Large-firm, social Security optimization financial advisors in Traverse City, MI

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.

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.

Justin Neilson is a financial advisor at Hantz Financial Services, Inc. with six years at the firm and a total of one year of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. His prior roles include positions at Limitless Investment and Capital, Northwood University, and North and Kidd. Hantz Financial Services serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable and corporate clients, and business owners. The firm emphasizes ETF-based model portfolios across multiple risk levels, supplemented by third-party managers and Direct Indexing, and offers a combination of advisory, brokerage, mortgage, and insurance services.

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.

Michelle Berry is a financial advisor with J.W. Cole Advisors, Inc., holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and seven years of industry experience. She has worked at J.W. Cole Advisors since 2021 and previously at Raymond James and Associates from 2017 to 2020. Berry is also involved with Michigan College Planning, providing college and career planning services. J.W. Cole Advisors operates a large network of independent investment adviser representatives and offers fee-based portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan services, third-party manager platforms, and digital advice for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutions. The firm utilizes a variety of investment strategies and platforms while managing accounts on discretionary and non-discretionary bases.

Willie Myles is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Cary, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 16 years of industry experience. He has worked at Equitable Advisors since 2016, previously serving at Axa Advisors and MSI Financial Services. Outside of advising, he is a co-chairman of a fundraising campaign for Alpha Light Fund Inc., a nonprofit focused on renovating the House of Alpha. Equitable Advisors serves a range of clients including individuals, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations, providing financial planning, retirement consulting, and asset management through a network of representatives and third-party managers. The firm offers various investment vehicles and ERISA fiduciary services, relying on third-party program sponsors and an affiliation with a publicly traded parent company.

Stavroula Koutsfetsoulis is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with 25 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Ameriprise and its affiliated entities since 2011. In addition to her advisory role, she is involved in fiduciary activities as an attorney-in-fact (power of attorney). Ameriprise is a large institutional firm that provides retirement-income planning services primarily to individuals with substantial investable assets. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to deliver written recommendation reports through a centralized consulting team, focusing on tailored retirement income strategies.

Cassandra Sanchez is a financial advisor at Financial & Tax Architects, LLC with seven years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at Fisher Investments, TIAA, US Health Advisors, and various other firms. Sanchez also had involvement with Drunken Donkey, reflecting experience outside the financial sector. Financial & Tax Architects provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, focusing on those nearing or in retirement. The firm offers proprietary “Private Wealth Strategies” that use ETFs, individual securities, and trend-aware rebalancing, with accounts reviewed monthly and customizable strategies to meet client needs.

Keith Eliou is the principal of Keith L. Eliou, CFP, an investment management firm based in Pittsburgh, PA. He holds the CFP® designation and has one year of experience as a financial advisor. In addition to his advisory role, he practices law focusing on elder law and real estate and is involved in insurance, mortgage lending, and real estate brokerage businesses. The firm primarily serves pooled vehicles and institutional accounts, offering portfolio management, retirement plan services, and financial planning. It utilizes an open-architecture investment approach with third-party money managers and employs multiple analytical methods and strategies, conducting annual account reviews.

Charles Pyfer III is a CFP® professional with 19 years of industry experience, currently serving at Wealthspire Advisors since 2024. Prior to this, he spent 15 years at Private Ocean. Wealthspire Advisors provides wealth management, investment advisory, financial planning, and family office support to a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, retirement plans, and nonprofit organizations. The firm employs a relationship-driven, customized investment approach that emphasizes diversified, institutional-style asset allocation and utilizes a range of investment vehicles and third-party platforms for comprehensive portfolio management.

Jeffrey Park is a financial advisor at Merrill with eight years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Merrill and affiliated firms since 2011, including roles at JPMorgan Chase Bank and J.P. Morgan Securities. Outside of his advisory work, he is a sole owner and co-owner of family rental properties in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, offering model-based and discretionary strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors.

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.

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.

Wesley Pool is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with 15 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and previously worked at JPMorgan Securities LLC for seven years. Outside of finance, he has been involved with #TagMeBro LLC and Fry Street Public House. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and offers both brokerage and advisory solutions.

Willie Myles is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Cary, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 16 years of industry experience. He has worked at Equitable Advisors since 2016, previously serving at Axa Advisors and MSI Financial Services. Outside of advising, he is a co-chairman of a fundraising campaign for Alpha Light Fund Inc., a nonprofit focused on renovating the House of Alpha. Equitable Advisors serves a range of clients including individuals, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations, providing financial planning, retirement consulting, and asset management through a network of representatives and third-party managers. The firm offers various investment vehicles and ERISA fiduciary services, relying on third-party program sponsors and an affiliation with a publicly traded parent company.