It's been a strong start to the 11th inning of the 2025 deal calendar, with serial acquirer Wealth Enhancement announcing a landmark acquisition as RIA behemoth Mariner gains yet another foothold in the West Coast.
Wealth Enhancement, the prolific RIA consolidator in Minneapolis, announced it has acquired Wise Wealth, an independent RIA. Working across offices in Lee’s Summit, Rolla, and Liberty, Missouri, the Wise Wealth team, led by Stephen Stricklin, oversees more than $464 million in client assets.
The deal brings Wealth Enhancement’s total client assets to over $125 billion and marks its 100th acquisition.
Founded in 2007, Wise Wealth fosters an education-based approach to financial planning, with a focus on serving retirees and pre-retirees. The firm’s guiding principle, “First Wisdom, Then Wealth,” reflects its emphasis on comprehensive planning, including tax, legacy, and retirement strategies.
Jeff Dekko, chief executive officer of Wealth Enhancement, said Wise Wealth is “a premier, planning-focused firm in the greater Kansas City market that we are grateful to welcome.” Dekko added that the acquisition will allow Wise Wealth to deliver service and advice “with even greater depth and scale.”
Stricklin noted that the partnership represents “an exciting milestone” for his team and clients, and emphasized that Wise Wealth’s mission will continue as part of Wealth Enhancement.
The deal to snap up Wise Wealth comes after the August acquisition of Dempsey Investment Management, another independent RIA that oversees some $150 million, which represents Wealth Enhancement's first foothold in Vermont.
Wealth Enhancement has cemented itself among the most prolific acquirers in the RIA space, riding high on Echelon Partners' 2024 dealmaking leaderboard with 10 transactions last year. Dekko has even higher hopes for the future, telling Barron's last month that he is looking to build the firm up to a $1 trillion RIA colossus.
Austin-headquartered Bluespring Wealth Partners has acquired Signature Wealth, a Pittsburgh-based RIA affiliated with Kestra Financial. Signature Wealth manages approximately $1.41 billion in client assets and brings a team-oriented approach to wealth management, offering services ranging from investment strategies and estate planning to tax optimization and business consulting.
The acquisition is Bluespring’s eighth in 2025, reflecting the firm’s ongoing national expansion. Earlier this year, the RIA has absorbed other Kestra affiliate firms, including Halcyon Wealth Advisors in Texas and ClariVise Private Wealth in Alpharetta, Georgia.
Signature Wealth’s executive team will remain in place, with Bluespring assuming back-office functions to allow advisors to focus on clients and strategic initiatives.
Marc Tannenbaum, chief executive officer of Signature Wealth, said the partnership “positions us for sustainable growth, ensures continuity for our clients, and gives our team the tools to meet the evolving demands of our industry.” Pradeep Jayaraman, president of Bluespring Wealth Partners, described Signature Wealth as a firm with “strong leadership, a clear growth vision, and a deep commitment to clients.”
Mariner expands in California with Defined Financial Planning
Mariner, the Overland Park, Kansas-based mega-RIA has acquired Defined Financial Planning, a San Rafael, California RIA with approximately $164 million in assets under advisement. The deal expands Mariner’s West Coast presence, making Defined Financial Planning its 22nd office in California and 136th nationwide.
Founded in 2020 by Sam Gaeta, Defined Financial Planning offers a layered planning process tailored to client values and goals, with two service tiers for different levels of complexity. The firm has built a reputation for advanced planning and successful integrations of smaller advisory firms.
Marty Bicknell, chief executive officer and president of Mariner, said the acquisition aligns with Mariner’s “client-first values” and praised Defined Financial Planning’s “foundation of trust and growth in Northern California.” Gaeta said joining Mariner is “both a validation of what we’ve built and a catalyst for what comes next.”
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