It was service growth through acquisition this week for 2 registered funding advisors. First, Prime Capital Monetary introduced the acquisition of a Texas-based tax advisory agency to launch a Prime Capital Tax Advisory division. Then, VestGen Wealth Companions launched a retirement plan recommendation division bolstered by buying a former Osaic crew specializing within the area.
For others, the offers had been based mostly on the extra conventional focus of increasing footprints. AlphaCore Wealth Advisory introduced the acquisition of a $1.5 billion RIA in Rockville, Md., and 1099 affiliation platform Concurrent introduced on a $1.3 billion crew from Raymond James based mostly in Savannah and Sea Island, Ga.
Within the meantime, WealthManagement.com revealed some contributor recommendation on each the execution of buying a agency, in addition to methods to gauge personal fairness backing that drives high quality progress, not simply pumped up AUM. You’ll be able to learn a chunk on the primary matter associated to blind M&A auctions from Mariner’s Kevin Corbettand an article on the second by OneDigital’s Christian Mango.
However earlier than you do this, remember to atone for different related offers and strikes from the week under.
$866M Merrill Crew Breaks Away to Kestra
Kestra Personal Wealth Companies, the hybrid registered funding advisor based mostly in Austin, Texas, has poached a big crew from Financial institution of America’s Merrill to affix its platform.
David Barnett and Ashley Ament lead the Scottsdale, Ariz.-based crew of 4 launching Ascend Personal Wealth Companions, which is able to proceed to supply wealth providers starting from funding administration to tax planning.
Barnett had been a managing director and wealth supervisor at Merrill for about 25 years, and Ament had been with the wirehouse for about 21 years.
“We try to make sure each choice we make displays our shoppers’ finest pursuits,” co-founder Ament mentioned in an announcement. “Becoming a member of Kestra PWS offers us the liberty and suppleness to supply high-quality options for our shoppers with out being tied to particular merchandise. That independence, paired with Kestra’s hands-on help, empowers us to serve our shoppers even higher.”
Kestra has constructed up its advisor base on the thesis of transitioning wirehouse advisors to W-2 roles. It additionally owns Bluespring Wealth Companions, its RIA acquisition arm.
Cetera Poaches $126M Advisor From LPL
Cetera Monetary Group has introduced on advisor Frank Mezzanotte and his $126 million FDM Wealth Administration follow to its Cetera Monetary Establishments division.
Mezzanotte, based mostly in Lengthy Island, N.Y., joins Cetera after about 12 years with LPL Monetary. Within the announcement, he cited Cetera’s help for impartial advisors, its transition package deal and the optimistic experiences of different former LPL advisors as elements within the transfer.
“There have been no massive onboarding disconnects—all my property came to visit in 30 days, and that’s a testomony to Cetera’s onboarding course of,” Mezzanotte mentioned in an announcement.
As of June 30, 2025, Cetera corporations handle greater than $590 billion in property beneath administration and $263 billion in property beneath administration.
Former Commonwealth Advisors Be a part of Osaic
Hinck Personal Wealth Administration, a Florida-based advisory crew previously with LPL Monetary’s Commonwealth Monetary Community, has jumped to Osaic’s impartial advisor channel.
The Englewood-based crew, based in 1978, is led by CEO and founder John Hinck and managing companions Thomas and James Hinck. In keeping with the announcement, the crew joined Osaic for entry to its know-how and capabilities and the power to remain on Constancy Investments’ Nationwide Monetary Companies custodial platform.
“Osaic stood out for its open-architecture know-how and expansive wealth administration platform, whereas additionally permitting us to proceed utilizing NFS—a serious benefit for our crew,” Thomas Hinck mentioned in an announcement.
The necessity to change to LPL’s self-custody platform in 2026 has been cited by different advisors who’ve left LPL because it closed the deal to amass Commonwealth. Most lately, advisors becoming a member of dealer/seller Cetera have famous that as a part of their choice making. Cetera lately made NFS obtainable to all advisors in its community.
Osaic didn’t instantly reply to a request for the agency’s prior property beneath administration with Commonwealth.
The deal reveals additional success for the Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Osaic in drawing Commonwealth groups after seeing advisor attrition to LPL lately whereas it went by its personal consolidation. In September, Osaic recruited Virtus Wealth Options, a Morgantown, W.Va.-based agency beforehand affiliated with Commonwealth to affix Osaic’s supported independence channel.
New Rent to Develop Certuity’s Institutional Wealth Platform
Certuity, a multi-family workplace serving high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth people and households, has expanded its institutional wealth follow by hiring Giuliano Celle as managing director and head of institutional wealth.
Celle, who might be based mostly in New York, might be tasked with broadening the agency’s institutional wealth capabilities, strengthening entry to personal market and direct deal alternatives, and deepening relationships with consumer households.
“We see robust alternative with household enterprises, foundations and endowments that function with institutional rigor however search personalized, boutique options,” Celle mentioned through e mail. “Certuity is dedicated to deepening its institutional relationships to satisfy this rising demand.”
Previous to becoming a member of Certuity, Celle served as managing director of worldwide household and institutional wealth LatAm/Worldwide at UBS. He beforehand held senior roles at J.P. Morgan Personal Financial institution, the place he led the International Funding Alternatives Group for Latin America and choose worldwide household workplaces, establishments and UHNW shoppers.
Celle can also be an investor and advisor in enterprise capital and personal fairness.
Inventive Planning Acquires $275M Pennsylvania-Primarily based RIA
Inventive Planning, the Overland Park, Kan.-based registered funding advisor with greater than $390 billion in mixed consumer property, has acquired Monetary Abundance, a Pennsylvania-based RIA with over $275 million in AUM.
Monetary Abundance, led by founder and President Paul Nichols, has supplied monetary planning to people and households for over twenty years. Nichols is a frequent speaker on monetary schooling and planning and has spoken alongside folks equivalent to former President Ronald Reagan and Gens. Colin Powell and Norman Schwarzkopf.
“Inventive Planning’s assets and nationwide footprint, together with their intensive in-house authorized, property and tax providers, will allow us to proceed our mission of offering peace of thoughts to our shoppers,” Nichols mentioned in an announcement.
The deal is Inventive Planning’s 14th acquisition in two years.
Raymond James Brings 4 Commonwealth Advisors to Company RIA Mannequin
Raymond James has introduced on 4 monetary advisors from LPL Monetary’s Commonwealth Monetary Community over to its company RIA mannequin, including to prior strikes by Commonwealth advisors to the nationwide advisory agency.
Brian Keister, Jody Chiapelli, Sara Hinthorne and Joshua Keister be part of Raymond James after managing about $357 million in consumer property with Commonwealth. They’ll stay based mostly in Bethalto, In poor health., working as KCH Monetary, together with 4 help employees.
“Raymond James’ client-first tradition and intensive assets grant us the flexibleness to proceed doing what’s finest for our shoppers whereas positioning us for future progress,” Keister mentioned in an announcement.
Joshua Keister and Sara Hinthorne are Brian Keister’s kids. He had been with Commonwealth for about 15 years after spending about 14 with American Specific Monetary Advisors.
Raymond James launched its company RIA channel in 2022, through which fee-only IARs work as impartial contractors.