Large-firm, social Security optimization financial advisors in Salem, 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 might seek a Social Security optimization advisor when you're nearing retirement and want to maximize your benefits without risking penalties or reduced payouts. A common mistake is claiming benefits too early or without considering spousal and survivor options, which can significantly lower your lifetime income. Large-firm advisors often have access to extensive resources and specialized teams, which can benefit complex Social Security planning.

  • Benefit timing strategies. Ask how they determine the best age for you to start claiming benefits based on your full financial picture.
  • Spousal and survivor benefits. Confirm they evaluate all available Social Security options for couples, not just individual benefits.
  • Coordination with retirement income. Ensure they integrate Social Security decisions with your other income sources to avoid unintended tax consequences.
  • Experience with Oregon tax rules. Since Oregon has relatively high income taxes, check how they factor state taxes into your Social Security planning.

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

Matthew M

CFP®, Series 63

Bend, OR

Fidelity

Matthew Metos is a CFP® professional with nine years of experience in the financial industry. He is currently with Fidelity Investments and has prior experience at Loring, Wolcott and Coolidge Trust Company, LLC. Metos holds a Series 63 license and works out of Bend, Oregon. He is affiliated with Strategic Advisers LLC, a Fidelity Investments company that provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients. The firm utilizes a blend of fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to deliver model portfolios and manages a variety of advisory roles including fund and multi-manager strategies.

Charitable giving & philanthropy Active portfolio management

George C

Series 66

Salem, OR

Merrill

George Carter is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management based in Salem, Oregon. He works with individuals, business owners, and their families to simplify their finances by building holistic financial approaches tailored to their unique situations. His services include retirement planning, cash flow management, business succession planning, credit and lending needs, and generational education saving strategies, leveraging the investment insights of Merrill alongside banking and lending solutions from Bank of America. Mr. Carter holds a Bachelor's Degree from Linfield College and holds the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. He emphasizes developing personalized financial strategies to help clients pursue their long-term goals with confidence, working closely one-on-one to address the challenges they face in managing their financial lives. He resides in Salem with his wife, Abby, and their two children. Outside of his professional work, George enjoys stand-up paddling and golf. He has also volunteered with the McNary High School football program from 2013 to 2015 and has been involved with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA).

Wealth management Business succession planning Cash flow / budgeting College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) General retirement planning
user avatar

Maria S

Series 66

Salem, OR

Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc.

Maria Spores is a financial advisor with Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc., holding a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. She has worked with affiliated entities of Bankers Life since 2021 and serves as a Unit Field Trainer, recruiting and training insurance agents. Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. provides discretionary portfolio management and investment consulting primarily to mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals. The firm focuses on customized asset allocation, tax efficiency, and a mix of analytical approaches to portfolio management.

Wealth management Retired
user avatar

Justin C

Series 66

Salem, OR

LPL Financial

Justin Campbell is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Salem, Oregon, holding the Series 66 designation and having seven years of industry experience. He has been with LPL Financial since 2018 and also has experience working with Salem Keizer Public Schools. Outside of his advisory role, he operates Campbell Wealth Management LLC. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving a broad client base including individuals, retirement plans, and institutions through a national network. The firm offers various advisory programs, retirement plan consulting, and brokerage services supported by research and model portfolios.

College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.)

Jeffrey D

CFP®, Series 66

Salem, OR

Edward Jones

Jeffrey Davis is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) with 12 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Edward Jones since 2013. Based in Salem, OR, he holds the Series 66 designation. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in real estate through ownership of Davis Land Holdings LLC. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients, including pension plans, corporate clients, and charitable organizations. The firm manages over $1 trillion in assets with a nationwide network of more than 23,700 advisors and offers a range of advisory strategies, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee programs, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds.

Charitable giving & philanthropy Family Business Business ownership considerations Multi-generational wealth transfer Wealth management Founder/Business Owner Intergenerational Families
user avatar

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)
user avatar

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
user avatar

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
user avatar

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
user avatar

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
user avatar

Jeffrey P

Series 66

Dacula, GA

Merrill

Jeffrey Park is a financial advisor at Merrill with eight years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Merrill and affiliated firms since 2011, including roles at JPMorgan Chase Bank and J.P. Morgan Securities. Outside of his advisory work, he is a sole owner and co-owner of family rental properties in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, offering model-based and discretionary strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors.

Tax-loss harvesting Active portfolio management Wealth management
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

Elizabeth B

Series 66

New York, NY

J.P. Morgan Securities

Elizabeth Brown is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities in New York, NY, where she has worked since 2012. She has 26 years of industry experience. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services to clients such as corporations, foundations, and defined contribution plan sponsors, offering asset allocation advice, investment manager and fund searches, and customized performance reporting through a select group of Wealth Advisors. The firm combines large institutional advisory operations with brokerage, distribution, and investment management capabilities.

Wealth management Executive Founder/Business Owner
user avatar

Wesley P

Series 63, Series 66

Fort Worth, TX

Wells Fargo Clearing

Wesley Pool is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with 15 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and previously worked at JPMorgan Securities LLC for seven years. Outside of finance, he has been involved with #TagMeBro LLC and Fry Street Public House. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and offers both brokerage and advisory solutions.

Retired Founder/Business Owner
user avatar

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)
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 referrals are provided by FinanceHQ LLC ("FHQ"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Warmer and an SEC-registered investment adviser. We may be compensated by participating advisors. You pay no fee to use our matching service, and advisor fees are not increased because of a referral. We do not supervise advisors, manage or hold assets, guarantee performance, or provide advice about specific investments.

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

© 2026 Warmer Holdings Inc. ("Warmer")