Advisory M&A News – 10/15/2025

NorthRock Acquires WGG Wealth Partners

NorthRock Partners LLC acquired WGG Wealth Partners, an advisory team based in Roseville, California, with approximately $2.7 billion in assets under management.

WGG Wealth Partners’ advisers will gain access to NorthRock’s advice platform, including specialists across investments, tax, estate planning, insurance, legal and philanthropy.

Bret Glover, managing partner in WGG Wealth Partners, said in a statement that NorthRock’s “philosophy and people felt like a natural fit,” adding: “This isn’t about giving up independence—it’s about gaining a broader platform and community so we can serve our clients even more comprehensively.”

NorthRock, based in Minneapolis, serves more than 3,300 clients and manages $9.4 billion in assets.

Cetera Gains Commonwealth Adviser, Pillar Financial Group

Financial Adviser Gigi Schneppat joined Cetera Financial Group after being affiliated with Commonwealth Financial Network for 15 years. Schneppat, who specializes in retirement income planning, oversaw approximately $60 million in assets under administration as of September 26.

Schneppat aligned her practice with Ironwood Family Wealth Advisors, a firm in Scottsdale, Arizona, that belongs to Cetera Investors, a unique community within the Cetera RIA and Branches channel.

Meanwhile, Pillar Financial Group, a Seattle-based advisory firm, joined Cetera Advisors. As of June 20, Pillar had approximately $1.8 billion in assets under administration, including more than $500 million in retirement plan assets.

Pillar’s 34-member advisory team—led by seven partners, including CEO Luke Madsen— previously belonged to Northwestern Mutual Investment Services LLC. The firm specializes in advanced estate planning, tax planning and high-net-worth solutions, including alternative investments.

Cetera Financial Group, headquartered in San Diego, has approximately 12,000 advisers and institutions. As of June 30, Cetera firms managed more than $590 billion in assets under administration and $263 billion in assets under management.

Beacon Pointe Advisors Acquires Sensible Financial Planning

Beacon Pointe Advisors LLC acquired Sensible Financial Planning and Management LLC, a wealth management firm headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts, with approximately $944 million in assets under management. The acquisition formally closed on October 1.

Sensible Financial Planning consists of 21 professionals in two offices in Waltham and San Diego.

As of September 30, Beacon Pointe, headquartered in Newport Beach, California, had approximately $51.4 billion in assets under management and approximately $2.5 billion in assets under advisement.

Carnegie Investment Counsel Acquires Ahl Investment Management

Carnegie Investment Counsel, an independent registered investment adviser based in Pepper Pike, Ohio, acquired Ahl Investment Management Inc., a wealth management firm with approximately $220 million in assets under management.

Ahl’s two-person team in Winter Park, Florida, led by founder and owner Rick Ahl, will fully integrate with Carnegie.

The acquisition was effective as of October 1.

Pilot Rock Joins Osaic’s Advisory Network

Osaic Inc.’s network of independent advisers added Pilot Rock Financial Advisors, an eight-member advisory team based in Medford, Oregon, that was previously affiliated with Ameriprise Financial.

Pilot Rock works on financial, wealth and retirement planning and manages $453 million in client assets. Its advisers will use Osaic’s open-architecture technology platform.

Osaic supports approximately 11,000 financial professionals.

Americana Partners Acquires Goodpasture Gray

Americana Partners LLC, an independent wealth management firm based in Houston, acquired Goodpasture Gray, a Nashville, Tennessee-based advisory firm with more than $300 million in new client assets.

Goodpasture Gray is led by Principal W.L. Gray and Associate Chris Brophy and will continue to serve clients in Nashville under the Americana banner.

Americana Partners serves high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients in the U.S. and Latin America and has more than $11.5 billion in assets under management.

Commonwealth Adds Vahanian & Associates to Adviser Network

Commonwealth Financial Network added Vahanian & Associates Financial Planning Inc. to its independent adviser network. Vahanian, previously affiliated with Osaic, is based in Saratoga Springs, New York, and oversaw nearly $230 million in client assets as of October 2.

Jeffrey Vahanian, president and CEO of his namesake firm, said in a statement that he pursued greater independence, personalization and improved efficiency, adding that Commonwealth’s owner, LPL Financial Holdings Inc., provides “advanced technology and an investment platform, along with significant capacity and resources.”

Commonwealth partners with approximately 3,000 independent financial advisers and oversaw $305 billion in assets as of June 30. LPL’s deal to acquire Commonwealth was announced in March and completed in August, and Commonwealth’s advisers will be onboarded to LPL’s platform by the fourth quarter of 2026.