Top charitable giving & philanthropy financial advisors in Schenectady, NY

Joshua Moraski is the principal advisor at Nightgale Wealth Management LLC, an independent firm based in Schenectady, NY. He holds Series 65 and Series 66 licenses and began his advisory career in 2025 after prior experience as an independent insurance agent with RIA Insurance Solutions, a division of Financial Independence Group. Outside of advisory work, he has experience in homemaking and extended travel. Nightingale Wealth Management 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 and risk tolerances, utilizing fundamental and technical analysis as well as Modern Portfolio Theory, and may employ options, derivatives, and margin strategies in separately managed accounts.

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.

Michael Powers is a CFP® professional with 31 years of industry experience, currently serving at LPL Financial since 2006. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Outside of his advisory work, Powers has worked as a rideshare driver in upstate New York. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, financial institutions, corporations, and charitable organizations through a national network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, financial planning, and retirement consulting services, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary management supported by proprietary and third-party research.

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.

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.

Sally Hyman is a financial advisor at Seasons of Advice Wealth Management with 42 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Outside of finance, she is a singer who sells her own vocal CDs and is involved in publishing her father's book titled "Congenital Alterable Transmissible Asymmetry: The Spiritual Meaning of Disease and Science." Seasons of Advice Wealth Management provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, high net worth clients, trusts, small business owners, professionals, and families. The firm follows a life-cycle investment approach called the “Seasons of Advice” process and offers discretionary portfolio management, comprehensive financial planning, and specialized fixed-income programs through sub-advisors.

Richard Martin is a financial advisor at Cetera with 29 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 63 designation and has a background that includes nearly three decades at Avantax Advisory Services and eight years at Avantax Insurance Agency. Outside of his advisory work, he is the owner and sole proprietor of Martin & Pellegrin, CPAs, a tax preparation and accounting firm. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm that serves a broad client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts. The firm provides a multi-manager platform offering discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and access to various program structures and third-party money managers.

Thaddeus Phelps is a CFP® professional with 28 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has worked at Advance Wealth Management Service, LLC since 2019 and previously spent 14 years with Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. In addition to his advisory work, Phelps owns a tax preparation business and an accounting support service, and he serves in fiduciary roles such as trustee and executor. Advance Wealth Management Service, LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services primarily to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, and business entities. The firm offers discretionary investment management through a wrap asset management program and emphasizes an individualized approach with asset allocation supported by fundamental, sector, and technical analysis, including risk management strategies such as put options and conservative cash instruments.

Edward Blatz serves as a Senior Resident Director and Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch. He specializes in working with high net-worth individuals and families, focusing on estate and wealth management needs. Since joining Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in 1985, he has provided personalized financial solutions tailored to his clients' risk tolerance, time horizon, liquidity needs, and investment goals. Edward's expertise encompasses a range of areas including college education planning, divorce transition planning, employee benefits, executive compensation, family wealth management strategies, managing new wealth, individual and corporate investment strategies, and retirement income planning. He collaborates closely with clients' tax advisors and estate planning attorneys to ensure comprehensive management of clients' financial and personal affairs. Edward is recognized as a member of The Blatz-Rooney Group, which was named to the 2024 Forbes "Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams" list. Edward holds a Bachelor's Degree from Adelphi University and has earned several professional designations including Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). Outside of his professional work, he has interests in golfing, reading, and tennis.

Patrick Ferguson is a financial advisor at Intentional, LLC with 17 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments and Commonwealth Financial Network. In addition to his advisory role, Ferguson is licensed to sell fixed and traditional insurance products. Intentional provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, as well as retirement plan consulting for businesses and institutions. The firm combines fundamental, technical, and economic analysis in its investment approach and offers due diligence and monitoring of alternative and private investments for qualified investors.