Independent, college savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) financial advisors in Santa Barbara, CA

Lauren Vanveelen is a financial advisor at Axxcess Wealth Management, LLC with 16 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at Daniel Investment Associates, LLC from 2016 to 2020 before joining Axxcess Wealth Management in 2020. Axxcess Wealth Management provides wealth management, financial planning, retirement-plan advisory, and consulting services to a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, businesses, and governmental entities. The firm utilizes a customized, multi-asset investment approach with portfolios constructed from internal management, third-party managers, ETFs, mutual funds, structured products, and alternative investments.

Hunter Sears is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with Series 63 and Series 66 designations and four years of industry experience. Prior to joining Edward Jones in 2023, he worked at NYlife Securities LLC and New York Life Insurance Company from 2021 to 2023. His background also includes roles at Abercrombie and Fitch, Nike, Sinclair Broadcasting Corporation, and the University of Washington. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management and offers a range of discretionary and non-discretionary investment strategies, alongside affiliated mutual funds and tax-efficient services.

John Bell is a financial advisor at Thryve Wealth Management with nine years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked previously at J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Quasar Distributors, LLC, and Strive Asset Management, LLC. Thryve Wealth Management provides wealth management, financial planning, discretionary investment management, and retirement plan advisory to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, foundations, corporations, and other entities. The firm uses a Core-and-Satellite investment approach focused primarily on U.S. markets, combining passive direct indexing with systematic tax-loss harvesting and alternative investments.

Gregory Smith is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) and Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®) with 23 years of experience in financial advisory. He has been with Mission Wealth Management, LP since 2003, including its predecessor entity, and is based in Santa Barbara, CA. In addition to his advisory role, he holds licenses as a health insurance agent for Blue Cross and Blue Shield. Mission Wealth Management serves high-net-worth individuals, families, and institutional clients by providing integrated wealth management, financial planning, and investment consulting services. The firm employs a comprehensive approach that combines investment management with tax, trust, legacy, philanthropy, and risk planning, managing portfolios through a mix of internal and third-party strategies.

Gregory Van Wyk is a financial advisor at Daniel Investment Associates, LLC with 23 years of industry experience. He has worked at Daniel Investment Associates since 2011 and was previously with Kobo Wealth Conservancy from 2015 to 2020. He holds a Series 65 designation and maintains an inactive CPA certification. Daniel Investment Associates provides investment management and advisory services primarily to high net worth individuals, foundations, and charitable organizations. The firm emphasizes strategic asset allocation using index and actively managed mutual funds, ETFs, and long/short techniques, managing accounts mainly on a non-discretionary basis with quarterly reviews.

Hassan Al Kadhimi is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and two years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. He is also involved with NIHFCU Wealth Advisors, a related business entity. 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 large network of investment adviser representatives.

Richard Brandi is a financial advisor with Charles Schwab based in Austin, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 32 years of industry experience. He has been with Charles Schwab and Charles Schwab Bank ssb since 2003 and 2005, respectively. 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 mix of non-discretionary and discretionary investment guidance, leveraging multi-asset model portfolios and research from its Schwab Center for Financial Research.

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.

Paul Kinneberg is a CFP® and Series 65-registered advisor with 24 years of industry experience. He has been the principal and sole advisor at Longview Financial, Inc. since 2000 and also holds a long-term corporate role at CenturyLink. Longview Financial, Inc. provides personalized, fee-only financial planning and investment management primarily for individual clients. The firm uses a strategic asset allocation approach with a core-and-satellite framework, combining passive index and ETF core holdings with active funds when appropriate, and manages client assets on a non-discretionary basis with an emphasis on individualized advice.

Justin Scicluna is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Prairie Village, KS, holding the CFP®, ChFC®, and Series 66 designations with 13 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2013. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients, including a range of household types, pension plans, corporate clients, and charitable organizations. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and offers various advisory programs, discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, and affiliated investment products through a nationwide network of over 23,700 financial advisors.

Jared Fruth is a financial advisor at Northwest Asset Management with four years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at Securities America, Inc., KMS Financial Services, Inc., Oppenheimer Funds, and John Paul Mitchell Systems. Northwest Asset Management is a registered investment adviser managing approximately $3.6 billion for nearly 3,000 clients, including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charities, and corporations. The firm employs a customized, fiduciary approach using Modern Portfolio Theory and strategic asset allocation, combining fundamental and technical analysis to build diversified portfolios with periodic rebalancing.

Edwina Martin is a Series 65 licensed financial advisor with two years of industry experience, currently with Waverly Advisors, LLC. She previously worked at 9258 Wealth Management for five years and was employed at Teradata Corp for eleven years. Martin also serves as assistant director of tax planning at 9258 Tax and Planning, a non-investment related business. Waverly Advisors is a multi-team registered investment adviser managing portfolios for individuals, retirement plans, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm combines traditional equity and fixed-income strategies with alternative and private-market allocations, offering a range of investment management and financial planning services.

Craig Mcdaniel Jr. is a financial advisor with Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC in Columbia, SC. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 13 years of industry experience. He has been with Capital Investment Group, Inc. and The McDaniel Corporation since 2012. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in life insurance sales and serves as an independent agent for annuities and related products. Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC provides investment advisory and supervisory services to individuals, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm offers customized investment management through discretionary mandates, third-party managers, and private-label model portfolios, using a blend of analytical methods with ongoing portfolio monitoring.

David Hart is a financial advisor with Martin Wealth Management, LLC in Irvine, CA. He holds a Series 65 credential and has 15 years of industry experience. Hart previously worked with Safeguard Investment Advisory Group and LifePro Asset Management. He is also a Certified Financial Fiduciary and volunteers as an instructor with the Foundation for Fiduciary Education, providing unbiased fiduciary financial education to the public. Martin Wealth Management offers investment advisory services primarily to individuals and high-net-worth clients by co-advising and directing accounts to a third-party money manager, Matson Money. The firm focuses on client onboarding, documentation, and ongoing review of third-party manager accounts rather than direct asset management.

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.