Top business succession planning financial advisors in San Luis Obispo, CA

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 own a business and are thinking about stepping back or retiring, you need a business succession planning advisor to help you pass your company on smoothly. Without careful planning, you might face unexpected tax burdens or disputes that can jeopardize your legacy.

  • Tax impact awareness. California's high income taxes and Proposition 13's property tax limits affect succession choices; ask how they navigate these rules.
  • Ownership transition strategies. Confirm how they handle transferring control to family, partners, or buyers to avoid operational disruptions.
  • Valuation and timing. A good advisor explains how they determine your business's worth and the best time to execute the plan.
  • Legal and financial coordination. Check how they work with your attorneys and accountants to align all parts of your succession plan.

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

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Sam R

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

San Luis Obispo, CA

Charles Schwab

Sam Rodgers is a CFP® professional with five years of experience at Charles Schwab, where he has worked since 2021. Prior to Schwab, he spent eight years with H&F Productions LLC/Hallmark Channel. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and is based in San Luis Obispo, California. Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. serves primarily high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals through its Schwab Wealth Advisory wrap fee program and affiliated managed-account and financial planning services. The firm offers a blend of non-discretionary and discretionary investment management, utilizing multi-asset model portfolios and a centralized operational structure.

Private / alternative investments Real estate investing Multi-state taxation College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.)
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Ryan O

CFP®, Series 63, Series 66

Orcutt, CA

LPL Financial

Ryan Olson is a CFP® with 21 years of industry experience and is affiliated with LPL Financial. He has been with LPL Financial since 2005 and previously worked at Crew Wealth Management from 2010 to 2018. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plans, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of financial planning and portfolio management services, utilizing various model portfolios and third-party subadvisors, supported by machine-learning tools for operational research.

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

Series 63, Series 65

San Luis Obispo, CA

Cerro Pacific Wealth Advisors, LLC

Lyle Meek is a financial advisor with Cerro Pacific Wealth Advisors, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 42 years of industry experience. He has previously worked at Wells Fargo Clearing and RBC Capital Markets. Meek serves as chair of the investment committee for the San Luis Coastal Education Foundation, a nonprofit supporting public schools. Cerro Pacific Wealth Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to individuals, trusts, retirement plans, and select corporate entities. The firm combines asset allocation and portfolio monitoring with fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis, utilizing both in-house advice and third-party managers to implement tailored investment strategies.

Options & derivatives strategies Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Tax strategies for small businesses Wealth management Founder/Business Owner
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Andrew W

Series 63

San Luis Obispo, CA

Wright Wealth Strategies, LLC

Andrew Wright is the principal of Wright Wealth Strategies, LLC, an independent advisory firm based in San Luis Obispo, CA. He holds a Series 63 designation and has 30 years of industry experience. Prior to founding his firm in 2019, he worked with LPL Financial and NWM Advisors. Wright Wealth Strategies serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, corporations, employer retirement plans, charitable organizations, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm offers both discretionary and non-discretionary asset management, utilizes fundamental and technical analysis, and employs a range of allocation strategies while providing ongoing retirement plan consulting and fiduciary services.

Options & derivatives strategies
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Christopher S

Series 66

San Luis Obispo, CA

Wells Fargo Clearing

Christopher Smith is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, based in San Luis Obispo, CA. He has over 27 years of experience in the financial industry, including 25 years with Wells Fargo Bank prior to his current role. 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 supported by research from Wells Fargo Investment Institute and third-party data.

Retired Founder/Business Owner
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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, currently serving as a financial advisor with Plante Moran Financial Advisors. He has one year of industry experience and has previously worked at J Wilson Wealth Management and operated Rizzo Lawn Care. Plante Moran Financial Advisors, LLC provides investment advisory, financial planning, and estate planning services to a diverse client base including individual households, institutional clients, and sovereign wealth funds. The firm employs a multi-disciplinary investment process and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, manager search, and tax-lot accounting services.

Active portfolio management Options & derivatives strategies Private / alternative investments Concentrated stock management Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Michael I

Series 63, Series 65

Livingston, NJ

Raymond James Financial

Michael Ipp is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 42 years of industry experience. He has been with Raymond James Financial Services Advisors since 2010 and serves as an independent contractor for 1792 Wealth Advisors. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors provides financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm offers tailored, non-discretionary planning and uses analytical tools to support client decision-making, while also maintaining specialized programs such as municipal advisory services and SIMPLE IRA Employer Advisory & Consulting Services.

Wealth management Tax strategies for small businesses Business succession planning General estate planning guidance Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Jeffrey M

CFP®, ChFC®, Series 66

Greenville, DE

Investment Management & Planning LLC

Jeffrey Macdonald is a CFP® and ChFC® with 18 years of industry experience. He has worked at Investment Management & Planning LLC and LPL Financial since 2010, following two years at Wells Fargo Clearing. Investment Management & Planning LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm constructs tailored portfolios using mutual funds, ETFs, equities, and fixed-income securities, employing fundamental analysis and continuous supervision, and operates as both a wrap program sponsor and affiliated registered representatives of LPL Financial.

General retirement planning Business succession planning Tax strategies for small businesses Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive Mid-Career Professionals Approaching retirement
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Patrick F

Series 66

New Market, MD

Intentional

Patrick Ferguson is a financial advisor at Intentional with 17 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, Commonwealth Financial Network, and LPL Financial. In addition to his advisory role, he is a licensed agent involved in the sales of fixed and traditional insurance products. Intentional provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, businesses, and institutions. The firm offers pension consulting, estate planning support, business exit planning, and due diligence on alternative investments, utilizing a combination of fundamental, technical, and economic analysis within a fiduciary framework.

Business exit / sale strategy Multi-generational wealth transfer Private / alternative investments Founder/Business Owner
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Jerald L

Series 63

San Antonio, TX

Frost Investment Services

Jerald Liesman is a financial advisor at Frost Investment Services with 33 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 63 designation and has worked at Frost Brokerage Services, Inc. and Frost Bank since 1993 and 1987, respectively. Frost Investment Services is a retail-focused, SEC-registered adviser serving individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management, comprehensive financial planning, and managed account programs that integrate model portfolios from its affiliate with third-party managers, utilizing a research-driven investment process and providing optional tax and ESG overlay services.

Tax-loss harvesting ESG / Sustainable investing Retirement income strategy General estate planning guidance Business succession planning Founder/Business Owner Executive

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