CFP®-certified, general estate planning guidance financial advisors in Stamford, CT

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 preparing for potential estate taxes. Without focused advice, it's easy to overlook how state-specific tax rules or asset titling can affect your plan's effectiveness.

  • State tax awareness. Ask how they address Connecticut's estate and gift tax rules, which can differ significantly from federal laws.
  • Asset coordination. Confirm they review how your assets are titled and beneficiary designations to ensure your plan works as intended.
  • Will and trust integration. Inquire how they help align wills, trusts, and powers of attorney to avoid conflicts or gaps.
  • Family dynamics. Discuss how they handle complex family situations, such as blended families or special needs, to tailor your plan accordingly.

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

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Michael R

Series 65

Stamford, CT

Ridgeview Asset Management Partners, LLC

Michael Robinson is a financial advisor at Ridgeview Asset Management Partners, LLC, holding a Series 65 designation with seven years of industry experience. He has worked at Ridgeview since 2016 and serves as a director of a small private company. Ridgeview Asset Management Partners is an SEC-registered investment adviser that serves high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, foundations, and endowments through customized separately managed accounts and discretionary management of closed-end private funds and special purpose vehicles. The firm employs rules-based, risk-controlled investment programs across global asset classes, combining mathematical models, professional oversight, and selected sub-advisers to tailor portfolios to clients' risk profiles.

Wealth management Private / alternative investments Passive / index investing Tax-loss harvesting
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Marc D

Series 63, Series 65

Stamford, CT

TIAA-CREF

Marc Defeo is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and 27 years of industry experience. He has been with TIAA-CREF since 2014. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with prior TIAA-administered employer retirement plan relationships. The firm provides planning services that conclude at delivery as well as ongoing discretionary management through various managed account programs and serves as adviser to the TIAA 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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James C

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Stamford, CT

JC Capital Advisors Group LLC

James Cook is a CFP® with 20 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at TJT Capital Group, LLC. He previously worked at JC Capital Advisors Group LLC and has been with TJT Capital Group for 17 years. Cook is also the editor of the newsletter The Investors Strategist. TJT Capital Group provides discretionary portfolio management for individuals, small businesses, trusts, estates, and institutional clients, focusing on asset allocation and mutual fund and ETF selection. The firm employs a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to manage accounts aligned with four objective profiles and oversees approximately $294 million in assets under management.

Wealth management Passive / index investing
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Michelle R

Series 65

Stamford, CT

Asset Management Group, Inc.

Michelle Ross is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with Asset Management Group, Inc. in Stamford, CT. She has seven years of industry experience and has been with the firm since 2019. Asset Management Group, Inc. provides discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, pension plans, trusts, estates, and corporate clients. The firm emphasizes asset allocation and manager selection using a combination of fundamental, technical, quantitative, and qualitative analysis.

General retirement planning Retirement income strategy Income planning Medicare planning Approaching retirement Retired
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Elizabeth C

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Stamford, CT

Mass Mutual Investors Services

Elizabeth Cleary is a financial advisor with Mass Mutual Investors Services in Stamford, CT, holding the CFP® designation and industry licenses including Series 63 and Series 65. She has 17 years of experience in the financial services industry, with a background at Metlife Securities Inc and Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company. Outside of her advisory role, she is the owner of Lefebvre Financial Services, LLC, and serves as a trustee on an irrevocable life insurance trust. 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 offers financial planning, asset management, and educational seminars, providing collaborative, goal-based planning using firm-approved analytical tools.

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