Top social Security optimization 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 seek a Social Security optimization advisor if you're approaching retirement and want to maximize your monthly benefits without costly mistakes. A common error is claiming benefits too early or in the wrong sequence, which can reduce your lifetime income.

  • Claiming strategy expertise. Ask how they tailor claiming ages and spousal benefits to your unique work and earnings history.
  • Coordination with other income. Confirm they consider your pension, savings, and part-time work to avoid unexpected tax or benefit reductions.
  • Benefit maximization scenarios. Look for advisors who model multiple claiming options over your lifetime, not just immediate payouts.
  • Local tax awareness. Since Illinois doesn't tax retirement income but has high property taxes, check how they factor this into your overall plan.

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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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 and previously at AXA Advisors, LLC. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as co-chairman of a fundraising campaign for the nonprofit Alpha Light Fund Inc., focused on renovating the House of Alpha. Equitable Advisors serves a diverse client base including individual, high-net-worth, retirement plan, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients, offering financial planning, broker-dealer services, insurance distribution, and access to third-party asset management programs. The firm operates as both an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer, leveraging LPL-sponsored programs and endorsed TAMPs to deliver advisory and brokerage solutions.

Retirement income strategy Social Security optimization Founder/Business Owner Retired Executive Approaching retirement Baby Boomers (Born 1946-1964)
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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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