Top inheritance planning financial advisors 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.

You might need an inheritance planning advisor if you're facing decisions about managing assets passed down to you, such as property, investments, or family heirlooms. Without focused guidance, it's easy to overlook tax implications or mismanage the timing of asset transfers, which can reduce the value you ultimately receive.

  • Tax impact awareness. Ask how they help minimize estate and inheritance taxes, including strategies for South Carolina-specific rules.
  • Asset distribution timing. Confirm how they plan the sequence of transferring assets to balance liquidity needs and tax efficiency.
  • Family dynamics navigation. Inheritance often involves multiple heirs; check how they handle communication and potential conflicts.
  • Large-firm resources. These advisors have access to broader legal and tax expertise within their firms, which can support complex inheritance situations.

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

Guardian Life

Kristin Manna is a financial advisor at Guardian Life with one year of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked previously at Consolidated Planning Holdings, Inc. and Charleston County School District. Outside of her advisory role, she is an author and publisher of books including The Basketball Coach's Notebook and works as a math tutor for high school students. Guardian Life’s subsidiary, Park Avenue Securities LLC, offers brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm provides tailored client solutions through a combination of advisor-led discretionary management, model-based strategies, and access to proprietary and third-party platforms.

Business exit / sale strategy Tax-loss harvesting Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Charitable giving & philanthropy Founder/Business Owner Executive Financial Professional Approaching retirement Established Professionals Mid-Career Professionals

James T

Series 66

Columbia, SC

Merrill

James Turner is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. In this role, he collaborates one-on-one with clients to develop personalized financial strategies aimed at helping them pursue their long-term goals. He leverages insights from Merrill and solutions from Bank of America to create flexible wealth management plans tailored to individual financial situations and changing market conditions. James holds a Bachelor's Degree from Presbyterian College and carries the Professional Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. He is committed to the Merrill tradition of community involvement and actively volunteers with local organizations. Outside of his professional responsibilities, James enjoys golfing, playing tennis, and spending time with his family.

Wealth management
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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 15 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and Thrivent Investment Management since 2011. Outside of his advisory role, he operates a small charter boat service offering trips along the intracoastal waterway. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients. The firm offers holistic, goal-based planning without discretionary trading authority, combining planning with managed accounts through a consolidated billing option called “WealthPlan.”

Business ownership considerations
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Jesse D

Series 63, Series 65

Columbia, SC

Primerica Advisors

Jesse Dare is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors in Columbia, SC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having four years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi and Havarti Risk Services. Outside of financial advising, he works as an independent healthcare strategy adviser and actuarial consultant through Dare Enterprises LLC and Pasco Advisers. Primerica Advisors provides discretionary asset management primarily through its Lifetime Investment Program, which offers model-delivery strategies and a limited number of discretionary separately managed account options to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm curates third-party asset managers and uses a tiered wrap fee structure for its services.

ESG / Sustainable investing Tax-loss harvesting Income planning

Sean A

Series 66

Boulder, CO

Edward Jones

Sean Alexander is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Boulder, CO, holding a Series 66 designation. He joined Edward Jones in 2025 and has prior experience in mortgage lending and residential mortgage companies, as well as a role at The Fitter and time at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment strategies supported by a large nationwide network of financial advisors and branch offices.

Retirement income strategy Business ownership considerations Business exit / sale strategy Business succession planning Inheritance planning Founder/Business Owner

Steve S

CFP®

Eldersburg, MD

ABEL Financial Management Co.

Hi, I'm Steve. I've loved financial planning ever since I was a kid watching the ticker tape on CNBC as my mom, a homemaker learned about finances herself. I grew up in a very frugal household who taught me about working hard and saving for the future. My mother was a homemaker or "domestic engineer" as she calls it and my father was a federal employee. I was fortunate to be introduced to Rita Abel and become the owner of her small, family owned financial planning firm in 2019. Today we work with approximately 60 families. What makes us unique is our passion to be "accountability partner's" for our clients to ensure they take care of the important financial matters in their lives. We are part financial advisors and party financial therapists for our married couples but most importantly we are organized, proactive and have a passion for financial planning. Looking forward to meeting and if you want to know more, I encourage you to read our google reviews online. Just search "Abel Financial Reviews" in google.

Roth conversion strategy Early retirement planning General tax planning Inheritance planning Wealth management Retired Executive Military & Veterans Government Employee Biotech Professional Established Professionals Approaching retirement Retired
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Scott M

Series 63, Series 65

Incline Village, NV

Merrill

Scott Macdonald is a financial advisor with Merrill, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 38 years of industry experience. He has been with Merrill since 1987 and concurrently associated with Bank of America since 2009. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as Chair of the Tahoe Fire Helicopter Steering Committee, coordinating community outreach and efforts to establish a regional fire base and helicopter rescue program. Merrill serves a diverse client base, including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, and institutional clients, offering a range of managed account programs, discretionary portfolio management, and brokerage services. The firm is noted for its integration with Bank of America affiliates and its focus on manager selection and tax-efficient investment strategies.

Tax-loss harvesting Active portfolio management Wealth management

Clayton D

Series 65

Sonoma, CA

Sonoma Wealth Advisors

Clayton Dunkle is a financial advisor at Fermata Advisors in Sonoma, CA, holding a Series 65 designation with six years of industry experience. His work history includes roles at Sonoma Wealth Advisors and Enso Wealth Management, as well as experience outside the financial sector at Cline Family Cellar and Mule Head Growers. Fermata Advisors provides investment management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting primarily to individuals, small businesses, and plan fiduciaries. The firm employs a coaching-centered client relationship model and uses a combination of behavioral, charting, cyclical, fundamental, and technical analysis to guide portfolio allocation.

General retirement planning Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Equity Recipients (RS/RSU, SOP, ESPP) Business succession planning Inheritance planning Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Maris G

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Seattle, WA

Mg Financial, Inc.

Maris Galins is a CFP® professional with 24 years of industry experience, currently serving as the sole advisor at Mg Financial, Inc. Based in Seattle, WA, Galins has led the firm since 2008. Mg Financial, Inc. provides personalized financial planning and advisory services to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm focuses on non-discretionary asset allocation and utilizes SEI model portfolios and third-party money managers, emphasizing planning and adviser selection rather than direct portfolio management.

General retirement planning Inheritance planning Business Financial Management

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