Elite Consulting Partners grabs 3xEquity to boost advisor succession planning, M&A support

Elite Consulting Partners grabs 3xEquity to boost advisor succession planning, M&A support
Frank LaRosa
“Enterprise value has become one of the most important strategic conversations happening inside advisory firms today,” said Elite Consulting Partners CEO Frank LaRosa.
MAY 21, 2026

Elite Consulting Partners has acquired 3xEquity in a move the consulting firm says will boost its valuation analysis, succession planning, and M&A advisory support for the wealth management industry.

3xEquity is a valuation and advisory platform for financial advisors, RIAs, broker-dealers, and wealth management firms.

In a statement, Moorestown, New Jersey-based Elite Consulting Partners said that the deal will also boost its ability to provide recruitment and retention and enterprise growth strategies to its clients

“Enterprise value has become one of the most important strategic conversations happening inside advisory firms today,” said Elite Consulting Partners CEO Frank LaRosa, in a statement. “By bringing 3xEquity into the Elite ecosystem, we’re expanding our ability to help firms navigate growth, acquisitions, succession planning, recruiting, and long-term scalability with better data, better tools, and deeper strategic support.”

Kirkland, Washington-based 3xEquity was founded more than 15 years ago by Jeff Crosby, a former wealth manager at Ameriprise Financial Services.

3xEquity will continue operating as a standalone business under the 3xEquity brand, according to Elite Consulting Partners.

Elite Consulting Partners said that it plans to expand 3xEquity’s offerings through additional valuation services, enterprise subscription models, licensing opportunities, advisor education initiatives, and enhanced M&A and succession planning support.

M&A is certainly a hot topic within the advisory industry. This year is off to a blistering pace, with 93 deals announced in the first quarter, according to the latest DeVoe & Company RIA M&A Deal Book, easily surpassing the 75 deals in the same period last year. 

In its report, DeVoe also noted that the RIA seller market is shifting upmarket, with larger firms representing an increasing share of transaction activity.

Succession planning is another huge focus for advisory firms. One report from Cerulli projects nearly two-fifths of advisors (38%) are set to retire in the next decade, while the "rookie failure rate" at the other end of the pipeline makes it that much harder for the industry to preserve its talent pool.

Latest News

More data isn’t the same as more clarity
More data isn’t the same as more clarity

Flyer on wealth management data aggregation, AI agents, and closing the insight-to-action gap.

Ex-JPMorgan banker refiles harassment claims in federal court
Ex-JPMorgan banker refiles harassment claims in federal court

Chirayu Rana has added two executives as defendants after dropping his state case against JPMorgan Chase last week.

Betterment lawsuit just scratches the surface on cash sweep conflicts, says Max CEO
Betterment lawsuit just scratches the surface on cash sweep conflicts, says Max CEO

A class action over the digital brokerage's cash sweep program only hints at an industry-wide reckoning over how client cash is handled, says Gary Zimmerman.

Pontera launches bulk rebalancing to ease advisors' 401(k) workload
Pontera launches bulk rebalancing to ease advisors' 401(k) workload

New tool lets advisory teams manage shared retirement-plan accounts en masse as Vanguard retirement plan data show rising exposures to equities across demographics.

Survey finds many Americans don’t know their own net worth
Survey finds many Americans don’t know their own net worth

Three in four Americans can’t estimate their net worth without checking an app or account, according to a new Western & Southern survey.

SPONSORED Direct indexing webinar targets tax-loss harvesting amid market swings

Northern Trust’s Ken Lassner shows advisors how to convert volatility into after-tax portfolio gains

SPONSORED Who builds the income when the pension disappears?

Dan Biagini of American Equity says the steady decline of pensions, longer lifespans and a reset in interest rates are rewriting how advisors build retirement income