Large-firm, private / alternative investments 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 considering private or alternative investments, you likely want to diversify beyond traditional stocks and bonds. A common mistake is underestimating the complexity and risks involved, which can lead to unexpected losses or liquidity issues.

  • Firm resources matter. Large firms often have access to exclusive deals and deeper research, so ask how your advisor leverages these advantages.
  • Risk assessment approach. Private investments can be illiquid and volatile; confirm how they evaluate and communicate these risks specific to your portfolio.
  • Tax implications. Alternative assets may trigger complex tax events; check how they plan around state estate tax cliffs that can cause large bills above exemption limits.
  • Alignment with goals. Ensure they connect private investment choices to your broader financial objectives, not just the asset's potential returns.

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

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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Edwina M

Series 65

Cincinnati, OH

Waverly Advisors, LLC

Edwina Martin is a Series 65 licensed financial advisor with two years of industry experience, currently with Waverly Advisors, LLC. She previously worked at 9258 Wealth Management for five years and was employed at Teradata Corp for eleven years. Martin also serves as assistant director of tax planning at 9258 Tax and Planning, a non-investment related business. Waverly Advisors is a multi-team registered investment adviser managing portfolios for individuals, retirement plans, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm combines traditional equity and fixed-income strategies with alternative and private-market allocations, offering a range of investment management and financial planning services.

Private / alternative investments Real estate investing Options & derivatives strategies Tax-loss harvesting Multi-generational wealth transfer Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Thomas T

Series 66

Independence, OH

Hantz financial Services, Inc.

Thomas Trefzger is a Series 66-credentialed financial advisor with eight years of industry experience. He has worked at Hantz Financial Services, Inc. since 2018 and previously held roles at Sprint and Cleveland State University. Hantz Financial Services, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth households, pension and profit-sharing plans, and business owners. The firm offers financial planning and wealth management primarily through ETF-based model portfolios across five risk levels, supplemented by third-party managers and Direct Indexing, and combines advisory, broker-dealer, mortgage, and insurance activities under one platform.

Active portfolio management Passive / index investing Tax-loss harvesting Business ownership considerations Retirement withdrawal strategies Founder/Business Owner Executive
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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
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Richard B

Series 63, Series 66

Austin, TX

Charles Schwab

Richard Brandi is a financial advisor with Charles Schwab based in Austin, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 32 years of industry experience. He has been with Charles Schwab and Charles Schwab Bank ssb since 2003 and 2005, respectively. Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. serves primarily high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals through its Schwab Wealth Advisory wrap fee program and affiliated managed-account and financial planning services. The firm offers a mix of non-discretionary and discretionary investment guidance, leveraging multi-asset model portfolios and research from its Schwab Center for Financial Research.

Private / alternative investments Real estate investing Multi-state taxation College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.)
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Geoffrey T

Series 66

Chicago, IL

Sanctuary Advisors, LLC

Geoffrey Tomes is a financial advisor with Sanctuary Advisors, LLC, holding a Series 66 credential and 26 years of industry experience. He has worked at Noyes Advisors LLC for 11 years and David A Noyes & Company for 26 years. His other business activities include involvement in fixed life and health insurance and fixed annuities. Sanctuary Advisors, LLC serves a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations through a network of over 400 independent investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services employing various analytical approaches and maintains distinctive features such as negotiated performance-based fees for large institutional clients and affiliations with specialized asset management firms.

Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Cash flow / budgeting General retirement planning
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Jeffrey P

Series 66

Dacula, GA

Merrill

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.

Tax-loss harvesting Active portfolio management Wealth management
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Scott M

Series 63, Series 65

New York, NY

Morgan Stanley

Scott Mahoney is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in New York, NY, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 34 years of industry experience. He has been with Morgan Stanley since 2009, including roles at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved with Giants Foot Cubed LLC. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is a large SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer that serves both individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a wide range of advisory programs and financial planning services supported by structured planning tools and broad investment resources.

General estate planning guidance
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Elizabeth B

Series 66

New York, NY

J.P. Morgan Securities

Elizabeth Brown is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities in New York, NY, where she has worked since 2012. She has 26 years of industry experience. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services to clients such as corporations, foundations, and defined contribution plan sponsors, offering asset allocation advice, investment manager and fund searches, and customized performance reporting through a select group of Wealth Advisors. The firm combines large institutional advisory operations with brokerage, distribution, and investment management capabilities.

Wealth management Executive Founder/Business Owner
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Wesley P

Series 63, Series 66

Fort Worth, TX

Wells Fargo Clearing

Wesley Pool is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with 15 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and previously worked at JPMorgan Securities LLC for seven years. Outside of finance, he has been involved with #TagMeBro LLC and Fry Street Public House. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and offers both brokerage and advisory solutions.

Retired Founder/Business Owner
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Willie M

Series 63, Series 66

Cary, NC

Equitable Advisors

Willie Myles is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Cary, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 16 years of industry experience. He has worked at Equitable Advisors since 2016, previously serving at Axa Advisors and MSI Financial Services. Outside of advising, he is a co-chairman of a fundraising campaign for Alpha Light Fund Inc., a nonprofit focused on renovating the House of Alpha. Equitable Advisors serves a range of clients including individuals, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations, providing financial planning, retirement consulting, and asset management through a network of representatives and third-party managers. The firm offers various investment vehicles and ERISA fiduciary services, relying on third-party program sponsors and an affiliation with a publicly traded parent company.

Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business exit / sale strategy Concentrated stock management Equity Recipients (RS/RSU, SOP, ESPP) Long-term care insurance Founder/Business Owner Retired Executive Approaching retirement Sandwich Generation
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