CFP®-certified, debt management financial advisors in Towson, MD

James Simmons is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with 28 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has worked at Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments and The Simmons Partnership, Inc. since 2011. In addition to his advisory role, he is involved in the sales and service of fixed life insurance and annuity contracts as an insurance agent. The Simmons Partnership, Inc. advises individuals, trusts, foundations, pension plans, and corporations, serving both high-net-worth and non-HNW clients with financial planning, retirement-plan consulting, and portfolio management. The firm constructs portfolios based on client-specific asset allocation guidelines using a variety of investment vehicles and provides services on discretionary and non-discretionary bases.

Michele Beernink is a financial advisor with Kestra Advisory in Towson, MD, holding a Series 65 credential and bringing 16 years of industry experience. Her career includes roles at Verdence Capital Advisors, Private Advisor Group, and LPL Financial. She also serves as Director of Private Wealth Services at Capital Financial Partners, LLC. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to institutional and individual clients, including plan sponsors. The firm offers fiduciary consulting, plan design, and investment advice supported by due diligence, serving a diverse client base that includes large institutional investors and sovereign wealth funds.

Austin Smith is a financial advisor with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors in Towson, MD, holding a Series 66 designation and eight years of industry experience. He has worked at Cambridge Investment Research, Inc. and The Legacy Group, Inc. since 2017 and previously held positions at the United States Postal Service and Trazzi and Grasso. Outside of his advisory role, he is an independent insurance agent with The Legacy Group, Inc. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors is a large SEC-registered adviser serving individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, trusts, and retirement-plan sponsors. The firm offers financial planning, investment management, and retirement advisory services through a network of independent professionals, utilizing proprietary and third-party model strategies with both discretionary and non-discretionary investment options.

Joseph Valletta is the principal of HR Investment Consultants, Inc. in Baltimore, MD, holding a Series 65 credential with 35 years of industry experience. He has been with HR Investment Consultants since 1994. Outside of advisory services, he co-owns Pension Data Source, Inc., a firm that publishes fee benchmarking data for retirement plans. HR Investment Consultants, Inc. provides specialized retirement-plan consulting to corporations, institutions, and associations with participant-directed plans, focusing on 401(k) and 403(b) sponsors. The firm operates as a solo practice serving a limited client base, offering non-discretionary fiduciary and non-fiduciary consulting services without managing client assets.

Thaddeus Pedzich is a financial advisor with Cetera who holds the ChFC® designation and has 36 years of industry experience. He has worked at Cetera and its affiliates since 2021 and previously spent seven years with VOYA Financial Advisors. He serves as president and owner of Green Gate Technology, Inc., where he manages business, financial, accounting, and personnel activities, and is a member of the finance committee at Life Bible Fellowship Church. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered adviser operating a large nationwide network of independent advisors, serving individuals, retirement plans, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients. The firm offers a multi-manager platform with various portfolio management and financial planning services, supporting a wide range of program structures and custodial relationships.

Timothy Coyne is the sole advisor at Coyne Capital Management, LLC in Westlake, Ohio, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 16 years of industry experience. He has worked at Coyne Capital Management since 2010. Coyne Capital Management provides discretionary investment management and standalone financial planning services to individuals, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations, typically serving clients with at least $500,000 in investable assets. The firm emphasizes asset-class diversification, utilizes both fundamental and technical analysis, and offers tailored Investment Policy Statements to align with clients’ goals and risk tolerance.

Jorden Bastien is a financial advisor at LifeSteps Financial with 13 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has been with LifeSteps Financial (formerly Foothill Financial Advisors, Inc.) since 2012. The firm serves individuals, families, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, businesses, retirement plan participants, and charitable organizations. LifeSteps Financial employs an ETF-centric investment approach based on Modern Portfolio Theory, offering discretionary and non-discretionary advisory services combined with integrated financial planning and a hands-on bill-payment and reconciliation service.

Don Larson is a CFP® with 20 years of experience in the financial advisory industry and has operated Larson Wealth Management, LLC since 2011. He holds Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and also manages Larson Business & Tax Solutions, providing bookkeeping and tax preparation services. Additionally, Larson serves as secretary and treasurer for AEM International (US) Ltd. Larson Wealth Management offers investment supervisory and consulting services to individual and institutional clients, including high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and employee benefit plans. The firm employs customized strategic asset allocation with a combination of fundamental and technical analysis, managing portfolios primarily through mutual funds and ETFs across multiple asset classes.

Marilynne Shadow is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group in Canton, GA, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and nine years of industry experience. She previously worked at Morgan Stanley, E*TRADE Securities, Fidelity Brokerage Services, and Charles Schwab. Outside of her advisory role, she is the sole proprietor of The Barking Crab, an art and culture business based in Centennial, Colorado. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and participants, as well as Empower Premier IRA and retail brokerage clients. The firm integrates its services with Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms and emphasizes long-term portfolio returns and annual rebalancing in its planning approach.

Kari Wolfson is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license with 13 years of industry experience. She has worked at Adviser Investments, LLC from 2011 to 2024 before joining RWA Wealth Partners in 2024. RWA Wealth Partners serves a broad client base including individuals, families, trusts, charitable organizations, business entities, and retirement plans. The firm emphasizes strategic asset allocation using an open-architecture platform and integrates fundamental and quantitative methods in its investment strategies, alongside offering financial planning, tax services, and retirement plan advisory.

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.

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.

Ethan Siekkinen is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license with Plante Moran Financial Advisors. He has one year of industry experience and previously worked at J Wilson Wealth Management. Outside of financial advising, he has experience in the lawn care business with Rizzo Lawn Care. Plante Moran Financial Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm provides investment advisory, financial planning, and estate-planning services, utilizing a range of investment strategies and managing both discretionary and non-discretionary assets.

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.

Jeffrey Macdonald is a CFP® and ChFC® with 17 years of industry experience. He has been with Investment Management & Planning LLC since 2010 and is also affiliated with LPL Financial LLC. Investment Management & Planning LLC provides fee-based investment advisory and comprehensive financial planning primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, offering portfolio management on both discretionary and non-discretionary bases. The firm emphasizes ongoing account supervision and individualized asset allocation, often utilizing LPL-sponsored platforms and model portfolios.