Independent, retirement withdrawal strategies financial advisors in Scottsdale, AZ

Hi, I’m Dale L Shafer II, founder of Life Moves Wealth Management, an independent, fee-only wealth and exit planning advisor for business owners and professionals located in Scottsdale, Arizona, serving clients in multiple states. I am proud to hold professional designations, including the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CFP®), Certified Business Exit Consultant (CBEC®), Accredited Portfolio Management Advisor (APMA®), and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA®). Out of the office, I am most likely found exploring outdoors, hiking, road cycling, and camping. You might also see me rocking out behind a drum kit or a guitar. I enjoy reading books on finance and leadership, and collecting deadpan “dad jokes” to try out on our kids. They’re big fans.

John Heilner is a financial advisor at WT Wealth Management, LLC in Scottsdale, AZ, with 27 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with WT Wealth Management since 2013. Heilner was also involved with WT Tax Accounting from 2014 to 2023. WT Wealth Management provides discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and wealth-education services to individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm uses proprietary investment models focused on diversification, low fees, and quarterly rebalancing, and it offers ESG options and values-based screening, alongside affiliated professional services such as tax accounting and estate law.

Scott Pilchard is a financial advisor at Independent Financial Group, LLC with 33 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at firms including Manning & Napier Advisors, Midfirst Trust Company, and LPL Financial. He serves as Co-Chairman of the Arizona Agricultural Education FFA Foundation's fund development committee. Independent Financial Group, LLC provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and corporate plans. The firm utilizes a combination of firm- and third-party models for portfolio management and offers financial planning, separately managed accounts, and retirement plan services.

Abe Askil Jr. is a CFP® with 29 years of industry experience, currently serving as a principal advisor at Titan Capital Management since 2021. He was previously with Titan Capital Management, LLC for 20 years. Abe holds a Series 63 license and is based in Scottsdale, AZ. Titan Capital Management provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning to individuals, businesses, pension and profit-sharing plans, and other registered investment advisors. The firm uses a Global Tactical Asset Allocation approach with proprietary quantitative models to manage assets across various strategies and serves approximately 129 clients with $84.2 million in regulatory assets under management.

John Fitzpatrick is a financial advisor at Savvy with five years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at J.M. Arbour, LLC, Foundations Investment Advisors LLC, Fitzco Trading, and Gelber Group White Plains. In addition to his advisory role, he is involved in insurance sales and provides referrals to a tax advisory firm. Savvy offers customized discretionary and non-discretionary investment and wealth management services to individuals, trusts, estates, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm combines an index-based core with tailored strategies such as direct indexing with tax-loss harvesting, active and passive stock portfolios, and ESG-focused models, supported by a proprietary technology platform and third-party sub-advisers.

Stavroula Koutsfetsoulis is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with 25 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Ameriprise and its affiliated entities since 2011. In addition to her advisory role, she is involved in fiduciary activities as an attorney-in-fact (power of attorney). Ameriprise is a large institutional firm that provides retirement-income planning services primarily to individuals with substantial investable assets. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to deliver written recommendation reports through a centralized consulting team, focusing on tailored retirement income strategies.

Ronald Dragotta is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where he specializes in retirement benefit consulting and personalized wealth management strategies. With over 27 years of industry experience, he adopts a goals-based approach to help clients pursue their long-term financial objectives by utilizing professional asset managers and investment platforms. Ronald focuses on Merrill's 401(k) Retirement Plan platform and provides services to local communities and organizations. He works closely with a team within his office and leverages the resources of Bank of America and Merrill Lynch Wealth Management to deliver active and dedicated service. His areas of expertise include corporate benefits, divorce transition planning, employee benefits planning, employee financial health, personal retirement planning, and individual and corporate investment strategy. He holds a Bachelor's Degree from Hofstra University and professional designations including Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Benefits Consultant (RBC). Outside of work, Ronald spends time with his wife Linda, an elementary school teacher, and their two daughters, Catherine and Caroline. They enjoy outdoor activities such as running, hiking, and kayaking on the Long Island Sound. Ronald is also involved in volunteering with community organizations.

Charleen Maune is a financial advisor at Foguth Wealth Management, LLC with five years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Strategic Investment Advisors, LLC and White Glove, among others. Foguth Wealth Management serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, and corporations, managing over $1 billion with a multi-advisor team. The firm focuses on discretionary portfolio management and financial planning, utilizing tailored investment plans that emphasize exchange-traded products and a mix of fundamental, technical, cyclical, and Modern Portfolio Theory-based analysis.

Nicholas Stecklein is a CFP® with six years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Telos Partners LLC in Lehi, Utah. His prior experience includes roles at DFPG Investments, Diversify Wealth Management, Advantage Tax and Planning, and North Capital Investment Technology. Outside of investment advisory, he is involved in tax preparation through Advantage Tax and Planning. Telos Partners serves individuals, families, charitable organizations, and businesses with investment management, financial planning, family office consulting, and related services. The firm employs a long-term, growth-oriented investment approach combining passive and active strategies, often incorporating client values and ESG preferences into portfolio construction.

Robert Szeles is a CFA® charterholder with three years of industry experience. He is currently an advisor at Beese Fulmer Private Wealth Management, where he has worked since 2022. Prior to joining Beese Fulmer, he gained experience at Federated Hermes and PNC Capital Advisors. Beese Fulmer Private Wealth Management offers discretionary and non-discretionary investment management and financial planning services to individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm combines fundamental company analysis with macroeconomic cycle review and a proprietary model-portfolio framework tailored to client risk tolerance and goals, with a focus on dividend-paying equities and shorter-duration fixed income for income-dependent clients.

Jared Fruth is a financial advisor at Northwest Asset Management with four years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at Securities America, Inc., KMS Financial Services, Inc., Oppenheimer Funds, and John Paul Mitchell Systems. Northwest Asset Management is a registered investment adviser managing approximately $3.6 billion for nearly 3,000 clients, including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charities, and corporations. The firm employs a customized, fiduciary approach using Modern Portfolio Theory and strategic asset allocation, combining fundamental and technical analysis to build diversified portfolios with periodic rebalancing.

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.

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.

David Hart is a financial advisor with Martin Wealth Management, LLC in Irvine, CA. He holds a Series 65 credential and has 15 years of industry experience. Hart previously worked with Safeguard Investment Advisory Group and LifePro Asset Management. He is also a Certified Financial Fiduciary and volunteers as an instructor with the Foundation for Fiduciary Education, providing unbiased fiduciary financial education to the public. Martin Wealth Management offers investment advisory services primarily to individuals and high-net-worth clients by co-advising and directing accounts to a third-party money manager, Matson Money. The firm focuses on client onboarding, documentation, and ongoing review of third-party manager accounts rather than direct asset management.

Sarah Currier Barrella is a CFP® professional with 26 years of experience in financial advisory services. She currently works at Santander Securities LLC and Santander Bank, NA, having previously held positions at TD Bank and Citizens Securities, Inc. Barrella is based in Boston, MA. Santander Securities LLC serves a broad retail client base with approximately $3.14 billion in regulatory assets under management across 10,800 client relationships. The firm offers investment advisory services, portfolio management through wrap-fee programs, and financial planning, operating both as a registered investment adviser and a FINRA-registered broker-dealer.