Top financial advisors working with educators, teachers, and academics in Smyrna, TN

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 work in education or academia, your financial planning needs often include managing irregular income cycles, planning for pensions, and balancing student loan repayment with saving. A common mistake is overlooking how these factors interact, which can lead to missed opportunities or cash flow issues.

  • Pension integration. Confirm how the advisor incorporates your specific pension plan rules into your overall retirement strategy.
  • Income timing. Ask how they handle summer breaks or sabbaticals that affect your cash flow and savings consistency.
  • Loan and savings balance. Look for guidance on managing student debt alongside building emergency funds and retirement accounts.
  • Tax considerations. Since Tennessee has no state income tax, check how the advisor focuses on federal taxes and local sales or property taxes in your planning.

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

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Cera O

Series 63, Series 66

Smyrna, TN

Empower Advisory Group

Cera Osborne is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and eight years of industry experience. She previously worked at T Rowe Price and Ford Motor Credit Company before joining Empower Advisory Group and GWFS Equities in 2022. Outside of her advisory role, Osborne is involved in aviation training, assisting with plane transports and schedule optimization for Wings of Eagles. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management services primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as to Empower Premier IRA and retail brokerage account holders. The firm’s approach emphasizes long-term portfolio returns, annual rebalancing, and clients’ savings rates, delivering services integrated with Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms.

General retirement planning Retirement income strategy Social Security optimization Debt management College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.)

Aaron M

Series 66

Smyrna, TN

Edward Jones

Aaron Meier is a financial advisor with Edward Jones, holding a Series 66 designation and 17 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2009. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, including households of varying net worth, pension plans, corporate clients, and charitable organizations. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management and offers a range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds.

General estate planning guidance Multi-generational wealth transfer Retirement income strategy General retirement planning Retired Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Kristian M

Series 63, Series 66

Smyrna, TN

Atlas

Kristian Mtetwa is a financial advisor at Atlas with six years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has held roles at ATFS Advisers LLC, 49 Wealth Management LLC, Thrivent Advisor Network, LLC, and World Financial Group, among others. Outside of his advisory practice, he is co-founder and partner of Synergy Private LLC, a business consulting firm, and serves as principal of VOT Group LLC, where he engages in public speaking and consulting. Atlas provides wealth management and financial planning services to individuals, families, businesses, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm employs a primarily long-term, index-based investment approach supplemented by internally managed strategies and third-party sub-advisors, and is notable for sponsoring a private credit fund and offering performance-based fee arrangements.

Private / alternative investments Active portfolio management Concentrated stock management Retirement income strategy Income planning
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James K

Series 63, Series 65

Smyrna, TN

Cetera

James Knott is a financial advisor with Cetera, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and over 30 years of industry experience. He has worked at various firms including Avantax and currently operates his own tax preparation and accounting business as president of James L Knott CPA PC. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm serving individuals, retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts through a nationwide network of independent advisors. The firm offers diverse portfolio management and financial planning services, utilizing a multi-manager platform with both discretionary and non-discretionary options.

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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Brice J

Series 63, Series 65, Series 66

Smyrna, TN

Jennings Investment Group, Inc.

Brice Jennings is the principal of Jennings Investment Group, Inc. in Smyrna, TN, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 designations with 16 years of industry experience. He has been with Jennings Investment Group, LLC since 2006 and is the sole advisor at the firm. Jennings Investment Group provides investment advisory and supervisory services to individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm uses a tactical asset allocation approach that integrates fundamental, quantitative, and economic analysis with proprietary indicators, and manages most client assets on a non-discretionary basis.

Options & derivatives strategies Active portfolio management
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Arjun S

Series 66

Frisco, TX

TIAA-CREF

Arjun Swarup is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Frisco, TX, holding a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining TIAA-CREF, he worked at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management and has an academic background from NYU College of Arts and Sciences. TIAA‑CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and small retirement plans, often serving clients connected to TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm offers both point-in-time planning and ongoing managed account services within a fiduciary framework, including acting as adviser to a donor-advised fund.

General estate planning guidance Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Educators, Teachers, and Academics Founder/Business Owner Approaching retirement Mid-Career Professionals
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Kevin H

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Birmingham, AL

RFG Advisory, LLC

Kevin Harper is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) with 29 years of industry experience. He is currently with RFG Advisory, LLC in Birmingham, AL, where he has worked since 2015, including prior roles at LPL Financial and Ameriprise. Harper is a co-owner of LHP Capital LLC, a commercial real estate business. RFG Advisory provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, and select institutional clients. The firm employs discretionary investment strategies through model portfolios, third-party platforms, and serves as a sub-adviser to multiple ETFs, with additional specialized services for retirement accounts and alternative investments.

Options & derivatives strategies Private / alternative investments Tax-loss harvesting Founder/Business Owner Executive Retired Women Professionals Mid-Career Professionals

Jacob H

Series 63, Series 66

Charlotte, NC

Edward Jones

Jacob Heinz is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Charlotte, NC, with 15 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 66 designations. His previous positions include roles at Fidelity Investments and E*TRADE Capital Management. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory solutions, including discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, supported by a nationwide network of thousands of financial advisors and branch offices.

Divorce financial planning Retirement income strategy Wealth management Real estate investing Educators, Teachers, and Academics
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Lindsey E

Series 63, Series 65

Cambridge, MN

EFS Advisors

Lindsey Egan is a financial advisor at EFS Advisors with 11 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked at First Republic Securities and First Republic Investment Management from 2016 to 2019. Outside of her financial advisory role, Lindsey is the owner of Women Who Explore, a community offering outdoor adventures and small group travel experiences for women. EFS Advisors provides investment advice and portfolio management to a broad client base, including individuals, business entities, charitable organizations, and qualified retirement plans. The firm employs a client-centric suitability scoring process combined with technology tools to recommend model portfolios and supports clients through discretionary and non-discretionary account management.

Options & derivatives strategies Educators, Teachers, and Academics
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Scott S

Series 63, Series 65

Farmington, CT

Medallion Wealth Advisors, LLC

Scott Stevens is a financial advisor at Medallion Wealth Advisors, LLC with 34 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at firms including Morgan Stanley and American Portfolios Financial Services, Inc. Stevens is also the proprietor of Stevens & Associates, LLC, a separate business. Medallion Wealth Advisors serves individuals, families, and retirement plans for educators and nonprofit organizations. The firm provides portfolio management, financial planning, and pension consulting with a long-term investment approach that includes discretionary and non-discretionary account management and may utilize third-party managers when appropriate.

General retirement planning Educators, Teachers, and Academics

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