Top social Security optimization financial advisors in Rockford, 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 need a Social Security optimization advisor if you're approaching retirement and want to maximize your monthly benefits without triggering penalties or reducing your spouse's income. A common mistake is claiming benefits too early or in the wrong sequence, which can permanently lower your lifetime income.

  • Claiming strategy expertise. Look for advisors who explain how to time your benefits based on your full work history and expected longevity.
  • Spousal and survivor benefits. Confirm they consider how your decisions affect your spouse’s and survivor’s potential income.
  • Integration with retirement income. Ask how they coordinate Social Security with your other income sources to avoid tax pitfalls and maximize cash flow.
  • Local tax awareness. Since Illinois doesn’t tax retirement income, check how they factor this into your overall plan.

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

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Jeremy M

Series 66

Rockford, IL

Cambridge Investment Research Advisors

Jeremy Mashburn is a financial advisor with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors in Rockford, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and 15 years of industry experience. He has been with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors and Cambridge Investment Research, Inc. since 2012. Prior to his advisory career, he worked at Federal Express for 25 years. He is also involved in providing tax preparation and planning through his business, Mashburn Tax Advisors. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors is a large SEC-registered firm serving a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and trusts. The firm offers financial planning, investment management, and retirement plan advisory services through a network of independent financial professionals, utilizing multiple investment platforms and a range of discretionary and non-discretionary implementation options.

Wealth management Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Retirement income strategy Annuities Self-Employed
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Michael D

Series 63, Series 66

Rockford, IL

Edward Jones

Michael Donnelly is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Rockford, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses with 27 years of industry experience, all spent at Edward Jones. Outside of his advisory role, he is a silent partner in an educational business focused on civics and citizenship. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients with a broad range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds. The firm manages over $1 trillion in assets and operates a nationwide network of financial advisors and branch offices.

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

Series 66

Rockford, IL

Ameriprise

Tamie La Torre is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with 19 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has been with Ameriprise and its affiliates since 2011, with a brief period at Burch Dental. Ameriprise Financial Services is a large, diversified advisory firm serving individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a specialized Premier Retirement Income service focused on written retirement income recommendations and ongoing tax-aware withdrawal planning.

Retirement income strategy Income planning Social Security optimization Retirement withdrawal strategies Approaching retirement
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Michael F

Series 63, Series 65

Rockford, IL

OSAIC

Michael Foreman is a financial advisor at OSAIC with 36 years of industry experience. He held a position at Lincoln Financial Advisors Corporation for 30 years before joining OSAIC in 2025. Foreman holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and is active in his community as the immediate past president of the Rockford Rotary Club and as a boys volleyball coach at Gifted Academy at Thurgood Marshall School. OSAIC serves a diverse client base including individual, high-net-worth, institutional, and charitable organizations through a large network of affiliated advisers. The firm offers integrated brokerage and advisory services, employing asset-allocation tools and third-party platforms to manage a variety of investment portfolios.

Annuities Wealth management Tax-loss harvesting Private / alternative investments Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Matthew Y

Series 63, Series 65

Rockford, IL

LPL Financial

Matthew Young is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Rockford, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 32 years of industry experience. He has been with LPL Financial since 2004. Outside of his advisory role, he officiates high school and middle school football games and serves as a football statistician for his son's high school team. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, corporations, and charitable organizations through a national network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a range of financial planning and advisory programs, retirement plan consulting, and brokerage services, providing both discretionary and non-discretionary management with access to model portfolios, research, and various specialized investment strategies.

College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.)
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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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