Independent advisors focused on engineering professional in South Carolina

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 an engineer facing unique career milestones like stock options vesting or planning for a late-career transition, you need an advisor who understands the financial nuances of your profession. Without this insight, you might miss key opportunities or mismanage benefits tied to your engineering career. Independent advisors here operate without firm constraints, which can mean more flexible advice tailored to your specific situation.

  • Engineering income patterns. Confirm they recognize how project-based bonuses and contract work affect your cash flow and tax planning.
  • Equity compensation insight. Ask how they handle stock options or RSUs (restricted stock units) common in tech and engineering firms.
  • Career transition planning. See if they model financial impacts of moving from engineering roles to management or consulting.
  • Independent advice benefits. Understand how their independence might allow for a broader range of investment and planning options suited to engineers.

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

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Craig M

Series 63, Series 65

Columbia, SC

Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC

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.

Active portfolio management Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Annuities Options & derivatives strategies Founder/Business Owner Retired
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Kristin M

Series 66

Mt Pleasant, SC

Primerica Advisors

Kristin Manna is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors and holds a Series 66 designation. She has one year of industry experience, including roles at Park Avenue Securities, Guardian Life Insurance Company, and Consolidated Planning Holdings, Inc. Prior to entering the financial industry, she worked in education for eight years. Outside of advising, Kristin is an author and publisher of a basketball coaching notebook and works as a math tutor for high school students. Park Avenue Securities serves a broad retail client base with a range of brokerage and advisory services, utilizing proprietary and third-party investment strategies across various account types and investment vehicles.

Business exit / sale strategy Tax-loss harvesting Self-Employed Founder/Business Owner
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Anthony W

Series 63, Series 65

Charleston, WV

Merrill

Anthony Watts serves as a Senior Financial Advisor within Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. In his role, he provides financial guidance and investment strategies to clients, leveraging his expertise as a Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). He holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Charleston. This educational background supports his professional qualifications and role in advising clients on wealth management.

Wealth management Executive Founder/Business Owner Mid-Career Professionals HENRY (High Earners, Not Rich Yet)
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Matthew S

Series 66

Myrtle Beach, SC

Thrivent Investment Management

Matthew Sandberg is a financial advisor at Thrivent Investment Management with 14 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has been with Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and Thrivent Investment Management since 2011. Outside of his advisory work, he operates a boat charter business, taking clients on trips along the intracoastal waterway. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients, offering comprehensive, goal-based financial planning without discretionary trading authority. The firm combines planning with managed-account programs under a consolidated billing option called “WealthPlan,” while maintaining a separation between these services.

Business ownership considerations
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Michael H

Series 63, Series 65, Series 66

Melville, NY

Imperity Wealth Alliance LLC

Michael Hunt is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and 25 years of industry experience. He has worked at several firms including Prudential Insurance Company of America, Principal Securities Inc, and Hunt Financial Solutions. Outside of advising, he is involved in tax preparation and planning through his co-ownership of multiple tax service entities. Commonwealth Financial Network is a registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,950 advisors and their clients. The firm provides a range of advisory programs, operational support, and investment management services, including discretionary model portfolios and customized solutions, while enabling advisors to offer tailored advice under Commonwealth’s supervision.

Wealth management Retirement income strategy Business exit / sale strategy Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner

Gordon B

Series 66

Luling, LA

Edward Jones

Gordon Brown III is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with 18 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has been with Edward Jones since 2008. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, with approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment options, operating under a fiduciary standard.

Retirement income strategy Wealth management General estate planning guidance Oil & Gas Engineering Professional

Erik P

Series 66

Providence, RI

Merrill

Erik Pelletier is a Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, operating as part of the Carcieri & Bock Group in Providence, Rhode Island. He transitioned to financial advisory after several years as an engineer in the Automotive and Aerospace & Defense industries, applying engineering principles to provide structured and thoughtful financial planning to clients. Erik's expertise spans executive compensation planning, tax-efficient strategies, strategic cash flow management, multi-generational wealth planning, and legacy preservation. He serves individuals and families, particularly those involved in engineering, manufacturing, biopharma, and athletics. His approach emphasizes transparent feedback and insightful guidance to help clients navigate complex investment strategies and achieve their financial goals. He holds dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Mechanical Engineering and German Language from the University of Rhode Island. Erik is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and a Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). He is affiliated with professional organizations including the CFA Society of Providence, the German American Business Council of Boston, and the Tau Beta Pi Central Connecticut Engineering Honor Society. Erik is fluent in English and German and has spent extended time living in Germany and Mexico. In his personal time, he enjoys cooking, football, gardening, golfing, ice hockey, rock climbing, running, skiing, spending time with family, and traveling.

Exec comp design Multi-generational wealth transfer Wealth management Cash flow / budgeting College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Engineering Professional Mid-Career Professionals HENRY (High Earners, Not Rich Yet)
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John M

Series 65

Poway, CA

Engineering Financial Independence, Inc.

John Malaney is the principal advisor at Engineering Financial Independence, Inc., holding a Series 65 designation with three years of industry experience. He also works as a Program Manager at General Atomics, a role he has held since 2012. Engineering Financial Independence, Inc. provides portfolio management and financial planning primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, combining fundamental analysis, modern portfolio theory, and quantitative methods. The firm offers written Investment Policy Statements and free educational content such as newsletters and blog posts, with an investment approach that includes equity recommendations and options strategies.

Options & derivatives strategies Active portfolio management Engineering Professional FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early)

Brennain V

Series 65

Boise, ID

XYPN Invest

Focused on creating an organization that could provide comprehensive and integrated investment management, financial, tax and estate planning, and business advisory services. Today, Hoeven Wealth has a comprehensive network of partners to ensure continuity and consistency across your financial life. Though originally from the Netherlands, Brennain is nearly a lifelong native of the Northwest. He completed his undergraduate degrees in Accounting and Business Administration at University of Washington and postgraduate in Financial Strategy at University of Oxford, graduating with Distinction.

Wealth management Liquidity event planning Business ownership considerations Business exit / sale strategy Business succession planning Engineering Professional Established Professionals Mid-Career Professionals

Amy I

CFP®, EA

Corning, NY

Rooted Planning Group

On her website, it states, “I love what I do, but I also very much enjoy warmth, good conversation, wine tastings, and volunteering. New York is extraordinary in the summer and fall, but so is Florida in the winter.” In 2018, she decided it was time to take the stigma out of finances by combining her passion for finances and wine. She started a podcast called “Wine and Dime,” which highlights a different wine and financial topic each week, and she released her book combining those same two passions, titled, “Uncork Your Finances.” Many know her as one of the co-founders of the Southern Tier Women’s Financial Conference – a day of collaboration and financial education, which will be hosting its sixth year! Education and Experience: - Amy holds a Master’s Degree in financial planning - Certified Financial Planner TM - Enrolled Agent - Certified College Financial Consultant - Certified Financial Therapist TM - Over 30 years of financial planning and industry experience. She is the Founder and owner of Rooted Planning Group, (Formerly known as Irvine Wealth Planning Strategies LLC) who uniquely, at the age of 44, decided to not only start her only company, but to act on what she defined as her perfect life and she splits her time between Parrish, Florida and Jasper, New York.

Options & derivatives strategies Attorney Engineering Professional Women Professionals Gen X (Born 1965-1980)
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Jared F

Series 65

Huntington Beach, CA

Northwest Asset Management

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.

Retirement income strategy Wealth management Active portfolio management Founder/Business Owner
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Edwina M

Series 65

Cincinnati, OH

Waverly Advisors, LLC

Edwina Martin is a financial advisor at Waverly Advisors, LLC with two years of industry experience. She holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at 9258 Wealth Management for five years and Teradata Corp for eleven years. In addition to her advisory role, she serves as assistant director of tax planning at 9258 Tax and Planning. Waverly Advisors, LLC is an SEC-registered enterprise adviser serving individuals, corporations, retirement plans, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and fiduciary services, employing a combination of centralized and customized investment strategies across traditional and alternative asset classes.

Private / alternative investments Real estate investing Tax-loss harvesting Options & derivatives strategies ESG / Sustainable investing Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Craig M

Series 63, Series 65

Columbia, SC

Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC

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.

Active portfolio management Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Annuities Options & derivatives strategies Founder/Business Owner Retired
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David H

Series 65

Corona, CA

Safeguard Investment Advisory Group, LLC

David Hart is a financial advisor with Safeguard Investment Advisory Group, LLC, holding a Series 65 credential and 15 years of industry experience. He has worked with Safeguard since 2020 and previously held roles at LifePro Asset Management, LLC, Martin and Associates Insurance Services, Inc., and Martin Wealth Management, LLC. Hart is also a Certified Financial Fiduciary and volunteers as an instructor with the Foundation for Fiduciary Education (NACFF), providing unbiased fiduciary financial education. Safeguard Investment Advisory Group, LLC serves individual, high-net-worth, institutional, and business clients, offering discretionary portfolio management, access to third-party sub-advisers, and fee-based financial planning. The firm employs a fundamental-analysis investment process with a preferred horizon of two to ten years and manages over $600 million across approximately 1,800 client relationships.

Wealth management Passive / index investing Active portfolio management Retirement income strategy
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Sarah C

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Boston, MA

Santander Securities LLC

Sarah Currier Barrella is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 26 years of industry experience. She is currently with Santander Securities LLC and Santander Bank, NA, having previously worked at TD Bank and Citizens Securities, Inc. Barrella holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Santander Securities LLC provides investment advisory and related services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, charitable organizations, retirement plans, and institutional clients. The firm offers wrap-fee advisory programs and financial planning services, delivering investment advice through the FMAX managed-account platform with discretionary portfolio management and ongoing suitability reviews.

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