CFP®-certified, social Security optimization financial advisors in Pittsburgh, PA

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 approaching retirement and want to maximize your Social Security benefits, you need an advisor who understands the timing and claiming strategies that can boost your income. A common mistake is claiming benefits too early or without considering how it affects your overall retirement plan.

  • Claiming age strategy. Ask how they determine the best age for you to start benefits, balancing immediate needs with long-term income.
  • Spousal and survivor benefits. Confirm they evaluate options for you and your spouse to optimize combined benefits.
  • Tax impact awareness. Since retirement income is generally exempt from state income tax in Pennsylvania, check how they factor this into your Social Security planning.
  • Coordination with other income. Ensure they consider how Social Security interacts with pensions, investments, and other income sources to avoid unexpected tax consequences.

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

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Tea L

Series 63, Series 65

Pittsburg, PA

Merrill

Tea Lundell is a Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. She focuses on helping clients develop personalized financial strategies tailored to their long-term goals. Drawing on extensive experience, Tea provides access to investment insights and a range of banking and lending solutions to support her clients' wealth management needs. Her client focus areas include legacy planning, liquidity management, managing new wealth, personal retirement planning, portfolio management services, retirement income, and values-based investing such as socially responsible and ESG investing. Tea brings a comprehensive approach to wealth management, emphasizing flexibility and alignment with clients’ priorities. Tea holds a Bachelor's Degree from Colgate University and maintains her professional designations as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CFP) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). Outside of her professional commitments, she enjoys golfing, skiing, and spending time with her family. Tea is also involved in her community through her association with the Marthas Vineyard Boys and Girls Club.

Wealth management ESG / Sustainable investing Retirement income strategy
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Shobhan S

Series 63, Series 65

Pittsburgh, PA

Sheth Group

Shobhan Sheth is the principal of Sheth Group with 35 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at firms including GT Securities and Mid-Market Securities. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved in various business activities such as real estate brokerage, legal service sales, and small business brokerage. Sheth Group is a registered investment adviser serving individuals and high-net-worth clients with discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting. The firm employs a modern portfolio theory approach utilizing model portfolios, asset allocation, and disciplined rebalancing, and also recommends third-party advisers when appropriate.

College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.)
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Shawn Z

Series 63, Series 65

Pittsburgh, PA

PNC Wealth Management

Shawn Zelmore is a financial advisor with PNC Wealth Management in Pittsburgh, PA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 24 years of industry experience. He has been with PNC Investments since 2004. PNC Wealth Management offers retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including an invitation-only digital portfolio solution that uses algorithmic risk assessment and third-party managed strategies with mutual funds and ETFs.

Passive / index investing Active portfolio management Wealth management Executive
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John H

Series 66

Pittsburgh, PA

Cetera

John Harshman is a financial advisor at Cetera with 18 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including Citizens Securities Inc. and Clarfeld Financial Advisors, LLC. Outside of his advisory work, he serves on the investment committee for Claysville Sportsman's Club and holds board and committee roles with the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and the BISA membership committee, as well as assisting as a soccer coach. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm serving individual, retirement plan, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients through a nationwide network of over 10,000 advisors. The firm offers a range of portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services across various program structures and custodial relationships.

Wealth management Tax-loss harvesting Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business exit / sale strategy Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Dominic N

Series 63, Series 66, Series 65

Pittsburgh, PA

Prosper Wisely, LLC

Dominic Necciai is a financial advisor at Prosper Wisely, LLC in Pittsburgh, PA, with seven years of industry experience. He holds Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and previously worked at PNC for eight years before founding Prosper Wisely in 2021. He is also a licensed insurance agent in Pennsylvania. Prosper Wisely provides investment planning and consulting services to individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, and other business entities. The firm focuses on tailored planning engagements that include cash flow analysis, tax and legacy planning, asset allocation, and risk management without managing client assets or sponsoring wrap-fee programs.

Income planning General tax planning General retirement planning
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Willie M

Series 63, Series 66

Cary, NC

Equitable Advisors

Willie Myles is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Cary, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 16 years of industry experience. He has worked at Equitable Advisors since 2016 and previously at AXA Advisors, LLC. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as co-chairman of a fundraising campaign for the nonprofit Alpha Light Fund Inc., focused on renovating the House of Alpha. Equitable Advisors serves a diverse client base including individual, high-net-worth, retirement plan, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients, offering financial planning, broker-dealer services, insurance distribution, and access to third-party asset management programs. The firm operates as both an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer, leveraging LPL-sponsored programs and endorsed TAMPs to deliver advisory and brokerage solutions.

Retirement income strategy Social Security optimization Founder/Business Owner Retired Executive Approaching retirement Baby Boomers (Born 1946-1964)
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Stavroula K

Series 63, Series 65

Linwood, NJ

Ameriprise

Stavroula Koutsfetsoulis is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with 25 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Ameriprise and its affiliated entities since 2011. In addition to her advisory role, she is involved in fiduciary activities as an attorney-in-fact (power of attorney). Ameriprise is a large institutional firm that provides retirement-income planning services primarily to individuals with substantial investable assets. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to deliver written recommendation reports through a centralized consulting team, focusing on tailored retirement income strategies.

Retirement income strategy Income planning Social Security optimization Retirement withdrawal strategies Approaching retirement
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Cassandra S

Series 63, Series 65

Plano, TX

Financial & Tax Architects, LLC

Cassandra Sanchez is a financial advisor at Financial & Tax Architects, LLC with seven years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at Fisher Investments, TIAA, US Health Advisors, and various other firms. Sanchez also had involvement with Drunken Donkey, reflecting experience outside the financial sector. Financial & Tax Architects provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, focusing on those nearing or in retirement. The firm offers proprietary “Private Wealth Strategies” that use ETFs, individual securities, and trend-aware rebalancing, with accounts reviewed monthly and customizable strategies to meet client needs.

Retirement income strategy Social Security optimization Annuities Income planning General tax planning Retired
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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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Charles P

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

San Rafael, CA

WealthSpire Advisors

Charles Pyfer III is a CFP® professional with 19 years of industry experience, currently serving at Wealthspire Advisors since 2024. Prior to this, he spent 15 years at Private Ocean. Wealthspire Advisors provides wealth management, investment advisory, financial planning, and family office support to a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, retirement plans, and nonprofit organizations. The firm employs a relationship-driven, customized investment approach that emphasizes diversified, institutional-style asset allocation and utilizes a range of investment vehicles and third-party platforms for comprehensive portfolio management.

Retirement income strategy Social Security optimization Roth conversion strategy Tax-loss harvesting Private / alternative investments Founder/Business Owner Retired Mid-Career Professionals Established Professionals
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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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