Top social Security optimization financial advisors in Southfield, MI

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 approaching retirement and want to maximize your Social Security benefits, timing and claiming strategies are crucial. A common mistake is claiming benefits too early or without considering your full retirement income picture, which can reduce your lifetime benefits.

  • Pension integration knowledge. Many Southfield families have pensions from the auto industry; ask how the advisor coordinates Social Security with your pension to avoid benefit reductions.
  • Claiming age strategy. Confirm how they evaluate the best age to start benefits, balancing early access against higher monthly payments later.
  • Spousal and survivor benefits. Social Security offers options for spouses and survivors; ensure the advisor explains these choices clearly and how they fit your situation.
  • Tax impact awareness. Social Security benefits can be taxable depending on your income; check how the advisor plans for taxes in your overall retirement income.

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

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Carl B

Series 65

Troy, MI

Wittenberg Investments Inc.

Carl Bradley Jr. is a financial advisor at Wittenberg Investments Inc. with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at the Oakland County Road Commission as an appraiser since 2011. Outside of his advisory role, he is president of Maverick Investments LLC, a real estate investment company. Wittenberg Investments Inc. provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as pension and profit-sharing plans. The firm uses fundamental analysis to construct portfolios with a variety of investment vehicles and offers pension consulting with a focus on ERISA compliance.

Options & derivatives strategies Annuities
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Ari F

CFP®, Series 63, Series 66

Southfield, MI

Focus Partners Wealth, LLC

Ari Fischman is a financial advisor with Focus Partners Wealth, LLC, holding the CFP® designation and Series 63 and 66 licenses, with 24 years of industry experience. He has held roles at several firms including Kovitz Investment Group Partners and Lion Street Financial. Outside of his advisory work, he serves on the Pension and Insurance committee for the Jewish Federation of Metro Detroit and sits on the Board of Directors for Hillel Day School, where he contributes to the endowment committee and strategic planning. Focus Partners serves individuals, high-net-worth families, family offices, and institutional clients with wealth management and advisory services. The firm employs a long-term, tax- and fee-sensitive investment approach that combines active and passive strategies, third-party managers, and private funds within an enhanced open architecture framework.

Options & derivatives strategies Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business sale tax planning Dentist Founder/Business Owner Executive Retired Established Professionals Approaching retirement Values-based investing
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Grant S

Series 63, Series 65

Southfield, MI

Kestra Advisory

Grant Sharkey is a financial advisor at Kestra Advisory with Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and three years of industry experience. He has worked at Kestra Investment Services since 2021 and has prior experience across various roles including Extended Travel, Pharmaco, and Ulliance Inc. Sharkey is also the owner of a tax entity, Sharkey Capital LLC. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to a broad mix of institutional and individual clients, offering services such as fiduciary consulting, plan design, and advisor-managed accounts. The firm serves large institutional investors, including sovereign wealth funds, and manages approximately $79.8 billion in assets.

Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business exit / sale strategy Annuities Wealth management Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Ruth I

Series 65

Southfield, MI

Focus Partners Wealth, LLC

Ruth Impastato is a financial advisor at Focus Partners Wealth, LLC with two years of industry experience. She holds a Series 65 designation and has previous experience at Kovitz Investment Group Partners, Telemus Capital, and Sentinel Benefits & Financial Group. Focus Partners Wealth, LLC serves individuals, high-net-worth families, family offices, corporate and institutional clients with wealth management and advisory services. The firm employs a long-term, tax- and fee-sensitive investment approach that integrates active and passive strategies, third-party managers, and private funds under an enhanced open architecture framework.

Options & derivatives strategies Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business sale tax planning Dentist Founder/Business Owner Executive Retired Established Professionals Approaching retirement Values-based investing
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Gerald M

Series 63, Series 65

Southfield, MI

Advance Capital Management Inc

Gerald Malone II is a financial advisor with Advance Capital Management Inc in Southfield, MI. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 25 years of industry experience, having been with Advance Capital Management and Advance Capital Services since 2000. Advance Capital Management serves a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, foundations, and institutional clients, providing discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm uses an Investment Committee to guide decisions and offers services such as direct indexing, alternative investments, and crypto-related strategies.

Concentrated stock management Tax-loss harvesting 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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Stavroula K

Series 63, Series 65

Linwood, NJ

Ameriprise

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.

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

Series 63, Series 65

Plano, TX

Financial & Tax Architects, LLC

Cassandra Sanchez is a financial advisor at Financial & Tax Architects, LLC with seven years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at Fisher Investments, TIAA, US Health Advisors, and various other firms. Sanchez also had involvement with Drunken Donkey, reflecting experience outside the financial sector. Financial & Tax Architects provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, focusing on those nearing or in retirement. The firm offers proprietary “Private Wealth Strategies” that use ETFs, individual securities, and trend-aware rebalancing, with accounts reviewed monthly and customizable strategies to meet client needs.

Retirement income strategy Social Security optimization Annuities Income planning General tax planning Retired
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Keith E

CFP®

Pittsburgh, PA

Keith L. Eliou, CFP

Keith Eliou is the principal of Keith L. Eliou, CFP, an investment management firm based in Pittsburgh, PA. He holds the CFP® designation and has one year of experience as a financial advisor. In addition to his advisory role, he practices law focusing on elder law and real estate and is involved in insurance, mortgage lending, and real estate brokerage businesses. The firm primarily serves pooled vehicles and institutional accounts, offering portfolio management, retirement plan services, and financial planning. It utilizes an open-architecture investment approach with third-party money managers and employs multiple analytical methods and strategies, conducting annual account reviews.

Social Security optimization Retirement income strategy Cash flow / budgeting Charitable giving tax strategies Business exit / sale strategy Founder/Business Owner
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Charles P

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

San Rafael, CA

WealthSpire Advisors

Charles Pyfer III is a CFP® professional with 19 years of industry experience, currently serving at Wealthspire Advisors since 2024. Prior to this, he spent 15 years at Private Ocean. Wealthspire Advisors provides wealth management, investment advisory, financial planning, and family office support to a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, retirement plans, and nonprofit organizations. The firm employs a relationship-driven, customized investment approach that emphasizes diversified, institutional-style asset allocation and utilizes a range of investment vehicles and third-party platforms for comprehensive portfolio management.

Retirement income strategy Social Security optimization Roth conversion strategy Tax-loss harvesting Private / alternative investments Founder/Business Owner Retired Mid-Career Professionals Established Professionals
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