Large-firm financial advisors working with educators, teachers, and academics in Woodbury, NY

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 work in education or academia, your financial planning needs often include managing irregular income cycles and preparing for retirement with unique pension options. A common mistake is overlooking how estate tax cliffs can unexpectedly increase tax bills just above exemption limits.

  • Pension integration. Confirm how the advisor incorporates your specific pension benefits into your overall retirement plan.
  • Income timing strategies. Ask how they handle fluctuating or seasonal income typical in academic roles.
  • Estate tax awareness. Ensure they understand state-specific estate tax thresholds that could impact your heirs.
  • Large-firm resources. Advisors here have access to extensive research and support teams, which can benefit complex financial situations.

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

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Robert C

Series 63, Series 66

Woodbury, NY

Kestra Advisory

Robert Calabretta is a financial advisor at Kestra Advisory with eight years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and previously worked at Waypoint Capital Management for 21 years. He is also the Chief Investment Officer of Coastline Wealth Management, where he advises clients on investment matters. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to a broad mix of institutional and individual clients, offering services such as plan design, fiduciary consulting, and employee education. The firm manages approximately $79.8 billion in assets and serves large institutional investors, including sovereign wealth funds.

Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business exit / sale strategy Annuities Wealth management Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Thomas S

Series 66

Woodbury, NY

J.P. Morgan Securities

Thomas Schilling is a financial advisor at J.P. Morgan Securities with two years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Morgan Stanley and Fidelity Investments. Outside of finance, he has worked in various service and business roles, including at Fedex and in the hospitality and pool cleaning industries. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC provides investment consulting and advisory services primarily to institutional clients and retirement plan sponsors through its Institutional Consulting Services program, combining quantitative asset-allocation modeling with centralized due diligence and applying an ESG eligibility framework in its recommendations.

Wealth management Executive Founder/Business Owner

Cole B

Series 66, Series 63

Melville, NY

Merrill

Cole Block is a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He focuses on relationship-driven wealth management, working closely with individuals, families, business owners, and real estate owners to understand not only their assets but also their goals, priorities, family considerations, and life experiences. With seven years of experience in financial services, Cole specializes in retirement planning, investment management, liquidity, concentrated wealth, real estate, and estate and legacy planning. He holds the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™ designation and the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. He graduated from Syracuse University in 2019 with a bachelor's degree. Originally from Port Washington, Long Island, Cole spends his time outside of work engaging in fitness, football, basketball, boating, gardening, and enjoying summer days at a lake in New Hampshire.

General retirement planning Wealth management Concentrated stock management Real estate investing General estate planning guidance Financial Professional
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Lawrence A

Series 63, Series 65

Woodbury, NY

SA Asset Management, Inc.

Lawrence Anderson is a financial advisor at SA Asset Management, Inc. in Woodbury, NY, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with five years of industry experience. He has been with SA Asset Management since 2003. The firm provides fee-based financial planning and consulting services primarily to individual clients, including high-net-worth households, delivering written financial plans and coordinating ongoing advisory services. SA Asset Management works with third-party investment managers for portfolio management and is affiliated with a CPA firm that offers tax and accounting services to clients.

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Joseph S

Series 66

Woodbury, NY

Cetera

Joseph Sabia is a financial advisor with Cetera and holds the Series 66 designation. He has two years of industry experience and has worked at firms including Ameriprise and Northwestern Mutual. He is also involved with Stefans Associates and The Stefans Group, where he assists in investment, tax, legal practices, and business marketing. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC serves a broad client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporate, charitable, and institutional accounts. The firm offers diverse portfolio management and planning services through a multi-manager platform, with over 10,000 advisors and more than $256 billion in assets under management.

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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Arjun S

Series 66

Frisco, TX

TIAA-CREF

Arjun Swarup is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Frisco, TX, holding a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining TIAA-CREF, he worked at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management and has an academic background from NYU College of Arts and Sciences. TIAA‑CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and small retirement plans, often serving clients connected to TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm offers both point-in-time planning and ongoing managed account services within a fiduciary framework, including acting as adviser to a donor-advised fund.

General estate planning guidance Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Educators, Teachers, and Academics Founder/Business Owner Approaching retirement Mid-Career Professionals
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Kevin H

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Birmingham, AL

RFG Advisory, LLC

Kevin Harper is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) with 29 years of industry experience. He is currently with RFG Advisory, LLC in Birmingham, AL, where he has worked since 2015, including prior roles at LPL Financial and Ameriprise. Harper is a co-owner of LHP Capital LLC, a commercial real estate business. RFG Advisory provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, and select institutional clients. The firm employs discretionary investment strategies through model portfolios, third-party platforms, and serves as a sub-adviser to multiple ETFs, with additional specialized services for retirement accounts and alternative investments.

Options & derivatives strategies Private / alternative investments Tax-loss harvesting Founder/Business Owner Executive Retired Women Professionals Mid-Career Professionals

Jacob H

Series 63, Series 66

Charlotte, NC

Edward Jones

Jacob Heinz is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Charlotte, NC, with 15 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 66 designations. His previous positions include roles at Fidelity Investments and E*TRADE Capital Management. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory solutions, including discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, supported by a nationwide network of thousands of financial advisors and branch offices.

Divorce financial planning Retirement income strategy Wealth management Real estate investing Educators, Teachers, and Academics
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Lindsey E

Series 63, Series 65

Cambridge, MN

EFS Advisors

Lindsey Egan is a financial advisor at EFS Advisors with 11 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked at First Republic Securities and First Republic Investment Management from 2016 to 2019. Outside of her financial advisory role, Lindsey is the owner of Women Who Explore, a community offering outdoor adventures and small group travel experiences for women. EFS Advisors provides investment advice and portfolio management to a broad client base, including individuals, business entities, charitable organizations, and qualified retirement plans. The firm employs a client-centric suitability scoring process combined with technology tools to recommend model portfolios and supports clients through discretionary and non-discretionary account management.

Options & derivatives strategies Educators, Teachers, and Academics
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Scott S

Series 63, Series 65

Farmington, CT

Medallion Wealth Advisors, LLC

Scott Stevens is a financial advisor at Medallion Wealth Advisors, LLC with 34 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at firms including Morgan Stanley and American Portfolios Financial Services, Inc. Stevens is also the proprietor of Stevens & Associates, LLC, a separate business. Medallion Wealth Advisors serves individuals, families, and retirement plans for educators and nonprofit organizations. The firm provides portfolio management, financial planning, and pension consulting with a long-term investment approach that includes discretionary and non-discretionary account management and may utilize third-party managers when appropriate.

General retirement planning Educators, Teachers, and Academics
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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, previously serving at Axa Advisors and MSI Financial Services. Outside of advising, he is a co-chairman of a fundraising campaign for Alpha Light Fund Inc., a nonprofit focused on renovating the House of Alpha. Equitable Advisors serves a range of clients including individuals, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations, providing financial planning, retirement consulting, and asset management through a network of representatives and third-party managers. The firm offers various investment vehicles and ERISA fiduciary services, relying on third-party program sponsors and an affiliation with a publicly traded parent company.

Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business exit / sale strategy Concentrated stock management Equity Recipients (RS/RSU, SOP, ESPP) Long-term care insurance Founder/Business Owner Retired Executive Approaching retirement Sandwich Generation
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