Top business succession planning financial advisors in Ventura, CA

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 own a business and are thinking about stepping back or retiring, you need a business succession planning advisor to help you pass your company on smoothly. Without expert guidance, you might overlook tax impacts or undervalue your business, which can cost you and your heirs.

  • Tax strategy awareness. California's high income taxes and Proposition 13's property tax limits affect succession plans differently; ask how they navigate these rules for your benefit.
  • Valuation insight. Confirm how they determine your business's worth to avoid surprises during transfer or sale.
  • Transition timing. Good advisors help you plan the right moment to hand over control, balancing your goals and market conditions.
  • Stakeholder coordination. Check how they manage communication and agreements among family members, partners, or buyers to prevent conflicts.

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

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Ankita M

Series 66

Ventura, CA

Merrill

Ankita Maitra is a financial advisor at Merrill, holding a Series 66 designation with four years of industry experience. She has previously worked at Bank of America and has been with Merrill since 2021. Merrill, along with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, offers managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program. The firm serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations using model-based and discretionary strategies developed by internal and third-party investment teams.

Tax-loss harvesting Active portfolio management Wealth management
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Eric S

CFP®, Series 66

Ventura, CA

Cornerstone Wealth Management, LLC

Eric Smith is a CFP® professional with 27 years of industry experience. He is currently with Cornerstone Wealth Management, LLC, where he has worked since 2018, and has prior experience at LPL Financial and Lifetime Planning, Inc. He is also a practicing attorney who provides estate planning services through his own legal practice. Cornerstone Wealth Management serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm employs a comprehensive investment approach combining fundamental, quantitative, and qualitative analysis, offering tailored account supervision and a variety of advisory programs through the LPL platform.

Charitable giving & philanthropy Founder/Business Owner Retired
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Shannon I

Series 63, Series 65

Ventura, CA

LPL Financial

Shannon Irwin is a financial advisor at LPL Financial with 32 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has worked at firms including UBS Financial Services, Partnervest Advisory Services, and Sorrento Pacific Financial. Outside of her advisory role, she is involved in direct sales with Le-Vel. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services through a large network of advisors, utilizing model portfolios, third-party subadvisors, and customized investment strategies.

Wealth management Retirement income strategy College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Tax-loss harvesting Annuities Retired Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Eric B

Series 63, Series 66

Ventura, CA

J.P. Morgan Securities

Eric Brandenberg is a financial advisor at J.P. Morgan Securities with eight years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at J.P. Morgan Securities and JPMorgan Chase Bank since 2017. Outside of his advisory role, he works as a consultant for Westlake Village Inn, providing guidance on food and beverage menus. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC offers institutional consulting services to corporations, foundations, and defined contribution plan sponsors, focusing on asset allocation advice, investment manager searches, and customized performance reporting delivered through a select group of Wealth Advisors. As a subsidiary of J.P. Morgan, the firm combines advisory services with brokerage, distribution, and investment management capabilities.

Wealth management Executive Founder/Business Owner
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Richard J

Series 63

Ventura, CA

Cetera

Richard Jeffery is a financial advisor with Cetera, holding a Series 63 designation and bringing 44 years of industry experience. He has been associated with various Cetera entities since 1994 and currently operates out of Ventura, CA. In addition to advising, he works as an insurance agent selling life, health, disability, annuities, and long-term care insurance. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm serving individual investors, retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services through a nationwide network of independent advisors and employs a multi-manager platform featuring affiliated and third-party model portfolios.

Wealth management Tax-loss harvesting Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business exit / sale strategy Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Ethan S

CFP®, Series 65

Auburn Hills, MI

Plante Moran financial advisors

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.

Active portfolio management Options & derivatives strategies Private / alternative investments Concentrated stock management Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Michael I

Series 63, Series 65

Livingston, NJ

Raymond James Financial

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.

Wealth management Tax strategies for small businesses Business succession planning General estate planning guidance Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Jeffrey M

CFP®, ChFC®, Series 66

Greenville, DE

Investment Management & Planning LLC

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.

General retirement planning Business succession planning Tax strategies for small businesses Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive Mid-Career Professionals Approaching retirement
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Patrick F

Series 66

New Market, MD

Intentional

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.

Business exit / sale strategy Multi-generational wealth transfer Private / alternative investments Founder/Business Owner
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Jerald L

Series 63

San Antonio, TX

Frost Investment Services

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.

Tax-loss harvesting ESG / Sustainable investing Retirement income strategy General estate planning guidance Business succession planning Founder/Business Owner Executive
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