CFP®-certified, general estate planning guidance financial advisors in South Bend, IN

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.

When you're organizing your estate to ensure your assets go where you want, you need guidance that covers all the basics clearly. A common mistake is overlooking how state tax rules and living costs affect your overall plan.

  • State tax awareness. Confirm the advisor understands Indiana's flat income tax and how it impacts estate taxes and distributions.
  • Comprehensive asset review. Look for advisors who consider all asset types, including real estate and retirement accounts, to avoid gaps in your plan.
  • Succession planning insight. Ask how they handle passing on family businesses or properties to minimize complications.
  • Document coordination. Ensure they help align wills, trusts, and powers of attorney so your wishes are legally clear and executable.

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

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Joseph C

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

South Bend, IN

Harbour Investments, Inc.

Joseph Catanzarite is a CFP® with 22 years of industry experience. He has been with Harbour Investments, Inc. since 2012 and previously worked at Lincoln Investment and Capital Analysts Inc. He also operates an independent insurance agency focused on equity indexed annuities. Harbour Investments serves a diverse client base including individuals, trusts, pension and 401(k) plans, and institutions. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services, utilizing varied investment approaches tailored by individual advisers and approved third-party managers.

Annuities Options & derivatives strategies
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Richard M

Series 63

South Bend, IN

Pennfield Capital Corp

Richard Mock is a financial advisor at Pennfield Capital Corp with 23 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 63 designation and has been with Pennfield Capital Corp since 1990. Pennfield Capital Corp is a small firm with two advisors, providing supported firm services.

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Marlin S

CFP®, Series 63

South Bend, IN

Creative Financial Planning Advisors, Inc.

Marlin Schmidt is a CFP® professional with 50 years of industry experience. He is the sole advisor at Creative Financial Planning Advisors, Inc., where he has worked since 2018. Prior to that, he spent over 17 years at Questar Capital Corporation and 13 years at Questar Asset Management. Outside of his advisory role, Schmidt teaches jogging and fitness classes at Indiana University South Bend, donating his salary to the university foundation. Creative Financial Planning Advisors, Inc. provides discretionary portfolio management primarily to medium- to high-net-worth individuals and family groups, as well as trusts, IRAs, corporations, and not-for-profit organizations. The firm uses fundamental analysis and third-party research to build individualized portfolios and offers a range of financial planning services including retirement, tax, and estate planning.

General retirement planning General tax planning Retired Founder/Business Owner Widow/Widower
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Eric K

Series 63, Series 65

South Bend, IN

Kestrel Wealth Management, LLC

Eric Koselak is a financial advisor with Kestrel Wealth Management, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 15 years of industry experience. He has been with Kestrel Wealth Management since 2010. Kestrel Wealth Management serves individual clients, trusts, estates, small businesses, and charities, providing discretionary asset management and financial planning. The firm combines fundamental and cyclical analysis in an active management approach, including strategies such as rebalancing, tax-loss harvesting, and the use of derivatives, while maintaining policies to mitigate conflicts of interest.

Active portfolio management
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Shirley M

Series 63

South Bend, IN

Ameriprise

Shirley Myers is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with 37 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 63 designation and has been with Ameriprise since 2005. Ameriprise offers a retirement-income planning service designed for individuals approaching or in retirement who meet specific eligibility criteria, providing written Recommendation Reports that address income sources, Social Security options, and tax-smart withdrawal strategies. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to deliver tailored retirement planning through a centralized consulting team.

Retirement income strategy Income planning Social Security optimization Retirement withdrawal strategies Approaching retirement
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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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Kayla S

Series 63, Series 65

Warwick, RI

Mass Mutual Investors Services

Kayla Santos is a financial advisor with Mass Mutual Investors Services in Warwick, RI, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having 10 years of industry experience. She has worked at Mass Mutual Investors Services since 2017 and previously at MetLife Securities. In addition to her advisory role, Santos is an independent insurance agent, offering life, fixed annuities, disability, long-term care, and health insurance products. Mass Mutual Investors Services, LLC is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employers. The firm provides financial planning, asset management, wrap and money-manager programs, and educational seminars, structuring engagements as annual collaborative relationships focused on goal analysis and written recommendations.

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

Gordon B

Series 66

Luling, LA

Edward Jones

Gordon Brown III is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with 18 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has been with Edward Jones since 2008. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, with approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment options, operating under a fiduciary standard.

Retirement income strategy General estate planning guidance Multi-generational wealth transfer Wealth management Oil & Gas Engineering Professional
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William S

Series 63, Series 65

College Station, TX

Smith & Wyatt

William Soltow is a financial advisor at Smith & Wyatt with 13 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked at CoreCap Advisors, LLC. Outside of advising, he is the founder of Frontier Wealth Management and serves as an independent insurance agent with Goosehead Insurance. Smith & Wyatt serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, and corporations, managing approximately $207 million across 724 clients. The firm provides tailored financial planning, discretionary portfolio management, estate-planning consulting, and specialized educational programs, utilizing mutual funds and ETFs as primary investment vehicles.

Government Employee
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Thaddeus P

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Grand Rapids, MI

Advance Wealth Management Service, LLC

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.

College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Charitable giving & philanthropy General estate planning guidance General tax planning Options & derivatives strategies
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Sarah C

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Boston, MA

Santander Securities LLC

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.

ESG / Sustainable investing Tax-loss harvesting General retirement planning Income planning Founder/Business Owner
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Elanna G

CFP®, Series 66

Cleveland, OH

Cambridge Investment Research Advisors

Elanna Gould is a CFP® professional with six years of experience, currently advising at Cambridge Investment Research Advisors in Cleveland, OH. Her background includes roles at PepsiCo and The Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Center, as well as academic experience at The Ohio State University. She is also an independent insurance agent for various companies. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors serves a broad client base, including individuals, retirement plans, and charitable organizations, offering financial planning, investment management, and retirement advisory services through a network of independent professionals. The firm provides a range of portfolio management options, proprietary and third-party strategies, and various custody platforms tailored to client objectives.

Wealth management Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Retirement income strategy Annuities Self-Employed
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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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Jace H

CFP®, Series 63, Series 66

Rockwall, TX

Rockwall Wealth Management

Jace Hart is a CFP® with nine years of industry experience and currently serves as a financial advisor at Rockwall Wealth Management. His prior experience includes roles at Leo Wealth, LPL Financial, and Fidelity Brokerage Services. Rockwall Wealth Management provides portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, trusts, plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm emphasizes diversified, low-cost ETF model portfolios with a focus on tax efficiency, liquidity, and systematic macro tilts, offering both traditional and advanced investment strategies tailored to client objectives.

Active portfolio management Options & derivatives strategies Private / alternative investments Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Retirement income strategy
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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
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