Seasoned, business succession planning financial advisors in Trenton, NJ

Santo Costa is a financial advisor at Merrill with four years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has previously worked at DME Capital and Tink Construction LLC, as well as having a background unrelated to finance at Burn the Floor. Merrill, along 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 various model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Ralph Puzio is a financial advisor at Mercer Financial Group, Inc. in Trenton, NJ, with 42 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 63 designation and has worked with U.S. Discount Brokerage, Inc. and Jefferson Pilot Securities Corporation for over two decades. His other business activities include tax preparation, insurance and annuity sales, and financial planning. Mercer Financial Group, Inc. is a single-advisor independent firm serving individual clients with portfolio management and related advisory services, typically on a primarily non-discretionary basis. The firm manages approximately $11.5 million in assets across 12 client accounts and is noted for its combination of advisory, brokerage, accounting, and insurance relationships.

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, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 24 years of industry experience. He worked at U.S. Allianz Securities, Inc. from 1999 to 2006 and Multi Financial Securities Corporation from 2006 to present. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in tax services, credit repair, and serves as a notary public. Gcvsvc1 LLC is an independent firm serving clients with personalized financial solutions.

Ethan Siekkinen is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license, currently serving as a financial advisor with Plante Moran Financial Advisors. He has one year of industry experience and has previously worked at J Wilson Wealth Management and operated Rizzo Lawn Care. Plante Moran Financial Advisors, LLC provides investment advisory, financial planning, and estate planning services to a diverse client base including individual households, institutional clients, and sovereign wealth funds. The firm employs a multi-disciplinary investment process and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, manager search, and tax-lot accounting services.

Michael Ipp is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 42 years of industry experience. He has been with Raymond James Financial Services Advisors since 2010 and serves as an independent contractor for 1792 Wealth Advisors. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors provides financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm offers tailored, non-discretionary planning and uses analytical tools to support client decision-making, while also maintaining specialized programs such as municipal advisory services and SIMPLE IRA Employer Advisory & Consulting Services.

Jeffrey Macdonald is a CFP® and ChFC® with 18 years of industry experience. He has worked at Investment Management & Planning LLC and LPL Financial since 2010, following two years at Wells Fargo Clearing. Investment Management & Planning LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm constructs tailored portfolios using mutual funds, ETFs, equities, and fixed-income securities, employing fundamental analysis and continuous supervision, and operates as both a wrap program sponsor and affiliated registered representatives of LPL Financial.

Patrick Ferguson is a financial advisor at Intentional with 17 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, Commonwealth Financial Network, and LPL Financial. In addition to his advisory role, he is a licensed agent involved in the sales of fixed and traditional insurance products. Intentional provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, businesses, and institutions. The firm offers pension consulting, estate planning support, business exit planning, and due diligence on alternative investments, utilizing a combination of fundamental, technical, and economic analysis within a fiduciary framework.

Jerald Liesman is a financial advisor at Frost Investment Services with 33 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 63 designation and has worked at Frost Brokerage Services, Inc. and Frost Bank since 1993 and 1987, respectively. Frost Investment Services is a retail-focused, SEC-registered adviser serving individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management, comprehensive financial planning, and managed account programs that integrate model portfolios from its affiliate with third-party managers, utilizing a research-driven investment process and providing optional tax and ESG overlay services.

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.

David Cade is a financial advisor with LPL Financial based in Houston, TX. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 42 years of industry experience. Prior to joining LPL Financial in 2025, he worked at Next Financial Group, Inc. for 20 years and Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. for six years. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of financial planning and portfolio management solutions, integrating proprietary research and third-party strategies.

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.

Linda Postorivo is a financial advisor at BC Advisors, LLC with 43 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 63 designation and has worked with MAFG RIA Services, Inc. since 1994 and with Mid-Atlantic Companies since 1981. BC Advisors provides investment advisory and portfolio management services primarily to high-net-worth individuals, family trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, and other institutional clients. The firm emphasizes non-discretionary investment recommendations grounded in fundamental analysis alongside technical and cyclical reviews, employing a variety of strategies including long-term, short-term, trading, options, and alternatives.