CFP®-certified, business succession planning financial advisors in Santa Cruz, 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 preparing to transfer your business ownership or retire, you need an advisor who understands the complexities of business succession planning. A common mistake is underestimating how tax implications and property values can affect your long-term financial security.

CFP® certification means these advisors have formal training in financial planning, including tax and estate considerations important for succession.

  • Tax impact awareness. Confirm how they navigate California's high income taxes alongside Proposition 13's property tax limits to protect your assets.
  • Ownership transition strategies. Ask how they balance business valuation with your retirement goals to ensure a smooth handoff.
  • Estate and legacy planning. Look for advisors who integrate your succession plan with your overall estate to avoid surprises for heirs.
  • Coordination with legal experts. Effective succession planning often requires collaboration; check how they work with your attorneys and accountants.

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

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Jeffrey M

Series 63, Series 65

Brentwood, CA

Wells Fargo Advisors

Jeffrey Martin is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Advisors with 34 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Wells Fargo Clearing and Morgan Stanley in various capacities. Martin is also a 40% owner of Martin Financial Group, an investment management business based in Brentwood, CA. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network serves individuals, trusts, and institutional clients by providing investment and fee-based financial planning services. The firm offers a broad range of planning services, including specialized areas such as business-owner transition and sports & entertainment planning, using proprietary research and planning tools to develop tailored recommendations.

Divorce financial planning Planning for children with special needs Business exit / sale strategy Cash flow / budgeting Founder/Business Owner
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Scott M

CFP®, Series 65

Santa Cruz, CA

SLP Wealth

Scott Mc Donald is a CFP® professional associated with SLP Wealth, holding a Series 65 license and having three years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at the Santa Clara Valley Water District and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Outside of finance, he operates a commercial photography business, Scotty McDonald Photography, serving editorial and commercial clients. SLP Wealth is an SEC-registered advisory firm that provides discretionary investment management and financial planning to individual clients and small-business owners, including both non-high-net-worth and high-net-worth individuals. The firm uses diversified, risk-based portfolios primarily consisting of no-load mutual funds and ETFs and offers additional services such as tax preparation and 401(k) plan advisory.

Tax-loss harvesting Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Charitable giving tax strategies Founder/Business Owner
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John A

Series 63, Series 65

Santa Cruz, CA

LPL Financial

John Anzaldua is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Santa Cruz, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 33 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at U.S. Bancorp Investments, Chase Investment Services, Wamu Investments, Citicorp Investment Services, and Wells Fargo Investments. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolios, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms.

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

Series 65

Santa Cruz, CA

Legacy Wealth Advisors, LLC

Elizabeth Flores is a financial advisor with Legacy Wealth Advisors, LLC in Santa Cruz, CA, holding a Series 65 license and 22 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Legacy Wealth Advisors in 2020, she worked at Sterling Advisory Services, LLC and operated her own CPA practice for 18 years. She is also a 50% owner of a tax preparation business, Oversight Group, LLC, where she is involved in preparing and processing tax returns. Legacy Wealth Advisors, LLC provides multi-family office and wealth management services to individuals, high-net-worth families, and institutions. The firm combines macroeconomic analysis with client-specific risk assessments to build customized portfolios, offering discretionary and non-discretionary investment management alongside integrated tax and real estate advisory services.

Wealth management ESG / Sustainable investing Gifting strategies Real estate investing
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Jane M

Series 63

Santa Cruz, CA

Cambridge Investment Research Advisors

Jane Mckenzie is a financial advisor with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors and holds a Series 63 designation. She has 26 years of experience in the industry and has been with Cambridge since 2016. Outside of her advisory role, she serves as a volunteer director for the Santa Cruz Surfing Preservation Society. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension plans, and charitable organizations, offering financial planning, investment management, and retirement plan advisory services through a network of independent Financial Professionals.

Wealth management Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Retirement income strategy Annuities Self-Employed
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Ethan S

CFP®, Series 65

Auburn Hills, MI

Plante Moran financial advisors

Ethan Siekkinen is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license, currently serving as a financial advisor with Plante Moran Financial Advisors. He has one year of industry experience and has previously worked at J Wilson Wealth Management and operated Rizzo Lawn Care. Plante Moran Financial Advisors, LLC provides investment advisory, financial planning, and estate planning services to a diverse client base including individual households, institutional clients, and sovereign wealth funds. The firm employs a multi-disciplinary investment process and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, manager search, and tax-lot accounting services.

Active portfolio management Options & derivatives strategies Private / alternative investments Concentrated stock management Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Michael I

Series 63, Series 65

Livingston, NJ

Raymond James Financial

Michael Ipp is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 42 years of industry experience. He has been with Raymond James Financial Services Advisors since 2010 and serves as an independent contractor for 1792 Wealth Advisors. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors provides financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm offers tailored, non-discretionary planning and uses analytical tools to support client decision-making, while also maintaining specialized programs such as municipal advisory services and SIMPLE IRA Employer Advisory & Consulting Services.

Wealth management Tax strategies for small businesses Business succession planning General estate planning guidance Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Jeffrey M

CFP®, ChFC®, Series 66

Greenville, DE

Investment Management & Planning LLC

Jeffrey Macdonald is a CFP® and ChFC® with 18 years of industry experience. He has worked at Investment Management & Planning LLC and LPL Financial since 2010, following two years at Wells Fargo Clearing. Investment Management & Planning LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm constructs tailored portfolios using mutual funds, ETFs, equities, and fixed-income securities, employing fundamental analysis and continuous supervision, and operates as both a wrap program sponsor and affiliated registered representatives of LPL Financial.

General retirement planning Business succession planning Tax strategies for small businesses Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive Mid-Career Professionals Approaching retirement
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Patrick F

Series 66

New Market, MD

Intentional

Patrick Ferguson is a financial advisor at Intentional with 17 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, Commonwealth Financial Network, and LPL Financial. In addition to his advisory role, he is a licensed agent involved in the sales of fixed and traditional insurance products. Intentional provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, businesses, and institutions. The firm offers pension consulting, estate planning support, business exit planning, and due diligence on alternative investments, utilizing a combination of fundamental, technical, and economic analysis within a fiduciary framework.

Business exit / sale strategy Multi-generational wealth transfer Private / alternative investments Founder/Business Owner
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Jerald L

Series 63

San Antonio, TX

Frost Investment Services

Jerald Liesman is a financial advisor at Frost Investment Services with 33 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 63 designation and has worked at Frost Brokerage Services, Inc. and Frost Bank since 1993 and 1987, respectively. Frost Investment Services is a retail-focused, SEC-registered adviser serving individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management, comprehensive financial planning, and managed account programs that integrate model portfolios from its affiliate with third-party managers, utilizing a research-driven investment process and providing optional tax and ESG overlay services.

Tax-loss harvesting ESG / Sustainable investing Retirement income strategy General estate planning guidance Business succession planning Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Sarah C

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Boston, MA

Santander Securities LLC

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.

ESG / Sustainable investing Tax-loss harvesting General retirement planning Income planning Founder/Business Owner
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Elanna G

CFP®, Series 66

Cleveland, OH

Cambridge Investment Research Advisors

Elanna Gould is a CFP® professional with six years of experience, currently advising at Cambridge Investment Research Advisors in Cleveland, OH. Her background includes roles at PepsiCo and The Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Center, as well as academic experience at The Ohio State University. She is also an independent insurance agent for various companies. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors serves a broad client base, including individuals, retirement plans, and charitable organizations, offering financial planning, investment management, and retirement advisory services through a network of independent professionals. The firm provides a range of portfolio management options, proprietary and third-party strategies, and various custody platforms tailored to client objectives.

Wealth management Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Retirement income strategy Annuities Self-Employed
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Ethan S

CFP®, Series 65

Auburn Hills, MI

Plante Moran financial advisors

Ethan Siekkinen is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license, currently serving as a financial advisor with Plante Moran Financial Advisors. He has one year of industry experience and has previously worked at J Wilson Wealth Management and operated Rizzo Lawn Care. Plante Moran Financial Advisors, LLC provides investment advisory, financial planning, and estate planning services to a diverse client base including individual households, institutional clients, and sovereign wealth funds. The firm employs a multi-disciplinary investment process and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, manager search, and tax-lot accounting services.

Active portfolio management Options & derivatives strategies Private / alternative investments Concentrated stock management Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Jace H

CFP®, Series 63, Series 66

Rockwall, TX

Rockwall Wealth Management

Jace Hart is a CFP® with nine years of industry experience and currently serves as a financial advisor at Rockwall Wealth Management. His prior experience includes roles at Leo Wealth, LPL Financial, and Fidelity Brokerage Services. Rockwall Wealth Management provides portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, trusts, plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm emphasizes diversified, low-cost ETF model portfolios with a focus on tax efficiency, liquidity, and systematic macro tilts, offering both traditional and advanced investment strategies tailored to client objectives.

Active portfolio management Options & derivatives strategies Private / alternative investments Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Retirement income strategy
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Jeffrey M

CFP®, ChFC®, Series 66

Greenville, DE

Investment Management & Planning LLC

Jeffrey Macdonald is a CFP® and ChFC® with 18 years of industry experience. He has worked at Investment Management & Planning LLC and LPL Financial since 2010, following two years at Wells Fargo Clearing. Investment Management & Planning LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm constructs tailored portfolios using mutual funds, ETFs, equities, and fixed-income securities, employing fundamental analysis and continuous supervision, and operates as both a wrap program sponsor and affiliated registered representatives of LPL Financial.

General retirement planning Business succession planning Tax strategies for small businesses Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive Mid-Career Professionals Approaching retirement
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