Top general estate planning guidance financial advisors in Springfield, IL

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.

You might need general estate planning guidance if you're organizing your assets to protect your family or planning for how your estate will be managed after your passing. A common mistake is overlooking how property taxes can impact your estate, especially in areas with high rates like Springfield, IL.

  • Asset distribution clarity. Confirm how the advisor helps you clearly define who gets what, reducing family disputes later.
  • Trust and will integration. Ask how they coordinate trusts and wills to work together smoothly, avoiding gaps or overlaps.
  • Property tax considerations. Since property taxes can be high locally, check how they factor this into your estate plan to minimize surprises.
  • Plan updates. Estate plans need regular reviews; find out how often they recommend revisiting your documents as laws and circumstances change.

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

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Brent L

Series 66

Springfield, IL

Cetera

Brent Leach is a financial advisor with Cetera, holding the Series 66 designation and bringing 10 years of industry experience. He has worked at Avantax Advisory Services and 1st Global Capital Corp before joining Cetera in 2025. Outside of his advisory role, Leach is an equity partner and managing partner of the tax practice at Eck, Schafer & Punke, LLP, a public accounting firm. He also serves as the treasurer of the Dana-Thomas House Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving the Frank Lloyd Wright Dana-Thomas House in Springfield, IL. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC serves a broad client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporate, charitable, and institutional accounts. The firm offers a multi-manager platform with discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and access to third-party managers, managing over $256 billion in assets across more than 10,000 advisors.

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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Christopher P

CFP®, PFS™, Series 66

Springfield, IL

OSAIC Institutions, INC.

Christopher Parks is a CFP®, PFS™, and holds a Series 66 license with 21 years of industry experience. He is affiliated with OSAIC Institutions, INC. and has worked at Infinex Investments, Inc. and Illinois National Bank, where he serves as Senior Vice President. Parks also holds the position of Vice President and board member of the Chatham Police Pension Fund and provides financial management guidance to St. Joseph's Church in Chatham, IL. OSAIC Institutions, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, ERISA retirement plans, trusts, estates, and corporate clients through a network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers customized advisory services, financial planning, ERISA plan services, and access to alternative investments, operating under a hybrid adviser/broker-dealer model combining discretionary and non-discretionary management.

Annuities Tax-loss harvesting Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Harlin N

Series 66

Springfield, IL

Private Advisor Group, LLC

Harlin Noel is a financial advisor with Private Advisor Group, LLC in Springfield, IL, holding a Series 66 credential and 24 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at LPL Financial LLC and Level Four Advisory Services. Private Advisor Group serves a diverse client base including individuals, trusts, and charitable organizations, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting through various advisory programs and third-party asset managers. The firm supports a broad range of analytical approaches and trading time horizons, providing services through a network of investment adviser representatives.

Retired Founder/Business Owner
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Timothy H

Series 63, Series 66

Springfield, IL

Edward Jones

Timothy Healy is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Springfield, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and 25 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2000. Outside of his advisory work, Healy serves as a council member on the Blessed Sacrament Parish Finance Council. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and offers a range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds.

Wealth management Tax-loss harvesting Multi-generational wealth transfer Retired Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Daniel S

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Springfield, IL

LPL Financial

Daniel Stewart is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 28 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with LPL Financial since 2018. Prior to joining LPL, he worked at Cetera Advisor Networks LLC for five years. He is based in Springfield, IL. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving a broad client base, including individuals, retirement plans, banks, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and financial planning services, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary management with support from LPL Research and third-party subadvisors.

College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.)
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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 65, Series 63

Warwick, RI

Mass Mutual Investors Services

Kayla Santos is a financial advisor with Mass Mutual Investors Services and holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses. She has 10 years of industry experience, including roles at MetLife Securities and Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company. In addition to her advisory work, she operates as an independent insurance agent specializing in life, fixed annuities, disability, long-term care, and health insurance. Mass Mutual Investors Services, LLC is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employers. The firm provides ongoing financial planning, asset management, and educational seminars, utilizing firm-approved tools to develop collaborative, goal-oriented financial plans.

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 Wealth management General estate planning guidance Oil & Gas
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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 has worked previously at CoreCap Advisors and Cambridge Investment Research. Outside of his advisory role, he is the founder of Frontier Wealth Management and works as an independent insurance agent with Goosehead Insurance. Smith & Wyatt serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, and corporations, managing approximately $207 million for around 724 clients through a team of eight advisors. The firm offers financial planning, discretionary portfolio management, and estate-planning consulting, tailoring investment advice to clients’ objectives and risk tolerances primarily through mutual funds and ETFs.

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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