Independent, life insurance needs analysis financial advisors in Portland, OR

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 need a life insurance needs analysis advisor if you're unsure whether your current coverage matches your financial goals or if your family’s needs have changed. A common mistake is over-insuring or under-insuring, which can either waste money or leave gaps in protection. Independent advisors here operate without ties to specific insurers, aiming to offer options that fit your unique situation.

  • Comprehensive coverage review. Confirm they evaluate all your existing policies, including employer-provided plans, to identify overlaps or gaps.
  • Needs-based approach. Look for advisors who base recommendations on your current and future financial obligations, not just standard formulas.
  • Policy cost analysis. Ask how they compare premiums and benefits across different insurers to find cost-effective solutions.
  • Integration with financial goals. Ensure they consider how life insurance fits into your broader financial plan, including estate and tax considerations.

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

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Cole B

Series 66

Portland, OR

Ameriprise

Cole Buffehr is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with eight years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has worked previously at LPL Financial LLC, Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc., and The Finity Group. Buffehr is also involved with Gojisan, LLC as a paraplanner outside of his advisory role. Ameriprise Financial Services is a large, diversified firm serving individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a specialized Premier Retirement Income service, providing retirement-income planning advice that emphasizes dependable income sources and tax-aware withdrawal strategies.

Retirement income strategy Income planning Social Security optimization Retirement withdrawal strategies Approaching retirement
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Richard T

Series 65

Portland, OR

Arcadia Investment Advisors, LLC

Richard Teutsch is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with over 31 years of experience, currently serving at Arcadia Investment Advisors, LLC in Portland, OR. He has been with the firm and its predecessor, Arcadia Financial Group, for 30 years. Arcadia Investment Advisors serves individual investors, families, trusts, pension plans, and non-profits, offering discretionary portfolio management alongside retirement planning and financial analysis. The firm emphasizes strategic asset allocation, low-cost funds, and tax-aware portfolio construction tailored to clients’ cash-flow needs and risk tolerance.

General retirement planning Tax-loss harvesting Roth conversion strategy
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Jonathan S

Series 66

Portland, OR

Merrill

Jonathan Stults is a financial advisor at Merrill in Portland, OR, holding a Series 66 credential with one year of industry experience. He has previously worked at Ross and Bank of America, N.A. Jonathan has been with Merrill since 2017. Merrill, along with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients, offering model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional accounts.

Tax-loss harvesting Active portfolio management Wealth management
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Rich K

Series 63

Portland, OR

Equity Services, inc.

Rich Kelly is a financial advisor with Equity Services, Inc. in Portland, OR, holding a Series 63 designation and over 40 years of industry experience. He has been with Equity Services, Inc. and National Life of Vermont since 1985. In addition to his advisory role, he owns and manages health and life insurance sales businesses in the Pacific Northwest. Equity Services, Inc., operating as ESI Financial Advisors, provides financial planning, consulting, and asset management services to individuals, corporations, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employer retirement plans. The firm offers multiple advisory platforms, using third-party asset managers and model portfolios, with a focus on both long-term strategies and options for shorter-term trading.

Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Options & derivatives strategies Income planning Founder/Business Owner Retired Executive

Lesley T

Series 66

Portland, OR

Edward Jones

Lesley Tylczak is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with eight years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at Edward Jones since 2017. Prior to that, she operated Tylczak BANG! and spent six years at the University of Minnesota’s Department of Entomology. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients with a range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and maintains a large network of financial advisors and branch offices nationwide.

Charitable giving & philanthropy General estate planning guidance College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Planning for children with special needs Retired Founder/Business Owner Executive LGBTQIA
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Aden P

CFP®, Series 65

Greenville, SC

Foundations Investment Advisors LLC

Aden Partee is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license, currently serving as a financial advisor at Foundations Investment Advisors LLC with two years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at JEHM Wealth & Retirement, Alloy Investment Management, and LPL Financial. Outside of finance, he has work experience in the retail and service industries, including multiple years at Chick-fil-A. Foundations Investment Advisors LLC provides financial planning and portfolio management to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, employer-sponsored retirement plans, and registered investment companies. The firm uses a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis in its investment approach and offers services through a large network of affiliated offices and representatives.

ESG / Sustainable investing
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Don L

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65, Series 66

Mesa, AZ

Larson Wealth Management, LLC

Don Larson is the principal advisor at Larson Wealth Management, LLC in Mesa, Arizona, holding a CFP® designation along with Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and bringing 20 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Steele Larson Advisors, LLLP for seven years before founding Larson Wealth Management in 2011. Outside of advisory services, he owns and manages a bookkeeping and tax preparation business and serves as secretary and treasurer for AEM International (US) Ltd. Larson Wealth Management provides investment supervisory and consulting services to a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals, family offices, corporate and Taft-Hartley employee benefit plans, and charitable organizations. The firm employs customized strategic asset allocations across various equity and fixed income securities, emphasizing mutual funds and ETFs, and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management with regular reviews.

Business succession planning Cash flow / budgeting Debt management Life insurance needs analysis Founder/Business Owner Retired Executive
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Malissa M

Series 65

Hot Springs, AR

Black Knight Wealth Management, LLC

Malissa Mc Nanna is a financial advisor with Black Knight Wealth Management, LLC and holds a Series 65 designation. She has four years of industry experience and has previously worked at Optivise Advisory Services, LLC, OnPointe Advisory and Financial Services LLC, and Vision Advisors, Inc. Outside of her advisory role, she is involved with Vision Advisors, Inc., where she recruits agents, conducts product training, and provides sales support for annuity and life insurance products. Black Knight Wealth Management serves individual and high-net-worth clients by offering portfolio management, financial planning, and coordination with other professional advisors. The firm employs a range of investment strategies and prepares individualized Investment Policy Statements, managing accounts primarily on a discretionary, asset-based basis while reviewing portfolios monthly.

Concentrated stock management Retirement income strategy Annuities Private / alternative investments Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Gregory S

Series 63, Series 66

Atlanta, GA

Smarr Financial Services Inc.

Gregory Smarr is a financial advisor with Smarr Financial Services Inc. in Atlanta, GA, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and possessing 21 years of industry experience. He has led his independent firm since 2004. Outside of his advisory work, he is licensed to sell various insurance products including life, fixed annuities, and property and casualty insurance through multiple carriers. Smarr Financial Services, Inc. provides financial planning and investment supervisory services to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and other business entities. The firm employs a fundamental investment approach combining long-term buy-and-hold strategies with selective short-term trading, managing a diverse portfolio that includes equities, mutual funds, ETFs, REITs, fixed income, alternatives, and options.

Life insurance needs analysis Disability insurance Long-term care insurance
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Jacob B

Series 63, Series 66

Forsyth, GA

Binnerinvestments

Jacob Binner is a financial advisor at BinnerInvestments with four years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and previously worked at Fidelity, Merrill Lynch, and E*Trade Securities. BinnerInvestments provides ongoing portfolio management and standalone financial planning for individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm’s investment approach combines multiple analytical methods to construct diversified portfolios and typically manages discretionary assets while delivering quarterly reports and written investment policy statements.

College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Life insurance needs analysis Cash flow / budgeting
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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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