Seasoned, general retirement planning financial advisors in Syracuse, NY

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.

Planning for retirement income, Social Security, and healthcare costs can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re nearing or in your 60s or 70s. Without careful planning, you might face unexpected tax bills or run out of money sooner than expected.

  • Long-term income sequencing. Ask how they plan withdrawals to balance taxes and cash flow over decades, not just the next few years.
  • Estate tax awareness. Confirm they understand New York’s estate tax cliff, which can cause large tax bills just above exemption limits.
  • Healthcare cost integration. See if they factor in Medicare premiums and potential long-term care expenses alongside your retirement budget.
  • Experience with market cycles. Seasoned advisors here have navigated multiple market ups and downs; ask how they adjust plans during volatility.

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

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Leslie S

Series 63

Syracuse, NY

Cetera

Leslie Smith is a financial advisor with Cetera, holding a Series 63 designation and 34 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Cetera in 2025, Leslie worked at Avalon, Avantax Advisory Services, and Cadaret, Grant & Co. Outside of advising, Leslie is involved with Avalon Position, a company providing printing, cybersecurity, and document management services to the legal and medical fields. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC serves a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutions. The firm offers a multi-manager platform with various portfolio management and financial planning services, supported by a nationwide network of over 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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Geoffrey I

Series 66

Syracuse, NY

Equitable Advisors

Geoffrey Irving is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Syracuse, NY, holding a Series 66 designation and seven years of industry experience. Prior to joining Equitable Advisors in 2019, he was associated with AXA Advisors and AXA Equitable. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as Partner and President of Operations at American Made Games Inc., a company that fabricates wooden lawn games. Equitable Advisors serves a broad client base including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and various asset-management programs through a network of Investment Adviser Representatives, utilizing both proprietary and third-party investment models.

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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Mac C

Series 63

Dewitt, NY

LPL Financial

Mac Cadaret Jr. is a financial advisor at LPL Financial with 28 years of industry experience. Prior to joining LPL Financial in 2025, he worked at Cadaret, Grant & Co., Inc. for 28 years. He holds the Series 63 designation. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser offering a range of advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm provides financial planning, model portfolio programs, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms, supporting advisors with research and technology tools.

Wealth management Retirement income strategy College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Tax-loss harvesting Annuities Retired Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Donald K

Series 63

Syracuse, NY

Mass Mutual Investors Services

Donald Karlik is a financial advisor with Mass Mutual Investors Services and holds a Series 63 designation. He has 16 years of industry experience, including prior roles at MetLife Securities Inc. and Mass Mutual Life Insurance Company. Outside of advising, he is an insurance agent with Family First Life. Mass Mutual Investors Services is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employers with financial planning and asset management services.

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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Gary S

Series 63, Series 65

Syracuse, NY

Eagle Strategies (NY Life)

Gary Sunada is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Syracuse, NY. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has 19 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Eagle Strategies in 2025, he has been associated with NYLIFE Securities since 2007 and New York Life since 2006. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in insurance brokering with outside carriers for non-registered insurance products. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base including individual investors and institutional clients by providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm offers multiple program types emphasizing tailored recommendations and manages the majority of its assets on a non-discretionary basis.

Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business exit / sale strategy General retirement planning Retirement income strategy Founder/Business Owner Executive
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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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Amanda S

Series 66

Ft. Wayne, IN

Raymond James & Associates

Amanda Scheele is a financial advisor with Raymond James & Associates in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, holding a Series 66 designation and 16 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Raymond James in 2024, she worked at Wells Fargo Clearing from 2016 to 2024 and is involved with Lucky Duck since 2025. Raymond James & Associates is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a diverse client base that includes individuals, institutions, and municipal entities. The firm offers financial planning and non-discretionary consulting services, drawing on various portfolio management styles and affiliated research.

General retirement planning Retirement income strategy Business succession planning Founder/Business Owner Executive

Lori F

Series 66

East Lansing, MI

Edward Jones

Lori Fell is a Series 66 credentialed financial advisor with Edward Jones in East Lansing, MI, where she has worked since 2009, accumulating 17 years of industry experience. Outside of her advisory role, she is the owner of LAF Properties LLC, a business she maintains in East Lansing. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of discretionary and non-discretionary investment solutions, including managed account strategies and affiliated mutual funds, and operates under a fiduciary standard.

Charitable giving & philanthropy Multi-generational wealth transfer General retirement planning Wealth management Retired Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Kenneth B

Series 63, Series 65

Portland, ME

Headinvest

Kenneth Blaschke is a financial advisor at HeadInvest in Portland, ME, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 16 years of industry experience. He has been with HeadInvest since 2009. HeadInvest serves a diverse range of clients, including individuals, trusts, endowments, and government entities, providing discretionary portfolio management and financial planning. The firm employs a holistic, asset-allocation driven approach, combining fixed-income selection with low-cost ETFs and emphasizing tax efficiency.

Wealth management General retirement planning Tax strategies for small businesses Founder/Business Owner Retired
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Michael I

Series 63, Series 65

Livingston, NJ

Raymond James Financial

Michael Ipp is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 42 years of industry experience. He has been with Raymond James Financial Services Advisors since 2010 and serves as an independent contractor for 1792 Wealth Advisors. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors provides financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm offers tailored, non-discretionary planning and uses analytical tools to support client decision-making, while also maintaining specialized programs such as municipal advisory services and SIMPLE IRA Employer Advisory & Consulting Services.

Wealth management Tax strategies for small businesses Business succession planning General estate planning guidance Founder/Business Owner Executive
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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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Elizabeth B

Series 66

New York, NY

J.P. Morgan Securities

Elizabeth Brown is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities in New York, NY, where she has worked since 2012. She has 26 years of industry experience. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services to clients such as corporations, foundations, and defined contribution plan sponsors, offering asset allocation advice, investment manager and fund searches, and customized performance reporting through a select group of Wealth Advisors. The firm combines large institutional advisory operations with brokerage, distribution, and investment management capabilities.

Wealth management Executive Founder/Business Owner
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David C

Series 63, Series 65

Houston, TX

LPL Financial

David Cade is a financial advisor with LPL Financial based in Houston, TX. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 42 years of industry experience. Prior to joining LPL Financial in 2025, he worked at Next Financial Group, Inc. for 20 years and Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. for six years. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of financial planning and portfolio management solutions, integrating proprietary research and third-party strategies.

Wealth management Retirement income strategy College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Tax-loss harvesting Annuities Retired Founder/Business Owner Executive
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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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Linda P

Series 63

Mt. Laurel, NJ

BC Advisors, LLC

Linda Postorivo is a financial advisor at BC Advisors, LLC with 43 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 63 designation and has worked with MAFG RIA Services, Inc. since 1994 and with Mid-Atlantic Companies since 1981. BC Advisors provides investment advisory and portfolio management services primarily to high-net-worth individuals, family trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, and other institutional clients. The firm emphasizes non-discretionary investment recommendations grounded in fundamental analysis alongside technical and cyclical reviews, employing a variety of strategies including long-term, short-term, trading, options, and alternatives.

Active portfolio management
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