Seasoned, general estate planning guidance 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.

You might seek estate planning help when you want to organize your assets and wishes clearly, especially if you own property in San Luis Obispo where Proposition 13 limits property tax increases. A common mistake is working with an advisor who overlooks how local tax rules affect your long-term estate costs.

  • Local tax knowledge. Confirm they understand how Proposition 13 impacts your property taxes over time and how that fits into your estate plan.
  • Asset coordination. Ask how they integrate various assets like real estate, investments, and personal property into a cohesive plan.
  • Legacy clarity. Ensure they help you clearly define how your estate should be distributed to avoid family disputes.
  • Experience depth. Seasoned advisors often anticipate complex scenarios and can guide you through potential challenges in estate planning.

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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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
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Kayla S

Series 63, Series 65

Warwick, RI

Mass Mutual Investors Services

Kayla Santos is a financial advisor with Mass Mutual Investors Services in Warwick, RI, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having 10 years of industry experience. She has worked at Mass Mutual Investors Services since 2017 and previously at MetLife Securities. In addition to her advisory role, Santos is an independent insurance agent, offering life, fixed annuities, disability, long-term care, and health insurance products. Mass Mutual Investors Services, LLC is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employers. The firm provides financial planning, asset management, wrap and money-manager programs, and educational seminars, structuring engagements as annual collaborative relationships focused on goal analysis and written recommendations.

Divorce financial planning General estate planning guidance Multi-generational wealth transfer Cash flow / budgeting Founder/Business Owner Attorney Executive Married/Couples/Partners Divorced

Gordon B

Series 66

Luling, LA

Edward Jones

Gordon Brown III is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with 18 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has been with Edward Jones since 2008. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, with approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment options, operating under a fiduciary standard.

Retirement income strategy General estate planning guidance Multi-generational wealth transfer Wealth management Oil & Gas Engineering Professional
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William S

Series 63, Series 65

College Station, TX

Smith & Wyatt

William Soltow is a financial advisor at Smith & Wyatt with 13 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked at CoreCap Advisors, LLC. Outside of advising, he is the founder of Frontier Wealth Management and serves as an independent insurance agent with Goosehead Insurance. Smith & Wyatt serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, and corporations, managing approximately $207 million across 724 clients. The firm provides tailored financial planning, discretionary portfolio management, estate-planning consulting, and specialized educational programs, utilizing mutual funds and ETFs as primary investment vehicles.

Government Employee
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Thaddeus P

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Grand Rapids, MI

Advance Wealth Management Service, LLC

Thaddeus Phelps is a CFP® professional with 28 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has worked at Advance Wealth Management Service, LLC since 2019 and previously spent 14 years with Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. In addition to his advisory work, Phelps owns a tax preparation business and an accounting support service, and he serves in fiduciary roles such as trustee and executor. Advance Wealth Management Service, LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services primarily to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, and business entities. The firm offers discretionary investment management through a wrap asset management program and emphasizes an individualized approach with asset allocation supported by fundamental, sector, and technical analysis, including risk management strategies such as put options and conservative cash instruments.

College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Charitable giving & philanthropy General estate planning guidance General tax planning Options & derivatives strategies
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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
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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
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David C

Series 63, Series 65

Houston, TX

LPL Financial

David Cade is a financial advisor with LPL Financial based in Houston, TX. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 42 years of industry experience. Prior to joining LPL Financial in 2025, he worked at Next Financial Group, Inc. for 20 years and Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. for six years. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of financial planning and portfolio management solutions, integrating proprietary research and third-party strategies.

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

Series 63

Mt. Laurel, NJ

BC Advisors, LLC

Linda Postorivo is a financial advisor at BC Advisors, LLC with 43 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 63 designation and has worked with MAFG RIA Services, Inc. since 1994 and with Mid-Atlantic Companies since 1981. BC Advisors provides investment advisory and portfolio management services primarily to high-net-worth individuals, family trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, and other institutional clients. The firm emphasizes non-discretionary investment recommendations grounded in fundamental analysis alongside technical and cyclical reviews, employing a variety of strategies including long-term, short-term, trading, options, and alternatives.

Active portfolio management
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