Top business succession planning financial advisors in Schenectady, NY

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 to a family member or sell it, you need a business succession planning advisor who understands the unique challenges of this process. A common mistake is underestimating the tax impact, especially the estate tax cliff that can trigger large bills just above exemption limits.

  • Tax cliff awareness. Confirm the advisor knows how estate tax thresholds can suddenly increase your tax burden and plans accordingly.
  • Ownership transition strategies. Ask how they help structure ownership changes to minimize disruption and preserve value.
  • Valuation expertise. Ensure they can accurately assess your business's worth to inform fair succession terms.
  • Family dynamics navigation. Check how they handle sensitive family relationships during succession to avoid conflicts.

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

Want help finding the right advisor?

Answer a few questions to see advisors matched to you.

user avatar

Joshua M

Series 65, Series 66

Schenectady, NY

Nightgale Wealth Management LLC

Joshua Moraski is a financial advisor at Nightgale Wealth Management LLC in Schenectady, NY, holding Series 65 and Series 66 designations with one year of industry experience. Prior to his current role, he worked as an independent insurance agent for RIA Insurance Solutions, a division of Financial Independence Group (FIG). Nightingale Wealth Management LLC provides discretionary asset management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, and business entities. The firm customizes investment programs based on clients’ goals, time horizons, and risk tolerances, utilizing fundamental and technical analysis along with Modern Portfolio Theory.

General retirement planning Income planning Tax strategies for small businesses Retirement withdrawal strategies Options & derivatives strategies Founder/Business Owner
user avatar

William V

Series 63, Series 65

Schenectady, NY

Mass Mutual Investors Services

William Vanevera is a financial advisor with Mass Mutual Investors Services and holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials. He has 48 years of industry experience and has been with Mass Mutual Investors Services and MassMutual Life Insurance Company since 2001. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in individual and group life and health insurance sales. MassMutual Investors Services, LLC is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employers. The firm offers financial planning, asset management, and educational seminars, focusing on collaborative, annual planning relationships that use firm-approved analytic tools.

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

Michael P

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Schenectady, NY

LPL Financial

Michael Powers is a CFP®-designated financial advisor with 31 years of industry experience. He has been with LPL Financial since 2006, following prior roles at Banc of America Investment Services, Inc. and Quick & Reilly, Inc. Outside of his advisory work, Powers also serves as a rideshare driver in upstate New York. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides a broad range of advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers financial planning, model portfolio programs, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms, supporting a large network of advisors through both discretionary and non-discretionary investment strategies.

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

Joseph D

Series 63

Latham, NY

Cetera

Joseph Daddario is a financial advisor with Cetera, holding a Series 63 designation and over 30 years of industry experience. His career includes extensive tenure at Avantax Advisory Services and related entities from 1995 to 2025, and he has operated his own firm, JC Daddario LLC, since 2017. Outside of financial advising, he is involved in tax preparation and accounting services. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is a large SEC-registered firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients nationwide. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and retirement services through a multi-manager platform, supporting both discretionary and non-discretionary accounts.

Wealth management Tax-loss harvesting Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business exit / sale strategy Founder/Business Owner Executive
user avatar

Hermes D

CFP®, Series 66

Schenectady, NY

Happiness in Retirement

Hermes Del Sette III is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with 15 years of industry experience. He has been self-employed since 2012 and concurrently operates Del Sette Capital Management, LLC. In addition to his advisory roles, he works as an insurance agent. Happiness in Retirement is a five-person team serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and estates with wealth management, discretionary portfolio management, and financial planning. The firm manages approximately $192.5 million using a long-term investment approach focused on diversified, low-cost mutual funds and ETFs, complemented by fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis.

General retirement planning Retirement income strategy Tax-loss harvesting Retired Approaching retirement Established Professionals
user avatar

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
user avatar

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
user avatar

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
user avatar

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
user avatar

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
Warmer team member

Not sure where to start?

We'll help you think it through—whether you ultimately need an advisor or not. Warmer helps you compare advisors clearly, so you can choose with confidence.

Find your advisor

For advisor listings, we rely on sources including public filings and data provided by advisors, and we cannot guarantee that all information is current or accurate. Advisors are independent and may not have reviewed or updated this information. Please review an advisor’s Form ADV and do your own diligence before deciding whether to work with them.

Advisor matching and introductions are provided by FinanceHQ LLC (“FHQ”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Warmer and an SEC-registered investment advisor. We receive compensation from certain participating advisors for introductions or referrals. This creates a conflict of interest because we have an incentive to recommend advisors who compensate us, including those who pay us more. You pay no fee to use our matching service, and advisor fees are not increased because of a referral or introduction. We do not review the ongoing performance of advisors, manage or hold assets, guarantee performance, or provide advice about specific investments.

By using our service, you agree to our Terms of Service and Advisory Agreement, and acknowledge our Privacy Policy. Please review FHQ’s ADV Part 2A and Form CRS. Logos provided by Logo.dev

© 2026 Warmer Holdings Inc. (“Warmer”)