Independent, options & derivatives strategies financial advisors in West Des Moines, IA

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 trade or invest using options or derivatives, you need an advisor who understands the complex risks and strategies involved. Without this expertise, you might face unexpected losses or miss opportunities to hedge your portfolio effectively. Independent advisors here operate without ties to specific firms, which can mean more flexible strategy choices tailored to your goals.

  • Risk management focus. Ask how they identify and control the unique risks that options and derivatives introduce to your portfolio.
  • Strategy clarity. Confirm they explain the mechanics and potential outcomes of strategies like spreads, straddles, or collars in plain language.
  • Tax implications. Options and derivatives can have complex tax effects; check how they help you navigate these to avoid surprises.
  • Experience with market conditions. Inquire about their approach to adjusting strategies during volatile or changing markets to protect your investments.

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

Want help finding the right advisor?

Answer a few questions to see advisors matched to you.

user avatar

Stephen M

CFA®, Series 66, Series 63

West Des Moines, IA

Legacy Bridge Private Family Offices

Stephen Musser is a financial advisor at Legacy Bridge Private Family Offices with 16 years of industry experience. He holds the CFA® designation as well as Series 66 and Series 63 licenses. His prior roles include positions at Northwestern Mutual Investment Services LLC and Victory Capital Management. Legacy Bridge Private Family Offices serves high-net-worth families, related entities, and select trusts, estates, and foundations by providing discretionary investment management alongside comprehensive private family office services. The firm emphasizes diversified, asset-allocation driven portfolios tailored to client objectives and risk tolerance and offers detailed consolidated performance reporting and negotiated performance-based fee arrangements.

Wealth management Cash flow / budgeting Founder/Business Owner Retired
user avatar

Matthew K

Series 63, Series 66

West Des Moines, IA

Charles Schwab

Matthew Kenny is a financial advisor with Charles Schwab in West Des Moines, IA, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and bringing 11 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at TD Ameritrade Investment Management, Scottrade, Voya, and Directed Services. Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. serves a large client base, primarily high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, through its Schwab Wealth Advisory wrap fee program and affiliated managed-account and financial planning services. The firm combines non-discretionary advisory relationships with access to discretionary separately managed accounts and offers multi-asset model portfolios alongside a structured due diligence process for alternative investments.

Private / alternative investments Real estate investing Multi-state taxation College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.)
user avatar

Eric R

ChFC®, Series 63, Series 65

West Des Moines, IA

Wells Fargo Advisors

Eric Raasch is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Advisors with 37 years of industry experience. He holds the ChFC® designation along with Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Prior to joining Wells Fargo Advisors in 2026, he worked at Ameritas Advisory Services, Midwest Financial Solutions, RK Wealth Management, and Ameritas Investment Company. Raasch serves as a director for Norwich Housing Corporation, a nonprofit lender that provides housing loans to fraternity-affiliated alumni organizations. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network is a large broker-dealer and registered investment adviser offering investment and fee-based financial planning services to individuals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm provides comprehensive planning solutions using proprietary research and tools, with services tailored to clients meeting specific net-worth criteria.

Divorce financial planning Planning for children with special needs Business exit / sale strategy Cash flow / budgeting Founder/Business Owner
user avatar

Tiffany S

CFP®

West Des Moines, IA

Gilbert & Cook, Inc.

Tiffany Scharfenkamp is a CFP® professional with four years of experience at Gilbert & Cook, Inc., following prior roles at Vision Financial Group and Iowa Realty - Midland Title & Escrow. She is based in West Des Moines, IA. Gilbert & Cook serves individual and high-net-worth clients, trusts, employer retirement plans, and business entities, offering comprehensive financial planning, discretionary investment management, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a tailored investment approach combining active and passive strategies across a broad range of public and private instruments, integrating insurance capabilities and alternative-investment due diligence within its advisory services.

Retirement income strategy Income planning Business exit / sale strategy Executive Founder/Business Owner
user avatar

Joshua E

Series 63, Series 65

West Des Moines, IA

Commonwealth Financial Network

Joshua Ervasti is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 15 years of industry experience. He has worked at firms including New York Life, Eagle Strategies, and R2 Financial Strategies, where he is a co-owner. Outside of advisory work, he is involved in business consulting through his firm, Ervasti Financial, LLC. Commonwealth Financial Network serves a national network of approximately 2,950 advisors and their clients, providing a range of advisory programs and back-office support. The firm offers discretionary model portfolios and multiple program structures, combining investment management, technology, and compliance services for affiliated advisors.

Passive / index investing Active portfolio management Tax-loss harvesting Wealth management Retirement income strategy Founder/Business Owner Executive Retired
user avatar

Edwina M

Series 65

Cincinnati, OH

Waverly Advisors, LLC

Edwina Martin is a Series 65 licensed financial advisor with two years of industry experience, currently with Waverly Advisors, LLC. She previously worked at 9258 Wealth Management for five years and was employed at Teradata Corp for eleven years. Martin also serves as assistant director of tax planning at 9258 Tax and Planning, a non-investment related business. Waverly Advisors is a multi-team registered investment adviser managing portfolios for individuals, retirement plans, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm combines traditional equity and fixed-income strategies with alternative and private-market allocations, offering a range of investment management and financial planning services.

Private / alternative investments Real estate investing Options & derivatives strategies Tax-loss harvesting Multi-generational wealth transfer Founder/Business Owner Executive
user avatar

Craig M

Series 63, Series 65

Columbia, SC

Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC

Craig Mcdaniel Jr. is a financial advisor with Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC in Columbia, SC. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 13 years of industry experience. He has been with Capital Investment Group, Inc. and The McDaniel Corporation since 2012. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in life insurance sales and serves as an independent agent for annuities and related products. Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC provides investment advisory and supervisory services to individuals, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm offers customized investment management through discretionary mandates, third-party managers, and private-label model portfolios, using a blend of analytical methods with ongoing portfolio monitoring.

Active portfolio management Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Annuities Options & derivatives strategies Founder/Business Owner Retired
user avatar

Alan T

Series 63, Series 65

Los Angeles, CA

Regal Investment Advisors LLC

Alan Toman is a financial advisor with Regal Investment Advisors LLC in Los Angeles, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having nine years of industry experience. He has worked at Regal Investment Advisors since 2018 and has prior experience with Lincoln Financial Securities Corporation and Bankers Life. Outside of his advisory role, Toman is active in the insurance sector, offering accident and health insurance, fixed and indexed annuities, and traditional life insurance products through American Senior Benefits and as an insurance agent. Regal Investment Advisors LLC provides discretionary investment management services to independent advisers and other registered advisers, serving a diverse client base including individuals, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers proprietary and third-party model portfolios across various asset classes, with advisers selecting allocations and granting Regal authority to implement and manage strategies.

Active portfolio management Options & derivatives strategies
user avatar

Ethan S

CFP®, Series 65

Auburn Hills, MI

Plante Moran FInancial Advisors

Ethan Siekkinen is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license with Plante Moran Financial Advisors. He has one year of industry experience and previously worked at J Wilson Wealth Management. Outside of financial advising, he has experience in the lawn care business with Rizzo Lawn Care. Plante Moran Financial Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm provides investment advisory, financial planning, and estate-planning services, utilizing a range of investment strategies and managing both discretionary and non-discretionary assets.

Options & derivatives strategies Private / alternative investments Concentrated stock management Wealth management Executive Founder/Business Owner
user avatar

Stephen H

Series 65

Plano, TX

Fisher Investments

Stephen Harris is a financial advisor at Fisher Investments with a Series 65 designation and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Fisher Investments in 2023, he worked for Fiba Basketball and East Stroudsburg University. Fisher Investments serves institutional and private clients worldwide, offering discretionary portfolio management across equity, fixed-income, and blended mandates. The firm utilizes a centralized investment process combining quantitative and qualitative research to construct diversified portfolios and provides sub-advisory and retirement plan services.

Tax-loss harvesting Active portfolio management ESG / Sustainable investing Options & derivatives strategies Concentrated stock management Founder/Business Owner Executive
user avatar

Jared F

Series 65

Huntington Beach, CA

Northwest Asset Management

Jared Fruth is a financial advisor at Northwest Asset Management with four years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at Securities America, Inc., KMS Financial Services, Inc., Oppenheimer Funds, and John Paul Mitchell Systems. Northwest Asset Management is a registered investment adviser managing approximately $3.6 billion for nearly 3,000 clients, including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charities, and corporations. The firm employs a customized, fiduciary approach using Modern Portfolio Theory and strategic asset allocation, combining fundamental and technical analysis to build diversified portfolios with periodic rebalancing.

Retirement income strategy Wealth management Active portfolio management Founder/Business Owner
user avatar

Edwina M

Series 65

Cincinnati, OH

Waverly Advisors, LLC

Edwina Martin is a Series 65 licensed financial advisor with two years of industry experience, currently with Waverly Advisors, LLC. She previously worked at 9258 Wealth Management for five years and was employed at Teradata Corp for eleven years. Martin also serves as assistant director of tax planning at 9258 Tax and Planning, a non-investment related business. Waverly Advisors is a multi-team registered investment adviser managing portfolios for individuals, retirement plans, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm combines traditional equity and fixed-income strategies with alternative and private-market allocations, offering a range of investment management and financial planning services.

Private / alternative investments Real estate investing Options & derivatives strategies Tax-loss harvesting Multi-generational wealth transfer Founder/Business Owner Executive
user avatar

Craig M

Series 63, Series 65

Columbia, SC

Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC

Craig Mcdaniel Jr. is a financial advisor with Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC in Columbia, SC. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 13 years of industry experience. He has been with Capital Investment Group, Inc. and The McDaniel Corporation since 2012. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in life insurance sales and serves as an independent agent for annuities and related products. Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC provides investment advisory and supervisory services to individuals, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm offers customized investment management through discretionary mandates, third-party managers, and private-label model portfolios, using a blend of analytical methods with ongoing portfolio monitoring.

Active portfolio management Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Annuities Options & derivatives strategies Founder/Business Owner Retired
user avatar

David H

Series 65

Irvine, CA

Martin Wealth Management, LLC

David Hart is a financial advisor with Martin Wealth Management, LLC in Irvine, CA. He holds a Series 65 credential and has 15 years of industry experience. Hart previously worked with Safeguard Investment Advisory Group and LifePro Asset Management. He is also a Certified Financial Fiduciary and volunteers as an instructor with the Foundation for Fiduciary Education, providing unbiased fiduciary financial education to the public. Martin Wealth Management offers investment advisory services primarily to individuals and high-net-worth clients by co-advising and directing accounts to a third-party money manager, Matson Money. The firm focuses on client onboarding, documentation, and ongoing review of third-party manager accounts rather than direct asset management.

Medicare planning Annuities
user avatar

Sarah C

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Boston, MA

Santander Securities LLC

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.

ESG / Sustainable investing Tax-loss harvesting General retirement planning Income planning Founder/Business Owner
Warmer team member

Not sure where to start?

We'll help you think it through—whether you ultimately need an advisor or not. Warmer helps you compare advisors clearly, so you can choose with confidence.

Find your advisor

For advisor listings, we rely on sources including public filings and data provided by advisors, and we cannot guarantee that all information is current or accurate. Advisors are independent and may not have reviewed or updated this information. Please review an advisor's Form ADV and do your own diligence before deciding whether to work with them.

Advisor matching and referrals are provided by FinanceHQ LLC ("FHQ"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Warmer and an SEC-registered investment adviser. We may be compensated by participating advisors. You pay no fee to use our matching service, and advisor fees are not increased because of a referral. We do not supervise advisors, manage or hold assets, guarantee performance, or provide advice about specific investments.

By using our service, you agree to the Warmer Terms of Service and FHQ Advisory Agreement, and acknowledge Warmer's Privacy Policy. Please review FHQ's ADV Part 2A and Form CRS. Logos provided by Logo.dev

© 2026 Warmer Holdings Inc. ("Warmer")