Top general tax planning financial advisors in Ventura, CA

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.

Eric Smith is a CFP® with 26 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with LPL Financial in Ventura, CA. He has held roles at Cornerstone Wealth Management and Lifetime Planning, Inc., where he also serves as an attorney providing estate planning and legal document services. In addition to his advisory work, he sells fixed life insurance products. LPL Financial provides advisory and brokerage services to a wide range of clients, including individual investors, retirement plan sponsors, and institutions. The firm offers various delivery options supported by an in-house research team and a platform that integrates advisory and brokerage services alongside insurance and credit products.

Shannon Irwin is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 32 years of industry experience. Prior to joining LPL Financial in 2025, Irwin worked at Sorrento Pacific Financial, LLC for 16 years and Partnervest Advisory Services for 15 years. Irwin has also been involved in direct sales through Le-Vel, a multi-level marketing company. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, credit unions, corporations, and charitable organizations through a national network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and financial planning services, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary management supported by in-house and third-party research.

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.

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.

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.

Thaddeus Phelps is a CFP® professional with 28 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has worked at Advance Wealth Management Service, LLC since 2019 and previously spent 14 years with Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. In addition to his advisory work, Phelps owns a tax preparation business and an accounting support service, and he serves in fiduciary roles such as trustee and executor. Advance Wealth Management Service, LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services primarily to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, and business entities. The firm offers discretionary investment management through a wrap asset management program and emphasizes an individualized approach with asset allocation supported by fundamental, sector, and technical analysis, including risk management strategies such as put options and conservative cash instruments.

Paul Kinneberg is a CFP® and Series 65-registered advisor with 24 years of industry experience. He has been the principal and sole advisor at Longview Financial, Inc. since 2000 and also holds a long-term corporate role at CenturyLink. Longview Financial, Inc. provides personalized, fee-only financial planning and investment management primarily for individual clients. The firm uses a strategic asset allocation approach with a core-and-satellite framework, combining passive index and ETF core holdings with active funds when appropriate, and manages client assets on a non-discretionary basis with an emphasis on individualized advice.

Terry Thomason is the sole advisor at Replica Wealth Advisors Inc in Colorado Springs, CO, holding a Series 65 designation with 12 years of industry experience. Prior to founding Replica Wealth Advisors in 2019, he worked at Gradient Advisors, LLC and Mountain Range Financial Advisors from 2014 to 2019. He also operates an affiliated insurance practice, Mountain Range Insurance Advisors, offering life insurance, Medicare, long-term care, and annuity products. Replica Wealth Advisors is an independent, single-advisor firm that provides financial planning and consulting services primarily to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, and business entities. The firm customizes asset allocations and monitors third-party managers who execute trades, while also offering written financial plans and educational workshops.

Deon Blaney is a financial advisor at Private Wealth Management LLC in Las Vegas, NV, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses with 25 years of industry experience. He has been with Private Wealth Management LLC since 2005. In addition to his advisory role, he is a self-employed life insurance agent. Private Wealth Management LLC provides discretionary portfolio management to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities, focusing on a small client base with approximately $123 million in assets under management. The firm employs fundamental analysis and tailored portfolios, including stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and ETFs, using a combination of long-term, short-term, and active trading strategies.