In the September 2026 edition of the Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) & Broker-Dealer Roundup, FINTRX—the industry's most trusted source for AI-driven private wealth intelligence—details some of the most notable advisor team movements, M&A deals, and new RIA launches that occurred throughout the last month.
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NewEdge Lands $3.1B BofA Private Bank Team in Florida
UBS Recruits 3 Advisor Teams of Combined $2.6B in Client Assets
Rockefeller Snags Two Teams With $950M From Stifel, Morgan Stanley
Merrill Snags $1.2 Billion Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Team in Virginia
Citizens Private Wealth Adds $1 Billion+ Team MacLellan Bickle Wealth Partners In Tampa
Merrill Snags $1.2 Billion UBS Team in New Mexico
Raymond James Nabs $4M UBS Team in San Francisco
NewEdge Hauls In $1.2 Billion UBS Team in Minnesota
Merit Adds $888M Ex-Commonwealth Team in Chicago Region
UBS Snags Merrill Duo Producing $7.5M in Silicon Valley
Kestra Adds $550M Texas-Based Ameriprise Team
Sequoia Financial Buys $2.3 Billion Colorado RIA
Modern Wealth Buys $710M Jacksonville RIA
Creative Planning Buys $4.3Tn Investment Consultancy RVK
Captrust Adds $1.2Bn in Deal for 2 NY RIAs
Modern Wealth Acquires $290 Million Firm AWA As Assets Approach $16 Billion In AUM
$1.1Bn CT Wealth Team Leaves Stratos to Launch RIA
$1.3B Ameriprise Team Launches RIA in Minnesota
$4.3 Billion Ameriprise Team Launches RIA With Dynasty
Former RBC Team in Maryland Launches RIA
$330M Ex-Commonwealth Advisor Forms New York RIA
Former CIO of $5.1Bn NY RIA Launches Firm
NewEdge Wealth has recruited a four-person Bank of America Private Bank team overseeing approximately $3.1 billion in client assets and generating around $20 million in annual revenue. The team joined NewEdge in September, establising the firm’s fourth Florida office in Fort Lauderdale. The move represents NewEdge’s second multibillion-dollar team addition in two weeks, following the recruitment of a $2.2 billion Bernstein Private Wealth Management team in Houston, and reflects the firm’s strategy of expanding its presence in high-growth wealth markets while recruiting teams from both traditional brokerage and private banking platforms.
UBS recruited three advisor teams managing a combined $2.6 billion in client assets from Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley, as the firm works to rebuild its North American advisor ranks following recent attrition. The moves include John Hall’s $500 million Hall Wealth Management Group from Merrill in Bellevue, WA, the $1.4 billion Mason Cisney Alcon Wealth Management Group from Morgan Stanley in Pueblo, CO, and a $750 million team from Morgan Stanley in Bethesda, MD. The recruiting wins come as UBS continues to emphasize its advisor pipeline and strengthen its wealth management business amid broader wirehouse advisor movement.
Rockefeller Global Family Office has recruited two wealth management teams with $950 million in combined assets from Stifel, Nicolaus & Co. and Morgan Stanley, expanding its presence in Chicago and Boca Raton, Florida. The larger move involves the Phillipp Group, which managed $650 million at Stifel. Separately, Virgin-Herzburg Wealth Partners moved from Morgan Stanley with $300 million in assets. The additions continue Rockefeller’s aggressive recruiting strategy following its recapitalization and several other sizable team hires in 2026.
The Aliaskari Group, a Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management team managing approximately $1.2 billion in client assets, has joined Merrill Lynch’s McLean, Virginia office. Led by Mehrak Aliaskari, Corinne M. Heiberger and H. Frank Vorndran III, the team reportedly generated $5.8 million in annual revenue at Morgan Stanley and will operate within Merrill’s North Virginia Market under Peter Ambrose, while reporting to the firm’s Southeast Private Wealth Management division led by Josh Moody. The move represents a homecoming for Aliaskari, who began his career at Merrill in 2003 before moving to Morgan Stanley in 2012.
Citizens Financial Group has added MacLellan Bickle Wealth Partners, a Tampa-based advisory team to Citizens Private Wealth as part of its continued expansion in Florida. The team previously served clients with more than $1 billion in total assets at Northern Trust and works with high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, families, and business owners. The addition strengthens Citizens’ ability to combine private wealth, private banking, and commercial banking services for clients in the Tampa market and represents the 12th advisory team Citizens Private Wealth has added nationally since 2024.
Merrill Lynch has recruited the Vazquez-Monasterio Team from UBS Wealth Management, bringing approximately $1.2 billion in client assets to Merrill’s Santa Fe, New Mexico office. The team is led by advisors John J. Vazquez and Manuel J. Monasterio and generated roughly $4.7 million in annual revenue. Vazquez joined UBS in 1999 after beginning his career at Dean Witter Reynolds in 1983, while Monasterio joined UBS in 2008 after starting at A.G. Edwards & Sons in 2003. The move comes as Merrill ramps up advisor recruiting efforts and UBS works to address increased advisor attrition.
Scientia Wealth Partners, a San Francisco-based UBS Wealth Management USA team led by Jason M. Schlesinger and Jason S. Cheu, has joined Raymond James’ high-net-worth Alex. Brown channel. The team, which includes client associate Stephanie Wong, generated approximately $4 million in annual revenue at UBS and managed between $470 million and $600 million in client assets. The move is part of Raymond James’ broader effort to expand its employee-advisor presence on the West Coast.
NewEdge Wealth has added an eight-person team managing $1.25 billion in client assets from UBS Wealth Management, expanding its presence into Minnesota with a new office in Wayzata, a Minneapolis suburb. James P. Shafer, a longtime UBS advisor who began his career there in 2005, said the team was seeking a partner that could provide the technology, support and investment options needed for its next phase of growth. The move marks NewEdge Wealth’s 22nd location and continues a string of significant recruiting wins for the firm.
Merit Financial Advisors has added Tim Brennan and his $888 million practice from Commonwealth Financial Network, expanding the firm’s presence in the Chicago region. Brennan, a 37-year industry veteran and co-founder of Pinnacle Financial Group alongside James M. Santos, spent roughly 25 years at Commonwealth before making the move to Merit. As part of the transaction, Brennan also acquired Financial Connections, a $57 million practice in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, bringing additional assets to Merit. The deal marks Merit’s ninth former Commonwealth team addition since LPL Financial announced its acquisition of Commonwealth and its 11th acquisition of 2026.
UBS Wealth Management recruited the Merrill Lynch team of John Pham and Jimmy Yip, which generates approximately $7.5 million in annual revenue and serves Silicon Valley clients. The duo joined UBS offices in Palo Alto and San Jose, becoming part of UBS’s San Francisco Market under Emily de la Reguera and reporting to Silicon Valley Market Director Jacqueline Kehoe. Sources gave differing estimates of the team’s assets, with one putting the figure at $575 million and another closer to $1.2 billion, with some assets potentially still in the process of transferring. The move comes amid heightened recruiting competition between UBS and Merrill, as both firms seek to retain and attract veteran advisors following significant advisor movement across the wirehouses.
Kestra Financial has added Ecclesiastes Wealth Partners, a Richardson, Texas-based wealth management firm overseeing approximately $550 million in client assets, to its independent advisor platform after the practice spent 25 years under the Ameriprise umbrella. Founded by Shannon Harris, Ecclesiastes focuses on comprehensive financial planning, investment management and multigenerational wealth planning. The move gives the team access to Kestra’s technology, planning resources, business consulting and marketing support while allowing it to maintain control over its independent practice and planning-focused client approach.
Sequoia Financial Group has acquired BSW Wealth Partners, a Colorado-based independent wealth management firm managing approximately $2.3 billion in client assets. Founded in 1992, BSW serves individuals and families nationwide from offices in Boulder and Denver and will now operate under the Sequoia Financial brand. The acquisition strengthens Sequoia’s presence in Colorado and expands the resources available to BSW clients, including tax, estate and special needs planning, family office services and broader investment capabilities.
Modern Wealth Management has acquired Jacksonville-based Sanchez Wealth Management Group, a family-run RIA overseeing approximately $710 million in client assets. Founded by Christen “Chris” Sanchez, the 26-year-old practice specializes in comprehensive wealth management and serves multigenerational client households. The transaction represents Modern Wealth’s fifth acquisition of 2026 and its third in Florida, following its acquisitions of Legacy Wealth Management and Flaharty Asset Management. The deal also gives Sanchez Wealth access to Modern Wealth’s broader technology, compliance, HR, operations, and marketing resources while allowing the team to maintain its focus on long-term client relationships.
Creative Planning has agreed to acquire RVK, a Portland, Oregon-based institutional investment consultancy that advises approximately 200 clients overseeing roughly $4.3 trillion in assets. The deal expands Creative Planning’s growing institutional and retirement business, adding RVK’s investment research and consulting capabilities across areas including asset allocation, manager research, performance measurement and fiduciary governance. RVK, which does not manage assets on a discretionary basis, will continue operating under its existing management team led by CEO Josh Kevan, while becoming a Creative Planning affiliate. The transaction is expected to close in January 2027, subject to regulatory approval, with financial terms undisclosed.
Captrust has acquired two affiliated Melville, New York RIAs, Compass Advisors and Long Island Wealth Management, adding a combined $1.2 billion in client assets and seven professionals to its platform. The two firms have worked closely together since 2018 and will merge under the Captrust brand, joining the firm's existing Lake Success, New York office. The transaction reflects Captrust's continued aggressive M&A strategy in 2026, with the firm using its expanded M&A team to accelerate acquisitions while offering acquired firms greater operational resources, technology and growth opportunities.
Modern Wealth Management has acquired AWA Wealth Management, an Auburn, California-based RIA overseeing approximately $290 million in client assets. Founded in 1994 by Derrick Andrews, AWA serves multigenerational families and business owners through a planning-led approach that includes financial planning, investment management, tax and estate planning, and coordination with outside professionals. The partnership is intended to expand AWA’s access to planning, tax, estate and trust, retirement-plan, and portfolio-management resources while providing additional operational support. A major focus of the transaction is succession planning, allowing Derrick Andrews to remain involved with clients while dedicating more time to mentoring Grant Andrews, Chelsea Bailey, and the next generation of advisors.
Twenty Four Wealth, a Darien, Connecticut-based wealth management team overseeing approximately $1.1 billion in assets, has left Stratos Wealth Partners to launch as an independent RIA. The firm, led by partners Anthony “Tony” Truino, Michael “Mike” Carbino, John Dougherty, Christopher “Chris” Zapata, Dawn DeMaio, Brendan Rafalski, and Ryan Hunter, said greater platform flexibility and enhanced technology were key reasons for the transition. The newly independent firm will use a multi-custodial model and continue serving high-net-worth clients, including executives, business owners, professional athletes and coaches. The launch follows Twenty Four Wealth’s acquisition of Florida-based Alpha Beta Gamma Wealth Management in 2025, which helped push the firm above the $1 billion asset threshold.
Fathom Advisors, a 22-person team managing approximately $1.3 billion, has left Ameriprise Financial’s independent channel to launch its own RIA in the greater Minneapolis area. The firm, led by brothers Randy G. Doroff and Todd P. Doroff, registered with the SEC on September 14 and selected Schwab Advisor Services as its primary custodian, with the team citing greater freedom and flexibility in choosing technology, platforms, and investment solutions as a key reason for going independent. Randy Doroff spent roughly 30 years with Ameriprise and its predecessor, while the other senior team members also have extensive experience with Ameriprise.
Rise Private Wealth Management, a 40-advisor team formerly operating through Ameriprise Financial Services’ independent channel, has launched as an independent RIA with support from Dynasty Financial Partners. Led by co-founders Brent A. Kiley and Robert A. Bonfiglio, who have spent 26 and 36 years, respectively, at Ameriprise, the Bedford, New Hampshire-based firm manages $4.3 billion in assets. The new RIA, which launched September 10, uses Schwab Advisor Services for custody, while Dynasty provides back-office support, investment management capabilities, client referrals and assistance with the transition. The departure marks at least the third billion-dollar-plus practice to leave Ameriprise to launch an independent firm in 2026.
Bernard Suissa and his team have launched Suissa Private Wealth, an independent RIA based in Bethesda, Maryland, following Suissa’s departure from RBC Wealth Management. The new firm has established a custody relationship with Goldman Sachs, giving the practice access to institutional resources while operating independently. Suissa, who previously managed approximately $346 million in client assets at RBC, is joined by Emily Fennell and Brandon Levenson, who were part of his former team. The launch marks a transition for the group from the wirehouse model to an independent RIA structure, with Suissa Private Wealth focused on providing wealth management and financial planning services to individuals, families and nonprofit foundations.
The $330 million Lieblich Financial Services practice has launched as Savlan Wealth Partners, a new RIA based in New City, New York. Led by David Lieblich, the firm transitioned away from Commonwealth Financial Network and expects to reach approximately $500 million in client assets when advisor Joseph Weber joins the firm from Commonwealth in October. The new RIA is built around the Lieblich family’s existing wealth management practice and will provide investment management and financial planning services, with the launch representing another example of advisors leaving the independent broker-dealer model to establish their own RIA.
Matthew Krajna, the former chief investment officer of $5.1 billion Nottingham Advisors, has launched Alpine Advisory Partners, a new registered investment advisor based in Clarence, New York. Krajna spent roughly 14 years at Nottingham before departing in 2026 to build his own firm, which is focused on bringing investment management, financial planning and tax strategy together in a more holistic client experience. Alpine Advisory Partners is designed to provide institutional-quality investment management alongside personalized financial planning, with Krajna positioning the firm as a consultative alternative for individuals, high-net-worth clients and other investors.