Top financial advisors working with young families 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.

Garrett Dahm is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where he has been providing financial guidance since 2017. He specializes in developing strategies and offering advice tailored to the short- and long-term financial objectives of individuals, families, and businesses. As a qualified Portfolio Manager, Garrett manages discretionary Personalized and Defined Strategies that may include individual stocks and bonds, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management model portfolios, and third-party investment options. His areas of focus include family wealth management, services for endowments, foundations, and non-profits, liquidity management, retirement planning, portfolio management, tax minimization, and strategies for sports and entertainment clients. Garrett earned a Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. He completed his high school education at Prospect High School and attended Harper College without earning a degree. Outside of his professional role, Garrett has a background in classical guitar, having performed solo and with orchestras worldwide since the age of four. Notably, he performed in multiple cities in Australia during the opening ceremonies of the 2000 Olympics. He lives in Mt. Prospect with his wife Tanya and their son Jace. His personal interests include golfing, ice hockey, practicing guitar, and spending time with his family.

Jon Bernier is a CFP® and ChFC® with 23 years of experience in financial advising. He has been with TandemGrowth Financial Advisors, LLC in Alpharetta, GA since 2000. TandemGrowth Financial Advisors serves individuals, high net worth households, trusts, and estates with comprehensive wealth management and financial planning, offering discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management alongside retirement-plan oversight and account aggregation tools. The firm uses a strategic, long-term investment approach across equity-risk spectrums, incorporating mutual funds, ETFs, independent managers, and alternative investments, and provides unique services such as a NextGen program and healthcare planning partnerships.

David Martula is a CFP® professional with 21 years of industry experience. He has been the sole advisor at Fee-Only Financial Planning since 1991. Fee-Only Financial Planning serves individual clients, including high-net-worth households, by providing financial planning and discretionary portfolio management. The firm emphasizes a low-cost, buy-and-hold investment approach using no-load mutual funds, tailoring recommendations to clients’ goals and life stages.

Ai Mendoza is an Investment Consultant currently working at Fidelity Investments since 2022. In this role, she focuses on understanding each client's unique financial needs and providing professional guidance and tailored solutions to help clients make informed financial decisions and pursue their goals. Prior to her current position, Ai worked as a Private Client Banker at JP Morgan Chase from 2019 to 2022. Her experience includes assisting clients with their investment and banking needs. Outside of her professional work, Ai enjoys family activities, fishing, social events with friends, gardening, outdoor adventures, and painting.

Welcome and thank you for taking a moment to read more about Bolt Financial Group and Shaun Carney, CFP®! Shaun Carney is the Co-Founder of Bolt Financial Group, a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM and serves as the firm’s Wealth Advisor. Shaun has over seven years of experience in the financial services industry. Responsible for establishing and maintaining client relationships, Shaun finds immense satisfaction in helping individuals better prepare for retirement. Prior to forming his own firm, Shaun served in the United States Air Force and worked with Edward Jones. After earning his Master of Science degree in Cost Analysis, Shaun went on to obtain his CFP(R), Series 7 and 66 securities licenses. As a member of the Air Force Reserve, Shaun continues to fly C-17s in service to the United States of America. When he isn’t helping people plan for retirement, and piloting C-17s, Shaun is an avid golfer, traveler, husband, and father to three children. Always eager to help others and give back in any way that he can, Shaun regularly volunteers with the Reserve Officers Association and the Knights of Columbus.