Top financial advisors working with mid-career professionals in South Carolina

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.

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.

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.

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.”

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.

Jeffrey Park is a financial advisor at Merrill with eight years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Merrill and affiliated firms since 2011, including roles at JPMorgan Chase Bank and J.P. Morgan Securities. Outside of his advisory work, he is a sole owner and co-owner of family rental properties in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, offering model-based and discretionary strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors.

Sally Hyman is a financial advisor with Seasons of Advice Wealth Management in New York, NY. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 43 years of industry experience, including roles at Ameriprise Financial Services and RBC Capital Markets. Outside of her advisory work, she records and sells vocal CDs and is involved in publishing her father's book on the spiritual meaning of disease and science. Seasons of Advice Wealth Management provides financial planning and discretionary investment management to individuals, high net worth clients, trusts, small business owners, professionals, and families. The firm uses a proprietary planning process that integrates goal tracking, asset allocation, and tax planning, tailoring investment recommendations to each client’s objectives and risk tolerance.

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.

Lee Chen is a financial advisor with UBS Financial Services in Pasadena, California, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 28 years of industry experience. He has been with UBS since 2009. Outside of his advisory role, Chen serves on the board of directors for the San Gabriel Country Club. UBS Financial Services serves individual, corporate, and institutional clients through brokerage and investment advisory offerings, combining proprietary capital market research with a broad range of financial planning and portfolio management solutions.

Thomas Phillipsen is a Series 65 licensed advisor at Annex Wealth Management, LLC with experience beginning in 2024. His prior work includes roles at Associated Bank and JJ Keller & Associates, as well as experience at Ripon College. Annex Wealth Management is an SEC-registered advisory firm managing approximately $8.05 billion for about 9,800 clients, including high-net-worth individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm utilizes a team-oriented investment process based on a core-and-tactical framework and offers comprehensive wealth management, discretionary portfolio management, retirement consulting, and online goals-based services.