Continuing with our third quarter theme of M&A and capital strategies, there are many paths to capital for RIAs and many different needs and circumstances that fit best with certain paths. This week, Craig Hundt walks us through his experience of a merger with a peer firm and why that route to expansion can be a good fit for some RIAs.
The Third Path: What RIAs Should Consider Before Selling
Craig Hundt of Prairie Wealth Advisors explains that there is a third path available to RIAs aside from the binary of selling to an aggregator or remaining fully independent: a merger with a peer firm.
Drawing on his firm’s recent merger experience, he explains how and when a peer merger makes sense for an RIA.
Regtech Surge: Regulators May Not Need New AI Rules To Enforce AI Failures
In this month’s Regtech Surge column, Sid Yenamandra of SurgeONE.ai argues that RIAs must map AI governance onto their existing compliance efforts — including recordkeeping, controls, data entry and recommendations — rather than treat it as a tech issue.
Yenamandra walks us through steps for good AI governance in these categories.
Deals & Recruiting Roundup
This week’s roundup includes acquisitions by MAI, Wealth Enhancement and Stratos; recruiting by NewEdge, Carson, Ameriprise, Cetera, LPL and Osaic; appointments by FP Transitions and Kestra; and research by FINTRX.
FINTRX’s second quarter Family Office Report found that new family offices favored direct investments and private equity, while interest in private credit dropped.
MAI Enters Atlanta Market By Adding $490 Million RIA Waypoint
MAI Capital Management acquired Waypoint Wealth Counsel, an Atlanta-based, fee-only RIA that manages about $490 million in assets under management (AUM).
The acquisition comes as MAI continues to broaden its presence in “strategic U.S. markets,” it said.
FP Transitions Appoints COO As It Launches New Advisor Benchmarking Tool
FP Transitions launched a proprietary benchmarking tool for financial advisors and appointed industry veteran Tom Kimberly as Chief Operating Officer, a new role at the company.
The Estimated Value Index tool is designed to show firms how their businesses compare with peers and a revenue multiple range that may be supported by their profile.
CAIS Expands Alts Options For Advisors
CAIS announced that almost 40 new and existing alternative asset managers introduced strategies on the CAIS alts platform during the last six months.
The additional strategies being offered by CAIS include hedge funds, infrastructure, real estate and other alternative asset classes.
TAG Advisors’ Asset Management Platform Surpasses $2 Billion
TAG Advisors announced that TAG Invest, its in-house asset management platform, has crossed the $2 billion mark in AUM, an increase of more than 60% since September 2025.
The firm said it launched TAG Invest in 2022 to provide advisors with custom, tax-optimized portfolio construction and investment management without layered fees.
Stratos Buys $400 Million Illinois-Based RPI Financial Life Planners
Stratos Wealth Enterprises announced the acquisition of RPI Financial Life Planners in Naperville, Illinois. RPI, which oversees approximately $400 million in client assets, will continue to operate under its name with the same team and relationships.
This transaction is the 12th acquisition for Stratos since SEI invested in it in December.
Wealth Consulting Group Surpasses $12 Billion In Assets
The Wealth Consulting Group announced that its assets under advisement have reached $12.1 billion.
In the past 18 months, the firm said, it has onboarded $2.6 billion in recruited assets, which helped it post a 27% growth rate since last year.
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