Independent, private / alternative investments 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're considering private or alternative investments, you likely want to diversify beyond traditional stocks and bonds. Without an advisor experienced in these less common assets, you risk misjudging liquidity needs or regulatory nuances.

  • Independent perspective. These advisors operate without firm constraints, which can mean more flexibility in recommending niche investment options.
  • Risk assessment expertise. Private investments often carry unique risks; ask how they evaluate and communicate these to fit your comfort level.
  • Due diligence process. Confirm how they research and vet alternative opportunities to avoid pitfalls common in less regulated markets.
  • Portfolio integration. Effective advisors explain how private assets fit with your overall financial goals and cash flow needs, not just potential returns.

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

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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
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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.)
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Thomas T

Series 66

Independence, OH

Hantz financial Services, Inc.

Thomas Trefzger is a financial advisor at Hantz Financial Services, Inc. with seven years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Hantz Financial Services since 2018. Prior to his advisory role, he was employed at Sprint and also spent time at Cleveland State University. Hantz Financial Services serves a diverse client base including individual investors, charitable organizations, corporate clients, and retirement plan sponsors. The firm employs model-driven ETF strategies along with managed account solutions and offers a broad range of financial planning, wealth management, and fiduciary services supported by affiliated entities such as a trust company and in-house tax and business consulting.

Private / alternative investments Tax-loss harvesting Active portfolio management Passive / index investing Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) 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 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
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Richard B

Series 63, Series 66

Austin, TX

Charles Schwab

Richard Brandi is a financial advisor with Charles Schwab based in Austin, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 32 years of industry experience. He has been with Charles Schwab and Charles Schwab Bank ssb since 2003 and 2005, respectively. Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. serves 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 offers a mix of non-discretionary and discretionary investment guidance, leveraging multi-asset model portfolios and research from its Schwab Center for Financial Research.

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

Series 66

Chicago, IL

Sanctuary Advisors, LLC

Geoffrey Tomes is a financial advisor with Sanctuary Advisors, LLC, holding a Series 66 credential and 26 years of industry experience. He has worked at Noyes Advisors LLC for 11 years and David A Noyes & Company for 26 years. His other business activities include involvement in fixed life and health insurance and fixed annuities. Sanctuary Advisors, LLC serves a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations through a network of over 400 independent investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services employing various analytical approaches and maintains distinctive features such as negotiated performance-based fees for large institutional clients and affiliations with specialized asset management firms.

Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Cash flow / budgeting General retirement planning
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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