account programs that integrate model portfolios from its affiliate with third-party managers, utilizing a research-driven investment process and providing optional tax and ESG overlay services.

Tax-loss harvesting ESG / Sustainable investing Retirement income strategy General estate planning guidance Business succession planning Founder/Business Owner Executive

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