Top financial advisors working with attorneys in Trenton, NJ

Santo Costa is a financial advisor at Merrill with a Series 66 designation and four years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at DME Capital and Tink Construction LLC, as well as an eight-year tenure at Burn the Floor. He is based in Trenton, NJ. 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. The firm offers model-based and discretionary investment strategies supported by internal and third-party managers, serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Ralph Puzio is a financial advisor at Mercer Financial Group, Inc. in Trenton, NJ, with 41 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 63 designation and has worked at U.S. Discount Brokerage, Inc. since 2002 and Jefferson Pilot Securities Corporation since 2000. In addition to advisory services, he is involved in tax preparation, insurance, and annuity sales. Mercer Financial Group serves a small client base, managing approximately $6.3 million in assets across 14 relationships. The firm offers portfolio management and financial advice primarily on a non-discretionary basis, alongside accounting, tax, and insurance services, with multiple industry affiliations including broker-dealer and insurance roles.

Hardy Hodges III is a Series 66-registered financial advisor with Fidelity in Trenton, NJ, bringing 18 years of industry experience. His career includes 15 years at Merrill, along with roles at Bank of America and Fidelity Investments. Outside of finance, he operates small businesses selling flavored green teas and engages in affiliate marketing. He works with Strategic Advisers LLC, a Fidelity Investments company that provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients. The firm employs a combination of fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction across various investment vehicles.

Edward Adams is a financial advisor with Cetera, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 26 years of industry experience. He has worked with Cetera since 2006 and has been involved in multiple related business activities, including serving as an adjunct professor at Rider University since 1988 and managing his own CPA practice focused on tax and audit services. He also holds board roles in organizations such as Paedeia, Inc., a medical development company, and the Trenton Cycling Revolution. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC serves a broad client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients through a multi-manager platform offering discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and access to both affiliated and unaffiliated third-party managers.

Gilbert Varnes Jr. is a financial advisor with GCVSVC1 LLC in Trenton, NJ, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 24 years of industry experience. He has been associated with Mutli Financial Securities Corporation since 2006. Outside of advisory work, he is involved in tax services, credit repair, and acts as a notary public. GCVSVC1 LLC operates as an independent firm with a sole advisor, providing personalized financial services.

Kayla Santos is a financial advisor with Mass Mutual Investors Services and holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses. She has 10 years of industry experience, including roles at MetLife Securities and Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company. In addition to her advisory work, she operates as an independent insurance agent specializing in life, fixed annuities, disability, long-term care, and health insurance. Mass Mutual Investors Services, LLC is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employers. The firm provides ongoing financial planning, asset management, and educational seminars, utilizing firm-approved tools to develop collaborative, goal-oriented financial plans.

Wanqiu Wu is a financial advisor at Citigroup Global Markets with a Series 66 credential and three years of industry experience. Prior to joining Citigroup in 2022, Wanqiu worked at Citibank N.A. from 2017 to 2022 and at Bloomingdales from 2015 to 2017. Citigroup Global Markets Inc. serves individual and institutional clients across various wealth segments, offering a range of investment advisory programs and brokerage services. The firm employs multi-asset, multi-manager strategies and maintains unique market roles, including swap dealer and futures commission merchant activities.

Eric Hickok is a financial advisor at Hickok Advisory, LLC with five years of industry experience. He holds Series 66 and Series 65 licenses and has a diverse background that includes tax and legal practices, serving as president of Hickok Tax and attorney at Hickok Tax Law. He is also a licensed realtor active in real estate activities. Hickok Advisory provides discretionary and non-discretionary asset management along with financial planning and consulting services to a range of clients, including individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm emphasizes fundamental and cyclical investment analysis, with strategies tailored to long-term and short-term goals, and integrates related tax and legal services through its affiliated businesses.

Glenn Evans is a Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, specializing in providing personalized financial strategies to a diverse client base. His clients include corporate executives in pharmaceutical, technology, and real estate sectors, business owners, attorneys, medical professionals, widows, members of the LGBTQ community, and extended families across more than 20 states. Glenn’s approach centers on understanding each client’s unique goals and challenges, with an emphasis on planning-based wealth management and legacy strategies. Before joining Merrill, Glenn held senior corporate development and strategy roles at Fortune 500 companies and served as a mezzanine lender to middle market businesses. He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a Bachelor’s degree from Amherst College. Glenn’s professional credentials include the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP®) certification, Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC™) designation, and Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA™) designation. He is an Advisory Member of the Association of African American Financial Advisors and serves as a Trustee of The Kappa Guide Right & Scholarship Fund of Montclair, supporting leadership development and scholarships for local high school seniors. In addition to his advisory work, Glenn contributes as a pro bono consultant to nonprofit organizations focused on arts and education and participates in the Harvard Business School Club of New York Community Partners Initiative. He resides in Livingston, New Jersey, with his daughter and enjoys activities such as biking, hiking, running, swimming, photography, music, genealogy, and traveling.

Sarah Crowe is a CFP® and Series 66 licensed financial advisor with 23 years of experience, currently working at Generational Wealth Advisors. She has been with Talis Advisory Services, LLC since 2016. Crowe is also licensed as an insurance agent for life, accident, and health insurance. Generational Wealth Advisors serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, family offices, trusts, foundations, business entities, and qualified retirement plans by providing discretionary investment management and financial planning. The firm uses a multi-disciplinary team approach with a focus on strategic asset allocation, diversification, and periodic rebalancing, employing primarily institutional mutual funds, ETFs, and other investment vehicles.