Top financial advisors working with educators, teachers, and academics in Santa Ana, 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 work in education or academia, your financial needs often include managing irregular income cycles and planning for retirement with public pension systems. A common mistake is overlooking how your unique income patterns and benefits affect your overall financial plan.
- Pension integration. Confirm how the advisor incorporates your public pension benefits into your retirement strategy, not just investment accounts.
- Income timing. Ask how they handle summer breaks and sabbaticals that affect your cash flow and savings potential.
- Tax considerations. California's high income taxes and Proposition 13 property tax limits can impact your planning; see how they navigate these rules for educators.
- Education-specific benefits. Inquire about their experience with loan forgiveness programs and other educator-related financial perks.
Here are top matches to get you started. Review each profile to compare experience, credentials, and approach.
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Christian C
Series 63, Series 65
Brea, CA
Merrill
Christian Cruz specializes in financial planning for educators and academics, integrating retirement income strategies and wealth management tailored to their unique needs. Based in nearby Brea, CA, he brings 19 years of experience at Merrill, a large firm, and offers a 1.10% AUM fee for managed strategies under $2 million, distinguishing him with credentials like CFP® and CRPC™.
Experience: 20 years
Avg account: $860,085
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George G
Series 63, Series 65, Series 66
Irvine, CA
TIAA-CREF
George Grant's 32 years of experience and focus on educators, teachers, and academics make him well-equipped to address the unique financial challenges faced by this group, including retirement planning and pension integration. Based in nearby Irvine, CA, he works with high-net-worth clients at TIAA-CREF, a large firm known for customized portfolio management and a 0.30% annual wrap fee, distinguishing him from advisors with smaller practices or different fee structures.
Experience: 33 years
Avg account: $523,144
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Harvey I
CFP®, Series 66
Aliso Viejo, CA
Edward Jones
Harvey Ivory specializes in retirement income strategies and planning for educators, teachers, and academics, making him well-suited to address the unique financial challenges faced by this group in Santa Ana, CA. With eight years of experience at Edward Jones, a large full-service firm, he offers CFP®-certified guidance and manages accounts with an annual fee up to 1.35%, providing access to extensive resources and investment solutions.
Experience: 9 years
Avg account: $246,728
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Ronald P
Series 63, Series 65
Irvine, CA
Lincoln Investment
Ronald Perez specializes in serving educators, teachers, and academics, leveraging 25 years of experience and a flat-fee option for financial planning, which suits those with irregular income cycles. Based in nearby Irvine, CA, he works with a large firm managing $18.9 billion in assets, offering a blend of personalized advice and programmatic management, differentiating him from advisors with smaller practices or different fee structures.
Experience: 25 years
Avg account: $157,266
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Letitia B
Series 66
Irvine, CA
RFG Advisory, LLC
Letitia Berbaum's 14 years of experience and focus on educators, teachers, and academics make her well-suited to address the unique financial challenges faced by professionals in education, including pension integration and income timing. Operating from Irvine, CA, she offers flat-fee financial planning and employs a diverse investment approach through RFG Advisory, LLC, which includes active and passive ETFs and private investments, distinguishing her from advisors with narrower strategies.
Experience: 14 years
Avg account: $295,694
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