Sam Paganelli, CFA®, CFP®

Providing peace of mind and clarity through solid financial planning

Connect Cancel

Wealthtender Community Connect helps people discover the best financial advisors for their individual needs through their favorite blogs and podcasts.

Click Here to Learn More
Contact Me
Rather & Kittrell, Inc. Sam Paganelli, CFA®, CFP®
Farragut, TN

Serving Clients Nationwide

Providing peace of mind and clarity through solid financial planning

11 Certified Advisor Reviews™
5 out of 5 Stars
Jump to Reviews

Areas of Focus

  • Business Owners
  • Financial Life Planning
  • Investment Management
  • Retirement Planning
  • Taxes

About Sam Paganelli, CFA®, CFP®

Sam Paganelli is a CFA charterholder, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, and Advisor at Rather & Kittrell. He graduated from the University of Tennessee with an accounting degree in 2018. During his time at UT, Sam was a member of the Global Leadership Scholars program and the Chancellor’s Honors Program.

Sam spent three years in finance at Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) before transitioning to Rather & Kittrell in June 2021. Sam wanted to change careers to pursue his passion for helping people with their finances. He believes a solid financial plan can provide peace of mind and clarity for clients, and he is excited at the opportunity to serve families in East Tennessee and beyond.

Sam graduated from Maryville High School and has lived in Maryville his whole life. He enjoys chess, basketball, pickleball, improving at golf, watching football, and spending time with his wife, Claire, outside of work.

Sam and his wife Claire have two children: Anna and Eli.

Professional Designations

  • CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER ®
  • Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)

Primary Location

11905 Kingston Pike Knoxville, TN 37934

Video

Meeting Options

  • Video Conference
  • In-Person
  • Phone

Compensation Methods

  • Percentage of Assets Managed

What to expect in the first meeting

Click the 'Book Intro Call' button and complete the brief form to get in touch with us. From individuals to families to businesses, let’s talk about how Rather & Kittrell can help ensure your transitions go as smoothly as possible. We look forward to speaking with you.

Offers Investment Management

Yes

About Rather & Kittrell, Inc.

Rather & Kittrell is a Knoxville-based fiduciary financial advisory firm providing private wealth management and corporate retirement plan services, helping clients navigate major life transitions such as retirement, business sales, and divorce. Lytle Rather and Chris Kittrell launched RK more than 20 years ago, based on the steadfast belief that “people come first.” In that time, a two-desk business has grown into an advisory firm that serves individuals, families, and businesses managing the transitions that inherently come with money.

At RK, we begin with a foundational question: what’s best for our client? Everything we do is in service of that goal.

WEALTH MANAGEMENT PHILOSOPHY

As a fiduciary advisor, we always act in your best interests. We consider your investments, plan ways to mitigate risk and protect what you’ve built, and work with your other trusted professionals to create a custom plan to guide you through all of life’s transitions. We believe that if we do what’s best for you, everything else takes care of itself.

OUR SERVICES ADDRESS 6 KEY CONCERNS OF OUR CLIENTS

✅ Wealth Preservation: Our team makes certain your investments align with what’s most important to you.

✅ Wealth Enhancement: We work with you to keep your cash flow healthy, and mitigate your tax burden.

✅ Wealth Transfer: Wealth transfer planning ensures that your financial legacy passes to the right people with minimal difficulty.

✅ Wealth Protection: Wealth protection is about protecting your assets from catastrophic loss.

✅ Charitable Giving: Charitable giving is donating a portion of your wealth and making meaningful gifts to charity.

✅ Full-Service Collaboration: We work with your entire team of experts to ensure that your plan is aligned with all your goals.

What began as a commitment to the simple philosophy of educating clients while offering excellent service at a fair price has blossomed into a growing firm that is focused on becoming the market leader in East Tennessee for wealth advisory and retirement planning.

Education

University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Bachelor's Degree, Accounting

Hobbies and Interests

  • Basketball
  • Family
  • Football
  • Golf
  • Pickleball

Who We Serve

  • Baby Boomers
  • Business Owners
  • Corporate Executives
  • Dual Income Family
  • Gen X
  • Living in Retirement

Wealthtender® is a trusted, independent financial directory and educational resource governed by our strict Editorial Policy, Integrity Standards, and Terms of Use. While we receive compensation from featured professionals (a natural conflict of interest), we always operate with integrity and transparency to earn your trust. Wealthtender is not a client of these providers. Testimonials may not be representative of other clients’ experiences and do not guarantee future performance or success.

Write a Review


By clicking submit, you acknowledge this review is based on your own experience and reflects your genuine opinion. You also agree to our review policy, privacy policy, and terms and conditions, and give this financial advisor permission to publicly display your review on their website.

5 Stars

✅ Wealthtender Certified Advisor Review™
Jun 28, 2026
We have been with R&K capital for almost three years. They have maintained a fairly diverse portfolio, invested into ETFs issued by Dimensional Fund Advisors. Working with Amanda and Sam has been great! Jay & Linda Lord
Relationship to Financial Advisor: Client as of Jun 28, 2026
Compensation: This reviewer received no compensation for this review.
Conflicts of Interest: There are no material conflicts of interest.
Avatar for Jay Lord
Jay Lord

5 Stars

✅ Wealthtender Certified Advisor Review™
Jun 27, 2026
Our experience with Rather & Kittrell can only be expressed in positive terms. Dealing with Sam Paganelli and Amanda Howerton has been a pleasure. They have explained all actions to us in understandable terms, been endlessly patient with us, and provided us with what we believe to be excellent financial advice. We could not ask for better service.
Relationship to Financial Advisor: Client as of Jun 27, 2026
Compensation: This reviewer received no compensation for this review.
Conflicts of Interest: There are no material conflicts of interest.
Avatar for Sheila Hromadka
Sheila Hromadka

5 Stars

✅ Wealthtender Certified Advisor Review™
Jun 25, 2026
I highly recommend Rather & Kittrell for wealth management and financial planning. They also have given me sound advice during several life transitions. I've been a client of Jeff Hall for years and now I'm also working with Sam Paganelli. From my first meeting with Jeff, I was impressed with his knowledge, professionalism, and attention to detail. He took the time to understand my specific goals and needs before and after retirement. Jeff and Sam are extremely responsive to any questions and routinely reach out to schedule meetings to review my investments. I have complete confidence in their guidance and always feel like I've made two friends and I'm not just another number in a file.
Relationship to Financial Advisor: Client as of Jun 25, 2026
Compensation: This reviewer received no compensation for this review.
Conflicts of Interest: There are no material conflicts of interest.
Avatar for Karen Clawson
Karen Clawson

5 Stars

✅ Wealthtender Certified Advisor Review™
Jun 22, 2026
I retired in October of last year. As part of this major milestone, we made the decision to transition our financial planning needs to Rather & Kittrell. Jeff Hall, Sam Paganelli, Crystal Meldrum and their entire team made the process seamless. The customer service is unmatched. They answer the phone (or text)! We have been very pleased with the holistic approach to wealth management that goes beyond just the stock market. I would highly recommend Rather & Kittrell for your financial planning and wealth management needs!
Relationship to Financial Advisor: Client as of Jun 22, 2026
Compensation: This reviewer received no compensation for this review.
Conflicts of Interest: There are no material conflicts of interest.
Avatar for Steve Duncan
Steve Duncan

5 Stars

✅ Wealthtender Certified Advisor Review™
Jun 22, 2026
Sam and all the staff at Rather & Kittrell are super professional but very personable in their approach to investing. I trust them completely.
Relationship to Financial Advisor: Client as of Jun 22, 2026
Compensation: This reviewer received no compensation for this review.
Conflicts of Interest: There are no material conflicts of interest.
Avatar for Mike Jordan
Mike Jordan

5 Stars

✅ Wealthtender Certified Advisor Review™
Jun 19, 2026
We are long-time clients of Rather & Kittrell. Jeff Hall and Sam Paganelli are amazing representatives of R&K. They are very knowledgeable and personable. They care about us as people, not just as clients. Their advice and guidance over all the years has benefited us greatly. I can’t imagine our portfolio being with anyone else.
Relationship to Financial Advisor: Client as of Jun 19, 2026
Compensation: This reviewer received no compensation for this review.
Conflicts of Interest: There are no material conflicts of interest.
Avatar for Debra
Debra

5 Stars

✅ Wealthtender Certified Advisor Review™
Jun 19, 2026
After handling our investments myself for many years, sometimes with the help of a stock broker or sometimes not, my wife and I decided to entrust or portfolio to Jeff Hall at R&K. That was in 2013 after a company merger and with retirement looming. Our decision was confirmed after a lengthy discussion with Jeff about our family situation, goals, financial stability post-retirement, etc. In more recent years, Jeff has added Sam Paganelli to our account as a junior advisor. Our relationship with both Jeff and Sam and the R&K team has been excellent through the years; we are treated more like family than clients. We also appreciate their advice/suggestions on estate planning and "blood pressure control" when the inevitable market dips occur. Thanks guys for a great relationship and a job well done!
Relationship to Financial Advisor: Client as of Jun 19, 2026
Compensation: This reviewer received no compensation for this review.
Conflicts of Interest: There are no material conflicts of interest.
Avatar for Bob Bowers
Bob Bowers

5 Stars

✅ Wealthtender Certified Advisor Review™
Jun 19, 2026
Sam is very helpful.
Relationship to Financial Advisor: Client as of Jun 19, 2026
Compensation: This reviewer received no compensation for this review.
Conflicts of Interest: There are no material conflicts of interest.
Avatar for Ginger Miller
Ginger Miller

5 Stars

✅ Wealthtender Certified Advisor Review™
Jun 18, 2026
Rather & Kittrell was the right move for us as Sam and his team helped us consolidate our holdings and improved our investment strategy. Their comprehensive wealth management process ensured that all areas of life were addressed, not just our money. We are very pleased with the results and wish we had made the move earlier.
Relationship to Financial Advisor: Client as of Jun 18, 2026
Compensation: This reviewer received no compensation for this review.
Conflicts of Interest: There are no material conflicts of interest.
Avatar for K and D Kilmer
K and D Kilmer

5 Stars

✅ Wealthtender Certified Advisor Review™
Jun 18, 2026
We have been so pleased with the customer service and friendliness of everyone in the Farragut office. They show remarkable attention to every detail and will deep dive into anything you want. Sam responds to any text or phone call very promptly, and is just an all around nice and genuine individual. We transitioned to R&K last fall, and we are very happy with our decision to make a change. We now recommend them to all our friends!
Relationship to Financial Advisor: Client as of Jun 18, 2026
Compensation: This reviewer received no compensation for this review.
Conflicts of Interest: There are no material conflicts of interest.
Avatar for Ingrid Duncan
Ingrid Duncan

5 Stars

✅ Wealthtender Certified Advisor Review™
Jun 17, 2026
Great people to work with, very helpful, knowledgeable. Highly recommend R&K Management!
Relationship to Financial Advisor: Client as of Jun 17, 2026
Compensation: This reviewer received no compensation for this review.
Conflicts of Interest: There are no material conflicts of interest.
Avatar for Joe Miles
Joe Miles