LPL swipes $705M advisor duo from Merrill Lynch

LPL swipes $705M advisor duo from Merrill Lynch
The breakaway pair are joining the brokerage giant’s HNW-focused employee advisor arm in Oklahoma.
MAY 21, 2024

LPL has deepened its high-net-worth advisory bench with a pair of breakaway advisors from Merrill Lynch.

On Tuesday, the broker-dealer behemoth announced the addition of Auctus Legacy Private Wealth Management to its high-net-worth-focused employee affiliation model, LPL Private Wealth Management.

This newly launched practice is led by financial advisors Alain Verhille and James Wood, who previously managed $705 million in assets at Merrill Lynch. The team is based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Verhille and Wood, with over 50 years of combined industry experience, cater to a primarily high-net-worth clientele. Their approach centers on comprehensive planning aimed at optimizing wealth and reducing risk for multi-generational families. Joining them are certified senior advisors Erikka Moore and Kathy Isernhagen.

“Our firm brings the right expertise, experience, and clarity to the table to find paths forward for clients,” Verhille said in a statement. “We’re helping extraordinary people stay extraordinary.”

The long-time business partners emphasize the strength of their professional relationship, which they believe enhances their client connections.

“We are like a family, and our relationship with each other doesn’t stop at 5 p.m. on Friday,” Wood noted. “We understand the value of building genuine relationships, knowing one another and what’s important to clients. I believe our clients feel like we give them a very good opportunity to have a path to succeed in their goals.”

Verhille and Wood moved to LPL Private Wealth Management as they sought a blend of independence and support. Offering extensive services and support for client services and business growth, LPL’s affiliation model also provides high-net-worth advisors with industry-leading payouts, client ownership, and business autonomy.

The firm’s high-net-worth affiliation model also includes more focused support for advanced estate and philanthropic planning, income tax strategy, trustee services, and alternative investments platform, as well as banking and lending solutions and complex life insurance planning.

On Monday, LPL notched another win in California as it welcomed two veteran advisors from Cetera. Prior to that, LPL expanded its profile in Texas as a former Lincoln advisor joined its ranks.

Latest News

No succession plan? No worries. Just practice in place
No succession plan? No worries. Just practice in place

While industry statistics pointing to a succession crisis can cause alarm, advisor-owners should be free to consider a middle path between staying solo and catching the surging wave of M&A.

Research highlights growing need for personalized retirement solutions as investors age
Research highlights growing need for personalized retirement solutions as investors age

New joint research by T. Rowe Price, MIT, and Stanford University finds more diverse asset allocations among older participants.

Advisor moves: RIA Farther hails Q2 recruiting record, Raymond James nabs $300M team from Edward Jones
Advisor moves: RIA Farther hails Q2 recruiting record, Raymond James nabs $300M team from Edward Jones

With its asset pipeline bursting past $13 billion, Farther is looking to build more momentum with three new managing directors.

Insured Retirement Institute urges Labor Department to retain annuity safe harbor
Insured Retirement Institute urges Labor Department to retain annuity safe harbor

A Department of Labor proposal to scrap a regulatory provision under ERISA could create uncertainty for fiduciaries, the trade association argues.

LPL Financial sticking to its guns with retaining 90% of Commonwealth's financial advisors
LPL Financial sticking to its guns with retaining 90% of Commonwealth's financial advisors

"We continue to feel confident about our ability to capture 90%," LPL CEO Rich Steinmeier told analysts during the firm's 2nd quarter earnings call.

SPONSORED How advisors can build for high-net-worth complexity

Orion's Tom Wilson on delivering coordinated, high-touch service in a world where returns alone no longer set you apart.

SPONSORED RILAs bring stability, growth during volatile markets

Barely a decade old, registered index-linked annuities have quickly surged in popularity, thanks to their unique blend of protection and growth potential—an appealing option for investors looking to chart a steadier course through today's choppy market waters, says Myles Lambert, Brighthouse Financial.