Advisory M&A News – 4/29/2026

Charted Wealth Joins Kestra Financial

Charted Wealth, an investment management team with offices in Reading, Massachusetts, and Latham, New York, joined the community of independent financial advisers of the wealth management platform Kestra Financial Inc.

Charted Wealth oversees more than $300 million in assets under advisement, including qualified plan and retirement assets, according to the announcement. Its team includes Co-Founders George Bowen and Jim Davos, Director of Client Services Maria Bethune and Financial Assistant Rachel Hahn.

Charted Wealth offers comprehensive financial planning, including investments, retirement and estate planning, for mass-affluent and lower-high-net-worth clients, generally with at least $2 million in investable assets.

Kestra Financial oversees $142 billion in assets under advisement through its subsidiaries and supports more than 1,300 financial professionals.

Hightower to Acquire Bahnsen Group

Hightower Advisors LLC will acquire one of its flagship franchises, the Bahnsen Group, a wealth management practice that oversaw approximately $9.5 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2025.

Founded in 2015 when Founder and Managing Partner David Bahnsen joined Hightower from Morgan Stanley with approximately $600 million in client assets, the Bahnsen Group has had more than 30% annual organic growth over the past decade, according to the announcement. TBG has scaled into a national advisory practice, with approximately 100 professionals in 12 locations, including Nashville, Tennessee; New York; Newport Beach, California; and Palm Beach, Florida.

TBG will continue to operate under its established brand while leveraging Hightower’s resources and infrastructure and adding “a Hightower Company” to its name and logo. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026.

Waverly Advisors Acquires TruWealth Advisors

Waverly Advisors LLC, a registered investment adviser, acquired TruWealth Advisors LLC, a wealth management firm with offices in Mandeville and Metairie, Louisiana. TruWealth has 31 professionals and had $3.1 billion in client assets as of December 31, 2025.

Chuck Simmons, founder and senior financial adviser, leads TruWealth alongside Jim Parrie, general manager and chief operating officer. Simmons will join Waverly as partner and wealth adviser and will continue leading the Louisiana offices. Parrie will join Waverly as partner and regional director, and they will be joined at Waverly by their entire team.

Parrie said in a statement that joining Waverly “positively positioned our team for the next stage of growth.”

The transaction closed on April 24 and brought Waverly’s assets under management to approximately $34.2 billion.

Gateway Capital Advisors Joins GCG Advisory Partners

GCG Advisory Partners, parent company of GCG Wealth Management, acquired Gateway Capital Advisors, a St. Louis-based wealth management firm with $400 million in assets under management.

Gateway Capital Advisors Managing Partners Dustin Ward, Shaun Griese and Joseph Sigman will join GCG as operating and equity partners. Through this partnership, Gateway’s partners and team will access GCG’s technology platform, operational support, marketing resources, succession planning strategies and capital to support growth.

Gateway has a macro-economic driven investment process and high-touch personalized client engagement strategy, according to the announcement.

Gateway Capital Advisors will keep its brand, and its current team will continue to manage day-to-day operations. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

GCG offers investment advisory services through Osaic Wealth Inc. and has 13 office locations throughout the Southeast and Midwest.