Top charitable giving tax strategies financial advisors in Santa Clara, 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’re planning to make significant charitable donations and want to optimize the tax benefits, you need an advisor who understands the nuances of charitable giving tax strategies. Without this expertise, you might miss opportunities to reduce your tax burden effectively or inadvertently trigger unexpected tax consequences.

  • Donation timing insights. Ask how they recommend scheduling gifts to maximize tax deductions and avoid pitfalls like reduced benefits in high-income years.
  • Asset selection guidance. Confirm whether they advise on which assets to donate—such as appreciated stock versus cash—to enhance tax efficiency.
  • Integration with your tax situation. Ensure they consider California’s high income taxes and Proposition 13’s property tax limits when crafting your giving plan.
  • Coordination with estate plans. Charitable giving often intersects with estate planning; ask how they align these strategies to support your long-term goals.

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

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Steven D

Series 63, Series 66

Santa Clara, CA

Edward Jones

Steven Duffy is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with 33 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 1992 and holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations. Outside of his advisory role, he serves on the Lay Pension Board, Investment Committee, and Finance Council for the Diocese of San Jose, overseeing and reviewing the management of their investment pool. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, including pension plans, corporate clients, and charitable organizations. The firm operates a nationwide network of more than 23,700 financial advisors and offers a range of advisory programs, tax-efficient services, and affiliated investment products under a fiduciary standard.

Wealth management Tax-loss harvesting Multi-generational wealth transfer Retired Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Hongze C

CFP®, Series 63, Series 66

Santa Clara, CA

Mass Mutual Investors Services

Hongze Chen is a CFP® professional with 28 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has worked at MassMutual Investors Services since 2017 and has been affiliated with MassMutual Life Insurance Company since 2016. Prior to that, he spent 18 years at Metlife Securities Inc. MassMutual 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, and educational seminars, with planning engagements structured as annual collaborative relationships using firm-approved analytical tools.

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

Series 66

Santa Clara, CA

J.P. Morgan Securities

Syed Ali is a financial advisor at J.P. Morgan Securities with seven years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., J.P. Morgan Securities, Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC, and Wells Fargo Bank NA. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC provides institutional consulting services to clients such as corporations, foundations, and defined contribution plan sponsors, offering asset allocation advice, investment manager searches, and customized performance reporting through a team of Wealth Advisors. The firm combines institutional advisory operations with brokerage, distribution, and investment management capabilities.

Wealth management Executive Founder/Business Owner
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Dan W

Series 63, Series 65

Santa Clara, CA

Transamerica Financial Advisors

Dan Wang is a financial advisor at Transamerica Financial Advisors with 28 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has held roles at several firms, including Dream Builder Financial and Silicon Valley Enterprise, where he serves as treasurer. Wang is also involved in insurance product sales affiliated with his primary firm. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves a diverse client base, including individual investors, pension plans, trusts, and corporations. The firm offers advisory and broker-dealer services with proprietary and third-party model portfolios, providing discretionary and non-discretionary investment options.

ESG / Sustainable investing Concentrated stock management Wealth management Founder/Business Owner
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Hanyu Z

CFP®, Series 66

Santa Clara, CA

Charles Schwab

Hanyu Zhao is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 10 years of industry experience. He is currently affiliated with Charles Schwab in Santa Clara, CA, where he has worked since 2016 across various Schwab entities. Prior to that, he was employed by JP Morgan Chase Bank and JP Morgan Securities from 2019 to 2022. 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 combination of non-discretionary investment guidance and access to discretionary separately managed accounts, supported by multi-asset model portfolios and centralized operational resources.

Private / alternative investments Real estate investing Multi-state taxation College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.)
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Keith E

CFP®

Pittsburgh, PA

Keith L. Eliou, CFP

Keith Eliou is the principal of Keith L. Eliou, CFP, an investment management firm based in Pittsburgh, PA. He holds the CFP® designation and has one year of experience as a financial advisor. In addition to his advisory role, he practices law focusing on elder law and real estate and is involved in insurance, mortgage lending, and real estate brokerage businesses. The firm primarily serves pooled vehicles and institutional accounts, offering portfolio management, retirement plan services, and financial planning. It utilizes an open-architecture investment approach with third-party money managers and employs multiple analytical methods and strategies, conducting annual account reviews.

Social Security optimization Retirement income strategy Cash flow / budgeting Charitable giving tax strategies Business exit / sale strategy Founder/Business Owner
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Mark K

Series 63, Series 65

Mandeville, LA

Meridian Wealth Management, LLC

Mark Kebodeaux is a financial advisor at Meridian Wealth Management, LLC with 34 years of industry experience. He previously worked for First Financial for 10 years before joining Meridian in 2023. Kebodeaux holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Meridian Wealth Management serves individual and high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan services, utilizing equities, ETFs, mutual funds, fixed income, and alternative investments with ongoing monitoring and rebalancing.

Retirement income strategy Charitable giving tax strategies Options & derivatives strategies Private / alternative investments Founder/Business Owner
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Mark P

Series 66

Conneaut Lake, PA

Lakeland Investor Services, Inc.

Mark Petro is a financial advisor at Lakeland Investor Services, Inc. in Conneaut Lake, PA, with 24 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at the firm since 2002. He is also president of Lakeland Insurance Services, LLC, a business he established to handle insurance sales and related operations. Lakeland Investor Services provides fee-based wealth advisory and investment management services to individuals, multi-generational families, high-net-worth clients, small non-profit organizations, small businesses, and qualified retirement plans. The firm offers comprehensive financial planning, portfolio management, and uses a variety of analytical approaches including fundamental, technical, and Monte Carlo modeling.

Social Security optimization Retirement income strategy Annuities
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Kaylin O

Series 65

Pittsburgh, PA

Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP

Kaylin Olster is a financial advisor at Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP with one year of industry experience. She holds the Series 65 designation and has previously worked at Corient, Odyssey Capital Advisors, and has an academic background from Temple University. Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors serves high-net-worth individuals, families, trustees, endowments, and qualified retirement plan sponsors and trustees. The firm employs a committee-driven investment process to manage diversified portfolios and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary management along with retirement plan consulting and tax-aware planning strategies.

Tax-loss harvesting Charitable giving tax strategies Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Wealth management Private / alternative investments Founder/Business Owner Retired
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Angelo R

CFP®, Series 65

Hunt Valley, MD

SC&H Wealth

Angelo Romano is a CFP® with six years of experience in the financial services industry, currently serving as an advisor at SC&H Wealth. His prior experience includes roles at MECU, ADP, and APGFCU. In addition to his advisory work, he is a licensed insurance agent involved in the sale of insurance-related products. SC&H Wealth serves individuals, trusts, estates, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, small businesses, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a team approach combining CPAs and CFP® professionals to provide tailored financial planning, asset management, retirement consulting, and tax preparation services.

General tax planning Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business exit / sale strategy Charitable giving tax strategies Wealth management Founder/Business Owner Retired Executive HENRY (High Earners, Not Rich Yet) Mid-Career Professionals
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