Independent financial advisors in Pontiac, IL

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 seek an independent financial advisor when you want advice free from firm product pressures, especially if your financial situation involves complex decisions or multiple income sources. The main risk is working with someone whose recommendations are influenced by their employer's interests rather than your goals. Independent advisors typically have more freedom to tailor strategies that fit your unique needs.

  • Firm affiliation clarity. Confirm how independence affects the products and services they can offer you.
  • Fee structure transparency. Ask how their compensation aligns with your financial outcomes, not firm sales targets.
  • Experience with local tax nuances. Since Illinois has no tax on retirement income but high property taxes, see how they incorporate this into your plan.
  • Holistic financial planning. Check if they consider all aspects of your finances, not just investments, to avoid gaps in your strategy.

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

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Thomas N

Series 66

Pontiac, IL

Edward Jones

Thomas Nelson is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Pontiac, IL, holding a Series 66 designation. He joined Edward Jones in 2026 after four years at State Farm and has no prior industry experience before 2021. Nelson's background includes completing his education at Illinois Wesleyan University and attending Central Catholic High School. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million clients, including individual and institutional investors. The firm offers a range of investment strategies and operates under a fiduciary standard, supported by a large network of financial advisors and branch offices nationwide.

Wealth management Tax-loss harvesting Multi-generational wealth transfer Retired Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Dale M

Series 65

Fairbury, IL

Maley Financial Planning

Dale Maley is a financial advisor with Maley Financial Planning in Fairbury, IL, holding a Series 65 designation and 20 years of industry experience. He has worked as an engineer at Caterpillar Inc. since 1979, currently supervising a group of engineers. Maley Financial Planning is an independent firm serving clients with personalized financial planning and advisory services.

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Gregory J

Series 66

Fairbury, IL

Cetera

Gregory Jones is a financial advisor with Cetera holding a Series 66 designation and four years of industry experience. He previously worked at Wells Fargo Advisors from 1998 to 2021 and has been with Cetera since 2021. He also has concurrent experience with Bank of Pontiac. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is a nationwide SEC-registered firm serving individuals, retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts. The firm offers a multi-manager platform with a range of portfolio management and financial planning services, supporting various investment strategies and program structures.

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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Todd M

Series 63, Series 65

Pontiac, IL

LPL Enterprise

Todd Manning is a financial advisor with LPL Enterprise, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and four years of industry experience. He previously worked at Brookstone Wealth Advisors and operated an advertising agency, Your Niche Media LLC, where he served as president and owner. Outside of financial advising, he organizes amateur golf tournaments as a chapter owner of Ned Golf LLC. LPL Enterprise provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individual and high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, and charitable entities. The firm primarily employs model-driven investment implementation using portfolios developed by in-house research and third-party strategists, and offers financial planning, access to third-party asset managers, and insurance product facilitation through affiliated entities.

Tax-loss harvesting
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Richard H

Series 63, Series 65

Pontiac, IL

LPL Financial

Richard Hiatt is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 28 years of industry experience. Prior to joining LPL Financial in 2025, he worked for Wayne Hummer Investments L.L.C. for 19 years and has been involved with Focused Investments LLC since 2000. He serves as a nonprofit board member of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides advisory and brokerage services through a large network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a range of financial planning and asset management solutions to individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions.

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

Series 65

Huntington Beach, CA

Northwest Asset Management

Jared Fruth is a financial advisor at Northwest Asset Management with four years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at Securities America, Inc., KMS Financial Services, Inc., Oppenheimer Funds, and John Paul Mitchell Systems. Northwest Asset Management is a registered investment adviser managing approximately $3.6 billion for nearly 3,000 clients, including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charities, and corporations. The firm employs a customized, fiduciary approach using Modern Portfolio Theory and strategic asset allocation, combining fundamental and technical analysis to build diversified portfolios with periodic rebalancing.

Retirement income strategy Wealth management Active portfolio management Founder/Business Owner
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Edwina M

Series 65

Cincinnati, OH

Waverly Advisors, LLC

Edwina Martin is a Series 65 licensed financial advisor with two years of industry experience, currently with Waverly Advisors, LLC. She previously worked at 9258 Wealth Management for five years and was employed at Teradata Corp for eleven years. Martin also serves as assistant director of tax planning at 9258 Tax and Planning, a non-investment related business. Waverly Advisors is a multi-team registered investment adviser managing portfolios for individuals, retirement plans, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm combines traditional equity and fixed-income strategies with alternative and private-market allocations, offering a range of investment management and financial planning services.

Private / alternative investments Real estate investing Options & derivatives strategies Tax-loss harvesting Multi-generational wealth transfer Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Craig M

Series 63, Series 65

Columbia, SC

Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC

Craig Mcdaniel Jr. is a financial advisor with Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC in Columbia, SC. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 13 years of industry experience. He has been with Capital Investment Group, Inc. and The McDaniel Corporation since 2012. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in life insurance sales and serves as an independent agent for annuities and related products. Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC provides investment advisory and supervisory services to individuals, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm offers customized investment management through discretionary mandates, third-party managers, and private-label model portfolios, using a blend of analytical methods with ongoing portfolio monitoring.

Active portfolio management Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Annuities Options & derivatives strategies Founder/Business Owner Retired
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David H

Series 65

Irvine, CA

Martin Wealth Management, LLC

David Hart is a financial advisor with Martin Wealth Management, LLC in Irvine, CA. He holds a Series 65 credential and has 15 years of industry experience. Hart previously worked with Safeguard Investment Advisory Group and LifePro Asset Management. He is also a Certified Financial Fiduciary and volunteers as an instructor with the Foundation for Fiduciary Education, providing unbiased fiduciary financial education to the public. Martin Wealth Management offers investment advisory services primarily to individuals and high-net-worth clients by co-advising and directing accounts to a third-party money manager, Matson Money. The firm focuses on client onboarding, documentation, and ongoing review of third-party manager accounts rather than direct asset management.

Medicare planning Annuities
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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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