Elyria, Ohio · CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™
Fiduciary advice for Lorain County families since 2001
If you live in Elyria, Avon, North Ridgeville, or anywhere in Lorain County and retirement is getting close, you probably have the same questions we hear every week. When can we actually retire? When should we take Social Security? How much of our 401(k) will go to taxes? Great Lakes Benefits & Wealth Management has been answering those questions for Northern Ohio families since 2001, with retirement income plans, multi-year tax planning, and estate coordination with your attorney, all built around your real numbers.
Our CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professionals act as fiduciaries, which means your interests come first when we give advice. That matters here, where so many teachers and public workers retired under STRS and OPERS and recently saw their Social Security rules change. Our Elyria office on Midway Mall Boulevard is open daily by appointment, and your first meeting is complimentary, whether it’s in person, by phone, or by video.
CFP® Fiduciary · Held by fewer than 20% of advisors
Open daily, 9:00 AM–5:00 PM · By appointment only
Toll-free (866) 626-3990
Name is all we need to get started. Tell us as much or as little as you like.
Anyone can call themselves a “financial advisor.” The CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ mark is different — it’s the credential widely considered the gold standard in financial planning, and both Wayne and Andrew are committed to it.
How We Help
Our clients often come to us for one specific need and stay for the comprehensive view.
Turn what you’ve saved into income that lasts — and protect your spouse if something happens to you.
Keep more of what you’ve earned with a multi-year plan, not a once-a-year scramble.
Make sure what you leave behind goes where you intend — without a probate mess for your family.
Portfolios built for your life stage — no crypto, no day-trading, no products dressed up as guarantees.
The right coverage for where you are — and honest guidance on what you don’t need.
A firm that teaches, not just sells. Learn what mistakes to avoid before they cost you.
Meet the Elyria Team
No revolving door of advisors. The same familiar faces, every visit.
Founder & President
CFP® professional · Helping Ohio families since 1995
Wayne has spent 30 years helping families answer one question: are we going to be okay? He’ll put your whole picture on the table, walk you through the math, and tell you straight what he sees. He’s a husband, a dad of three grown sons, and happiest on Lake Erie in his 1958 Lyman.
Financial Planner
CFP® professional · Young families and new careers
Andrew works with people who are just getting started, or just getting serious. Student loans, a first house, a new baby, a 401(k) you’re not sure you’re using right. He’ll help you figure out what to tackle first, without the lecture. And if you don’t need a planner yet, he’ll tell you that too.
Executive Assistant
Your go-to for scheduling, paperwork, and questions
If you’ve called the office, you’ve probably talked to Kristin. She handles the paperwork, the follow-ups, and all the details that turn a plan into something that actually gets done. She also takes scams personally. This spring, she and Andrew drove to a client’s home to help stop one.
Director of First Impressions
Front desk · Here since 2020
Alicia is the first person you’ll meet when you walk in, and she’s great at it. She’ll know your name, have everything ready for your appointment, and make a meeting about money feel a lot less like a meeting about money.
GREAT LAKES BENEFITS, INC. owns this website and provides SEC-registered investment advisory services. Registration does not imply SEC endorsement. This site offers general information, not personalized advice. Opinions are current as of posting and may change. Accuracy or timeliness of the content is not guaranteed. Past performance is not a predictor of future results. Consult your own legal or tax advisors before making decisions. Investing involves risks, including potential loss. No strategy ensures profit or prevents loss.
© Great Lakes Benefits Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 2026. Privacy Policy | Disclosure . Powered by DevQ
