Large-firm, social Security optimization financial advisors in Utah

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.

You might need a Social Security optimization advisor if you're approaching retirement and want to maximize your benefits without triggering penalties or reducing your spouse's income. A common mistake is claiming benefits too early or in the wrong sequence, which can permanently lower your lifetime income. Large-firm advisors often have access to extensive resources and specialized teams, which can support complex Social Security strategies.

  • Benefit timing strategies. Ask how they determine the best age to claim benefits based on your full financial picture, not just your current needs.
  • Spousal and survivor benefits. Confirm they consider how your claiming decisions affect your spouse’s and survivor benefits to avoid unintended reductions.
  • Coordination with retirement income. Look for advisors who integrate Social Security with your other income sources to optimize overall cash flow and tax outcomes.
  • Experience with Utah demographics. Since Utah attracts younger families, ask how they tailor strategies for clients balancing Social Security with ongoing career growth and family needs.

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

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Jill P

Series 63, Series 66

Sandy, UT

Morgan Stanley

Jill Pettijohn is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 16 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at firms including E*TRADE Capital Management and Transamerica Financial Advisors. Outside of her advisory roles, she has experience with technology companies such as Lyft and Uber. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management provides a range of advisory programs and financial planning services to individuals and institutional clients, managing approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets. The firm emphasizes structured financial planning supported by proprietary tools and offers both direct individual plans and corporate financial planning solutions.

General estate planning guidance

Hidi S

Series 63, Series 66

Salt Lake City, UT

Fidelity

Hidi Schuyler is the Vice President and Branch Leader at Fidelity Investments, where she currently leads a team of financial associates focused on developing customized wealth strategies and fostering long-term client relationships. Since joining Fidelity Investments in 2005, she has held various roles including Regional Planning Consultant, Managed Solutions Consultant, Portfolio Specialist, Assigned Relationship Manager, Self Directed Brokerage Associate, and Fidelity Service Associate. Her career in financial services spans over a decade and a half, with prior experience as an Associate and Trainer at Discovercard from 1996 to 2005. Hidi holds a California Insurance License, supporting her work in financial planning and client service. Outside of her professional responsibilities, Hidi has interests in art, cooking and baking, fitness, social events with friends, hiking, and music.

Wealth management
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David W

Series 63, Series 65

Draper, UT

Ameriprise

David Wright is a financial advisor with Ameriprise Financial Services in Draper, Utah, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and seven years of industry experience. His background includes roles at Ameriprise Financial and The Vanguard Group, as well as employment with BlenderBottle and Brigham Young University. Outside of financial advising, he owns a tart cherry juice company called CherriON. Ameriprise Financial Services is a large advisory firm serving individual and institutional clients, known for its Premier Retirement Income service that provides retirement income planning with a focus on dependable income sources and tax-aware withdrawal strategies. The firm’s approach integrates proprietary investment research, third-party data, and algorithmic tools, with implementation conducted on a non-discretionary basis by clients or their advisors.

Retirement income strategy Income planning Social Security optimization Retirement withdrawal strategies Approaching retirement
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Nicholas S

CFP®, Series 65, Series 63

Lehi, UT

Telos Partners LLC

Nicholas Stecklein is a CFP®-designated financial advisor with six years of industry experience. He is currently affiliated with Telos Partners LLC and has previously worked at firms including DFPG Investments, Diversify Wealth Management, and North Capital Investment Technology. Outside of investment advising, he provides tax preparation services through Advantage Tax and Planning. Telos Partners LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $139 million in discretionary assets for about 65 clients. The firm employs multiple proprietary, long-term, growth-oriented strategies that integrate equities, fixed income, and selective funds, with options for ESG and impact screening, and offers family-office consulting as well as educational seminars.

Charitable giving & philanthropy Cash flow / budgeting College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Retirement income strategy Tax strategies for small businesses Founder/Business Owner Executive Values-based investing SRI/ESG (Socially Responsible Investing/Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance)
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Brandon N

CFP®, ChFC®, Series 63, Series 65

Salt Lake City, UT

OSAIC

Brandon Nelson is a CFP® and ChFC® credentialed financial advisor with 27 years of industry experience. He has worked at OSAIC since 2025 and previously spent 24 years at Lincoln Financial Advisors. Outside his advisory role, he serves as a finance assistant clerk for his local church, managing financial records and budgets. OSAIC serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth investors, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers integrated brokerage and advisory services, leveraging asset-allocation tools, risk assessments, and automated rebalancing to manage portfolios that include a range of investment products.

Annuities Wealth management Tax-loss harvesting Private / alternative investments Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Willie M

Series 63, Series 66

Cary, NC

Equitable Advisors

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 and previously at AXA Advisors, LLC. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as co-chairman of a fundraising campaign for the nonprofit Alpha Light Fund Inc., focused on renovating the House of Alpha. Equitable Advisors serves a diverse client base including individual, high-net-worth, retirement plan, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients, offering financial planning, broker-dealer services, insurance distribution, and access to third-party asset management programs. The firm operates as both an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer, leveraging LPL-sponsored programs and endorsed TAMPs to deliver advisory and brokerage solutions.

Retirement income strategy Social Security optimization Founder/Business Owner Retired Executive Approaching retirement Baby Boomers (Born 1946-1964)
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Stavroula K

Series 63, Series 65

Linwood, NJ

Ameriprise

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.

Retirement income strategy Income planning Social Security optimization Retirement withdrawal strategies Approaching retirement
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Cassandra S

Series 63, Series 65

Plano, TX

Financial & Tax Architects, LLC

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.

Retirement income strategy Social Security optimization Annuities Income planning General tax planning Retired
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Keith E

CFP®

Pittsburgh, PA

Keith L. Eliou, CFP

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.

Social Security optimization Retirement income strategy Cash flow / budgeting Charitable giving tax strategies Business exit / sale strategy Founder/Business Owner
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Charles P

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

San Rafael, CA

WealthSpire Advisors

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.

Retirement income strategy Social Security optimization Roth conversion strategy Tax-loss harvesting Private / alternative investments Founder/Business Owner Retired Mid-Career Professionals Established Professionals
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Jeffrey P

Series 66

Dacula, GA

Merrill

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.

Tax-loss harvesting Active portfolio management Wealth management
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Scott M

Series 63, Series 65

New York, NY

Morgan Stanley

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.

General estate planning guidance
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Elizabeth B

Series 66

New York, NY

J.P. Morgan Securities

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.

Wealth management Executive Founder/Business Owner
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Wesley P

Series 63, Series 66

Fort Worth, TX

Wells Fargo Clearing

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.

Retired Founder/Business Owner
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Willie M

Series 63, Series 66

Cary, NC

Equitable Advisors

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 and previously at AXA Advisors, LLC. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as co-chairman of a fundraising campaign for the nonprofit Alpha Light Fund Inc., focused on renovating the House of Alpha. Equitable Advisors serves a diverse client base including individual, high-net-worth, retirement plan, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients, offering financial planning, broker-dealer services, insurance distribution, and access to third-party asset management programs. The firm operates as both an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer, leveraging LPL-sponsored programs and endorsed TAMPs to deliver advisory and brokerage solutions.

Retirement income strategy Social Security optimization Founder/Business Owner Retired Executive Approaching retirement Baby Boomers (Born 1946-1964)
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