Independent financial advisors in Traverse City, MI

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.

If you have pension benefits from the auto industry or similar, you need an advisor who understands how these pensions fit into your overall retirement plan. A common mistake is treating pensions like regular savings, which can lead to missed income opportunities or tax pitfalls. Independent advisors here operate without firm constraints, giving you advice that’s not tied to specific products or companies.

  • Pension integration expertise. Ask how they incorporate your pension into your broader retirement income strategy, not just your investment portfolio.
  • Tax impact awareness. Confirm they consider how pension income affects your tax bracket and Social Security benefits.
  • Retirement cash flow planning. Look for advisors who model your income and expenses over time, including pension payouts and other sources.
  • Independent advice. These advisors can recommend solutions across providers, not limited to one firm’s offerings.

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

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Trevor F

Series 63, Series 66

Traverse City, MI

Chief Advisors Corp

Trevor Fetters is a financial advisor at CF Advisors LLC with 21 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked with several firms, including First Asset Financial Inc. and Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company. CF Advisors LLC provides fee-based investment advisory and portfolio management services to individuals, trusts, retirement accounts, corporations, estates, and nonprofit organizations. The firm manages approximately $62 million for about 98 clients, using a combination of fundamental and technical analysis alongside modern portfolio theory.

General retirement planning
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Mark F

ChFC®, Series 63

Traverse City, MI

ARK Advisors, LLC

Mark Folgmann is a financial advisor at ARK Advisors, LLC with 15 years of industry experience. He holds the ChFC® designation and Series 63 license and has been with ARK Advisors since 2005. ARK Advisors, LLC is a fee-only, holistic financial planning firm serving individuals, families, and pension plan sponsors. The firm emphasizes a passive, long-term investment approach using low-cost, tax-efficient index funds and ETFs, and offers a range of financial planning and portfolio management services on both non-discretionary and discretionary bases.

General retirement planning General tax planning Wealth management College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.)
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Justin N

Series 63, Series 65

Traverse City, MI

Hantz financial Services, Inc.

Justin Neilson is a financial advisor with Hantz Financial Services, Inc., holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and one year of industry experience. He has worked at Hantz Financial Services since 2020 and previously held positions at Limitless Investment and Capital, Northwood University, North and Kidd, Southwestern Michigan College Soccer, and Delta College. Hantz Financial Services, Inc. is an enterprise investment adviser and registered broker-dealer managing approximately $10 billion in client assets. The firm serves individual investors, corporate clients, and retirement plan sponsors through a multi-advisor platform, offering financial planning, wealth management, and a range of investment strategies focused on diversified, ETF-centered model portfolios.

Private / alternative investments Tax-loss harvesting Active portfolio management Passive / index investing Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive

Joel L

Series 66

Traverse City, MI

Edward Jones

Joel Leipprandt is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Traverse City, MI, holding a Series 66 designation with two years of industry experience. Before joining Edward Jones, he worked in church ministry for seven years. He also coaches the junior varsity boys basketball team for Traverse City Area Public Schools. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm that serves over four million individual and institutional clients, offering a wide range of advisory programs and affiliated investment products. The firm is notable for its extensive retail advisor and branch network, as well as additional services including trust capabilities and securities-based lending.

Retirement income strategy Wealth management Founder/Business Owner
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Michelle B

Series 66, Series 63

Traverse City, MI

J. W. Cole Advisors, Inc.

Michelle Berry is a financial advisor with J.W. Cole Advisors, Inc., holding Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and having seven years of industry experience. She joined J.W. Cole Advisors in 2021 after working at Raymond James and Associates and has additional experience in aviation and energy sectors. Outside of advising, she is involved with Michigan College Planning, focusing on college and career planning services. J.W. Cole Advisors operates through a large network of independent advisers and offers fee-based portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan services, and access to multiple investment platforms for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional accounts. The firm employs a mix of fundamental and technical analysis, model-based strategies, and digital advice providers in managing discretionary and non-discretionary accounts.

Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Retired Founder/Business Owner
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Jared F

Series 65

Huntington Beach, CA

Northwest Asset Management

Jared Fruth is a financial advisor at Northwest Asset Management with four years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at Securities America, Inc., KMS Financial Services, Inc., Oppenheimer Funds, and John Paul Mitchell Systems. Northwest Asset Management is a registered investment adviser managing approximately $3.6 billion for nearly 3,000 clients, including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charities, and corporations. The firm employs a customized, fiduciary approach using Modern Portfolio Theory and strategic asset allocation, combining fundamental and technical analysis to build diversified portfolios with periodic rebalancing.

Retirement income strategy Wealth management Active portfolio management Founder/Business Owner
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Edwina M

Series 65

Cincinnati, OH

Waverly Advisors, LLC

Edwina Martin is a Series 65 licensed financial advisor with two years of industry experience, currently with Waverly Advisors, LLC. She previously worked at 9258 Wealth Management for five years and was employed at Teradata Corp for eleven years. Martin also serves as assistant director of tax planning at 9258 Tax and Planning, a non-investment related business. Waverly Advisors is a multi-team registered investment adviser managing portfolios for individuals, retirement plans, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm combines traditional equity and fixed-income strategies with alternative and private-market allocations, offering a range of investment management and financial planning services.

Private / alternative investments Real estate investing Options & derivatives strategies Tax-loss harvesting Multi-generational wealth transfer Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Craig M

Series 63, Series 65

Columbia, SC

Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC

Craig Mcdaniel Jr. is a financial advisor with Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC in Columbia, SC. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 13 years of industry experience. He has been with Capital Investment Group, Inc. and The McDaniel Corporation since 2012. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in life insurance sales and serves as an independent agent for annuities and related products. Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC provides investment advisory and supervisory services to individuals, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm offers customized investment management through discretionary mandates, third-party managers, and private-label model portfolios, using a blend of analytical methods with ongoing portfolio monitoring.

Active portfolio management Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Annuities Options & derivatives strategies Founder/Business Owner Retired
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David H

Series 65

Irvine, CA

Martin Wealth Management, LLC

David Hart is a financial advisor with Martin Wealth Management, LLC in Irvine, CA. He holds a Series 65 credential and has 15 years of industry experience. Hart previously worked with Safeguard Investment Advisory Group and LifePro Asset Management. He is also a Certified Financial Fiduciary and volunteers as an instructor with the Foundation for Fiduciary Education, providing unbiased fiduciary financial education to the public. Martin Wealth Management offers investment advisory services primarily to individuals and high-net-worth clients by co-advising and directing accounts to a third-party money manager, Matson Money. The firm focuses on client onboarding, documentation, and ongoing review of third-party manager accounts rather than direct asset management.

Medicare planning Annuities
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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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