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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Sandeep M

CFP®, Series 66

Santa Ana, CA

Ameriprise

Sandeep Madhavan is a CFP® with 22 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Ameriprise since 2020. He previously worked at Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. from 2003 to 2020. Madhavan serves on the Board of Directors for the Santiago Canyon College Foundation and is the Sponsorship Chair for the Tustin Western Little League. Ameriprise provides a retirement-income planning service aimed at individuals approaching or in retirement with significant investable assets, combining research-driven modeling and tax-efficient strategies. As a large institutional firm, it offers a broad range of advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions through affiliated entities.

Retirement income strategy Income planning Social Security optimization Retirement withdrawal strategies Approaching retirement
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Scott W

Series 63, Series 65

Santa Ana, CA

Greenworth Investment Advisors, LLC

Scott Wetzel is the principal of Greenworth Investment Advisors, LLC, an independent firm based in Santa Ana, CA. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 13 years of experience in the financial industry. Prior to founding Greenworth Investment Advisors in 2011, he was president and partner at Ticon General Contractors, a commercial construction company, where he worked from 1998 to 2021. Greenworth Investment Advisors serves individual clients through fee-based portfolio management and hourly consultations. The firm employs a long-term, rules-based investment approach focusing on value investing and passive strategies, managing client accounts directly without outsourcing.

Passive / index investing Active portfolio management
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Michael M

Series 63, Series 66

Santa Ana, CA

Virtue Capital Management, LLC

Michael Morera is a financial advisor with Virtue Capital Management, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 19 years of industry experience. He has worked at Virtue Capital since 2015 and previously was with Regal Advisory Services, Inc. from 2007 to 2015. Outside of advisory work, Morera is the owner of Beach Cities Tax Service and teaches financial literacy at Financial Education Jr Business School. Virtue Capital Management serves individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, qualified retirement plans, and other advisers. The firm customizes portfolios using tactical, strategic, and dynamic approaches, supported by an investment committee, and operates a multi-team model of investment adviser representatives and independent partners.

Retirement income strategy Social Security optimization Wealth management Tax-loss harvesting Business succession planning Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Taylor B

Series 63, Series 65

Santa Ana, CA

Aequitas Financial, LLC

Taylor Bell is a financial advisor with Aequitas Financial, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and five years of industry experience. He previously worked at firms including Blue Barn Wealth and Fidelity Brokerage Services and is also the owner of Aequitas Bookkeeping, a business providing bookkeeping and accounting services to small business owners. Additionally, Bell is employed as a Direct Solutions Consultant at Addepar, a performance reporting software company. Aequitas Financial is a single-advisor independent firm serving individual and high-net-worth clients with fee-only financial planning and discretionary investment management. The firm combines passive and active investments with socially responsible options and offers educational seminars alongside ongoing client engagements.

Cash flow / budgeting College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.)
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Sandip S

Series 63, Series 65

Santa Ana, CA

LPL Financial

Sandip Sehmi is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Santa Ana, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 27 years of industry experience. He has been with LPL Financial since 2009 and previously worked at Mutual Service Corporation from 2006 to 2009. Outside of his advisory role, he is a 20% member of an investment-related LLC, Caversham Resources, and serves as a successor trustee for his family trust. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plans, banks, and institutions. The firm offers a range of financial planning and investment management solutions, including third-party asset management and institutional platforms, supported by technology tools and a broad suite of non-advisory financial services.

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

Series 66

Frisco, TX

TIAA-CREF

Arjun Swarup is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Frisco, TX, holding a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining TIAA-CREF, he worked at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management and has an academic background from NYU College of Arts and Sciences. TIAA‑CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and small retirement plans, often serving clients connected to TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm offers both point-in-time planning and ongoing managed account services within a fiduciary framework, including acting as adviser to a donor-advised fund.

General estate planning guidance Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Educators, Teachers, and Academics Founder/Business Owner Approaching retirement Mid-Career Professionals
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Kevin H

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Birmingham, AL

RFG Advisory, LLC

Kevin Harper is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) with 29 years of industry experience. He is currently with RFG Advisory, LLC in Birmingham, AL, where he has worked since 2015, including prior roles at LPL Financial and Ameriprise. Harper is a co-owner of LHP Capital LLC, a commercial real estate business. RFG Advisory provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, and select institutional clients. The firm employs discretionary investment strategies through model portfolios, third-party platforms, and serves as a sub-adviser to multiple ETFs, with additional specialized services for retirement accounts and alternative investments.

Options & derivatives strategies Private / alternative investments Tax-loss harvesting Founder/Business Owner Executive Retired Women Professionals Mid-Career Professionals

Jacob H

Series 63, Series 66

Charlotte, NC

Edward Jones

Jacob Heinz is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Charlotte, NC, with 15 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 66 designations. His previous positions include roles at Fidelity Investments and E*TRADE Capital Management. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory solutions, including discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, supported by a nationwide network of thousands of financial advisors and branch offices.

Divorce financial planning Retirement income strategy Wealth management Real estate investing Educators, Teachers, and Academics
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Lindsey E

Series 63, Series 65

Cambridge, MN

EFS Advisors

Lindsey Egan is a financial advisor at EFS Advisors with 11 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked at First Republic Securities and First Republic Investment Management from 2016 to 2019. Outside of her financial advisory role, Lindsey is the owner of Women Who Explore, a community offering outdoor adventures and small group travel experiences for women. EFS Advisors provides investment advice and portfolio management to a broad client base, including individuals, business entities, charitable organizations, and qualified retirement plans. The firm employs a client-centric suitability scoring process combined with technology tools to recommend model portfolios and supports clients through discretionary and non-discretionary account management.

Options & derivatives strategies Educators, Teachers, and Academics
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Scott S

Series 63, Series 65

Farmington, CT

Medallion Wealth Advisors, LLC

Scott Stevens is a financial advisor at Medallion Wealth Advisors, LLC with 34 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at firms including Morgan Stanley and American Portfolios Financial Services, Inc. Stevens is also the proprietor of Stevens & Associates, LLC, a separate business. Medallion Wealth Advisors serves individuals, families, and retirement plans for educators and nonprofit organizations. The firm provides portfolio management, financial planning, and pension consulting with a long-term investment approach that includes discretionary and non-discretionary account management and may utilize third-party managers when appropriate.

General retirement planning Educators, Teachers, and Academics

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