Top general estate planning guidance financial advisors in Pinehurst, NC

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.

You might need general estate planning guidance if you're organizing your assets to protect your family or planning for healthcare decisions in case you become unable to speak for yourself. A common mistake is overlooking how state tax rules and local laws affect your estate plan, which can lead to unexpected costs or complications.

  • State-specific knowledge. Confirm how they incorporate North Carolina's flat income tax and local regulations into your plan.
  • Healthcare directives. Ask how they help set up powers of attorney and living wills tailored to your wishes.
  • Asset distribution clarity. Ensure they explain how your assets will pass to heirs to avoid confusion or disputes.
  • Plan updates. Check how often they recommend reviewing your estate plan to keep it current with life changes and laws.

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

Want help finding the right advisor?

Answer a few questions to see advisors matched to you.

user avatar

John B

ChFC®, Series 63, Series 65

Pinehurst, NC

Wells Fargo Clearing

John Buechel Jr. is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding the ChFC® designation along with Series 63 and Series 65 licenses, and has 35 years of industry experience. He has been with Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016 and also maintains a longstanding affiliation with Bankmark dating back to 1992. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a finance committee member for Our Lady Queen of Peace Church and is on the Board of Trustees for the Knights of Columbus Council 6139. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients by providing investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets, offers both brokerage and advisory solutions, and utilizes research and analytics to guide investment decisions.

Retired Founder/Business Owner
user avatar

Allan S

Series 63, Series 65

Pinehurst, NC

Janney Montgomery Scott

Allan Strange is a financial advisor at Janney Montgomery Scott with 44 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has been with Janney Montgomery Scott since 2009. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC is a large broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $110 billion in client assets. The firm serves a diverse range of clients including individuals, families, trusts, corporate and retirement plans, and charitable organizations, offering brokerage, financial planning, consulting, and various advisory programs.

ESG / Sustainable investing Tax-loss harvesting Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Wealth management Executive Founder/Business Owner
user avatar

Henry C

Series 63, Series 65

Pinehurst, NC

Raymond James Financial

Henry Caldwell is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has 15 years of industry experience. Prior to his current role, he worked at Wells Fargo Clearing and Morgan Stanley. Caldwell is also associated with Pinnacle Asset Management as a financial consultant. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. provides financial planning and investment consulting to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm offers tailored, non-discretionary planning and uses analytical tools such as risk profiling and probability modeling to support client goals.

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

Matthew G

Series 63, Series 66

Pinehurst, NC

Charles Schwab

Matthew Gleisner is a financial advisor with Charles Schwab, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and 12 years of industry experience. He has worked at Charles Schwab since 2012, including seven years at Charles Schwab Bank. Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. serves primarily high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals through its Schwab Wealth Advisory wrap fee program and affiliated managed-account and financial planning services. The firm combines non-discretionary advisory relationships with access to discretionary separately managed accounts, supported by a large-scale, integrated operational structure.

Private / alternative investments Real estate investing Multi-state taxation College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.)
user avatar

Melanie L

CFP®, Series 66

Pinehurst, NC

Sound Income Strategies, LLC

Melanie Leahy is a CFP® and Series 66 licensed advisor with 13 years of industry experience. She is currently with Sound Income Strategies, LLC and previously worked at Granville Wealth Management, Inc., Mid Atlantic Securities, Inc., and Granville Financial, Inc. In addition to her advisory role, she is involved in fixed insurance and Medicare supplement sales through Pinehurst Wealth. Sound Income Strategies, LLC manages approximately $4.0 billion in assets and serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and corporations. The firm emphasizes fixed-income analysis alongside equity review and offers customized managed portfolios, financial planning, and sub-advisory services.

Income planning Annuities Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner
user avatar

Scott M

Series 63, Series 65

New York, NY

Morgan Stanley

Scott Mahoney is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in New York, NY, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 34 years of industry experience. He has been with Morgan Stanley since 2009, including roles at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved with Giants Foot Cubed LLC. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is a large SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer that serves both individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a wide range of advisory programs and financial planning services supported by structured planning tools and broad investment resources.

General estate planning guidance
user avatar

Kayla S

Series 63, Series 65

Warwick, RI

Mass Mutual Investors Services

Kayla Santos is a financial advisor with Mass Mutual Investors Services in Warwick, RI, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having 10 years of industry experience. She has worked at Mass Mutual Investors Services since 2017 and previously at MetLife Securities. In addition to her advisory role, Santos is an independent insurance agent, offering life, fixed annuities, disability, long-term care, and health insurance products. Mass Mutual Investors Services, LLC is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employers. The firm provides financial planning, asset management, wrap and money-manager programs, and educational seminars, structuring engagements as annual collaborative relationships focused on goal analysis and written recommendations.

Divorce financial planning General estate planning guidance Multi-generational wealth transfer Cash flow / budgeting Founder/Business Owner Attorney Executive Married/Couples/Partners Divorced

Gordon B

Series 66

Luling, LA

Edward Jones

Gordon Brown III is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with 18 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has been with Edward Jones since 2008. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, with approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment options, operating under a fiduciary standard.

Retirement income strategy General estate planning guidance Multi-generational wealth transfer Wealth management Oil & Gas Engineering Professional
user avatar

William S

Series 63, Series 65

College Station, TX

Smith & Wyatt

William Soltow is a financial advisor at Smith & Wyatt with 13 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked at CoreCap Advisors, LLC. Outside of advising, he is the founder of Frontier Wealth Management and serves as an independent insurance agent with Goosehead Insurance. Smith & Wyatt serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, and corporations, managing approximately $207 million across 724 clients. The firm provides tailored financial planning, discretionary portfolio management, estate-planning consulting, and specialized educational programs, utilizing mutual funds and ETFs as primary investment vehicles.

Government Employee
user avatar

Thaddeus P

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Grand Rapids, MI

Advance Wealth Management Service, LLC

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.

College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Charitable giving & philanthropy General estate planning guidance General tax planning Options & derivatives strategies
Warmer team member

Not sure where to start?

We'll help you think it through—whether you ultimately need an advisor or not. Warmer helps you compare advisors clearly, so you can choose with confidence.

Find your advisor

For advisor listings, we rely on sources including public filings and data provided by advisors, and we cannot guarantee that all information is current or accurate. Advisors are independent and may not have reviewed or updated this information. Please review an advisor’s Form ADV and do your own diligence before deciding whether to work with them.

Advisor matching and introductions are provided by FinanceHQ LLC (“FHQ”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Warmer and an SEC-registered investment advisor. We receive compensation from certain participating advisors for introductions or referrals. This creates a conflict of interest because we have an incentive to recommend advisors who compensate us, including those who pay us more. You pay no fee to use our matching service, and advisor fees are not increased because of a referral or introduction. We do not review the ongoing performance of advisors, manage or hold assets, guarantee performance, or provide advice about specific investments.

By using our service, you agree to our Terms of Service and Advisory Agreement, and acknowledge our Privacy Policy. Please review FHQ’s ADV Part 2A and Form CRS. Logos provided by Logo.dev

© 2026 Warmer Holdings Inc. (“Warmer”)