Large-firm, startup equity planning financial advisors in San Mateo, 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 have startup equity that could vest or be exercised soon, you need an advisor who understands the unique tax and timing challenges involved. Without this expertise, you might miss opportunities to optimize your equity's value or face unexpected tax bills. Large-firm advisors often have access to broader resources and specialized teams that can support complex equity planning.

  • Equity type knowledge. Confirm they understand different equity forms like stock options, RSUs, and restricted stock units, and how each impacts your tax situation.
  • Tax strategy integration. Ask how they incorporate local tax factors, including California's high income taxes and Proposition 13 property tax limits, into your equity planning.
  • Exit event planning. Ensure they help you prepare for liquidity events, balancing timing and tax consequences to maximize your net gain.
  • Coordination with legal teams. Large firms often coordinate with your company's legal and compensation teams; ask how they manage this collaboration to protect your interests.

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

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Melissa E

Series 63, Series 65

San Mateo, CA

Alexander Beard (USA) Inc.

Melissa Eugenio is a financial advisor at Alexander Beard (USA) Inc. with 25 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Alexander Beard since 2018, following prior roles including five years at ABD Retirement Services, Inc. Outside of her advisory work, she is a Bikram yoga instructor, teaching weekly classes at Being Yoga. Alexander Beard (USA) Inc. provides advisory services primarily to individuals and retirement plans, focusing on UK citizens or former UK residents living in the U.S. with UK-based pension accounts. The firm offers pension consulting, portfolio management, and financial planning, tailoring advice to client goals and working with pension trustees to facilitate pension transfers and flexible arrangements.

Retired
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Anatoly V

Series 63, Series 65

San Mateo, CA

OSAIC Institutions, INC.

Anatoly Vilderman is a financial advisor at OSAIC Institutions, INC. with 16 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has previously worked at firms including J.P. Morgan Securities and Wells Fargo Clearing. OSAIC Institutions, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, ERISA retirement plans, trusts, estates, and corporate clients through a network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers customized advisory services, financial planning, ERISA plan services, and access to alternative investments and lending solutions, operating with a hybrid adviser/broker-dealer structure.

Annuities Tax-loss harvesting Founder/Business Owner Executive
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David F

Series 66

San Mateo, CA

LPL Financial

David Fung is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in San Mateo, CA, holding a Series 66 credential and three years of industry experience. Before joining LPL Financial in 2025, he worked at NEXT Financial Group, Inc. for two years and has prior experience in engineering roles at Applied Materials and Lam Research. Outside of his advisory work, he is employed in an engineering role at TSMC. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services including financial planning, model portfolio programs, and institutional platforms, supported by a network of over 22,800 advisors.

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

CFP®, Series 63

San Mateo, CA

Grealish Investment Counseling LLC

Kent Grealish is a CFP® professional with 26 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is the sole advisor at Grealish Investment Counseling LLC, having previously worked at Garrett Investment Advisors, Quacera, and Morgan Stanley. Grealish Investment Counseling LLC provides investment counseling focused on long-term, primarily passive portfolio strategies using low-cost index and fixed-income funds. The firm works with individual clients to develop customized Investment Policy Statements and offers project- and hourly-based advice without managing client assets or accepting commissions.

General retirement planning Income planning
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Hasnain K

CFA®

San Mateo, CA

Kilimanjaro Capital, LLC

Hasnain Karim is a CFA® charterholder and the sole advisor at Kilimanjaro Capital, LLC, an independent firm based in San Mateo, CA. He has 16 years of industry experience and has been with Kilimanjaro Capital since 2009. Kilimanjaro Capital manages discretionary investment accounts primarily for individuals using two principal strategies: a long/short strategy and a long-only strategy. The firm employs an opportunistic, value-oriented approach that includes hedging, derivatives, and short-selling in its long/short strategy, with a focus on securities trading below intrinsic value and a typical investment horizon of one to five years.

Active portfolio management Options & derivatives strategies Concentrated stock management

Kimberly H

CFP®, CRPC®

Troy, MI

Innermost Wealth Management, LLC

I founded Innermost™ Wealth Management to create a more personal, thoughtful approach to financial planning and wealth management. My background in both finance and psychology shaped my belief that money is not just about numbers. It is deeply personal and connected to your values, goals, and life experiences. I work with professionals who want to grow and simplify their wealth, with a special focus on women navigating career growth, equity compensation, and major life transitions such as divorce. Many of my clients are balancing busy lives and complex financial decisions, and they value having a long-term financial partner who truly understands their needs. My firm is centered on ongoing wealth management through investment advisory relationships. Clients work with me for comprehensive financial planning and investment management that evolves with them over time. As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® Professional, Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor℠, and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst® Candidate, I provide technical expertise and strategic guidance, while also recognizing the emotional side of financial decisions. My approach is compassionate, judgment-free, and designed to reduce stress while helping you feel more confident in your choices. I operate a fully virtual firm, working with clients across the country who appreciate flexibility and convenience. My goal is to simplify your financial life, provide clear advice, and help you align your wealth with what matters most to you. Outside of work, I enjoy traveling, photography, cooking, and spending quality time with my Beagle, Gracie.

General retirement planning General tax planning Wealth management Startup equity planning Divorce financial planning Women Professionals Life coaching / goal alignment Established Professionals Approaching retirement Dual Income Family

George S

Series 66

Hartford, CT

Merrill

George Silvester is a Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, serving as a member of the Boston Executive Services Team since 2017. He works primarily with founders, executives, and key associates at both privately held and publicly traded companies, focusing on the intricacies of equity ownership and equity compensation. George's approach begins with understanding what is most important to his clients and assessing their current position relative to their goals, ultimately developing customized financial strategies that align with their evolving life needs, resources, and aspirations. George began his career at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management as a Summer Analyst in 2016, where he developed an understanding of the client-advisor relationship and the collaborative pursuit of clients’ life goals. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Management with a concentration in Finance from Tulane University’s A.B. Freeman School of Business. Additionally, George has earned the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™ (CRPC™) designation awarded by the College for Financial Planning, as well as the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. Outside of his professional work, George’s personal interests include biking, bowling, chess, cooking, golfing, hiking, and reading.

Exec comp design Startup equity planning Liquidity event planning Wealth management ESG / Sustainable investing Founder/Business Owner Executive

James V

Series 66

Stuart, FL

Fidelity

James Van Nice is a Benefits & Planning Consultant specializing in Executive Services. In this role, he partners with executives to help them understand their employer benefits and develop plans to work towards their financial goals. James has professional experience as an Investment Solutions Representative III at Fidelity Investments from 2023 to 2025 and as an Investment Solutions Representative II at Fidelity Investments from 2022 to 2023. Prior to that, he worked at Merrill Lynch as an Investment Solutions Representative I from 2021 to 2022 and as a Financial Advisor from 2018 to 2019. Outside of his professional work, James engages in fishing, fitness, golf, running, and volunteering.

Exec comp design Liquidity event planning Startup equity planning Executive

Adam N

CFP®, Series 66

Mankato, MN

Edward Jones

Adam Neubauer is a CFP® professional with 12 years of experience in financial advising, currently working at Edward Jones since 2014. He holds the Series 66 designation and is based in Mankato, MN. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment strategies, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee solutions, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, operating under a fiduciary standard.

Retirement income strategy Charitable giving & philanthropy College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) General estate planning guidance Retirement withdrawal strategies Retired Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Juan P

Series 66

San Francisco, CA

Optimo Capital

Juan Polanco is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with Optimo Capital in San Francisco, CA, and has 11 years of industry experience. Before founding Optimo Capital, he worked at Carr & Ferrell LLP for two years. Outside of his advisory role, Mr. Polanco works full-time as an engineer at PacBio and mentors startups and founders at the Founder's Institute and LoyalVC. Optimo Capital advises founders of venture-backed companies, recently funded startups, and private investors on portfolio supervision and capital-raising. The firm uses a combined top‑down and bottom‑up analytical approach with a supervisory and consultative model, focusing on tailored services such as Investment Policy Statements, due diligence management, and pitch material preparation.

Business ownership considerations Wealth management Founder/Business Owner
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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
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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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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
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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, previously serving at Axa Advisors and MSI Financial Services. Outside of advising, he is a co-chairman of a fundraising campaign for Alpha Light Fund Inc., a nonprofit focused on renovating the House of Alpha. Equitable Advisors serves a range of clients including individuals, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations, providing financial planning, retirement consulting, and asset management through a network of representatives and third-party managers. The firm offers various investment vehicles and ERISA fiduciary services, relying on third-party program sponsors and an affiliation with a publicly traded parent company.

Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business exit / sale strategy Concentrated stock management Equity Recipients (RS/RSU, SOP, ESPP) Long-term care insurance Founder/Business Owner Retired Executive Approaching retirement Sandwich Generation
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