OneDigital inks deal for Wintrust’s retirement advisory business

OneDigital inks deal for Wintrust’s retirement advisory business
The acquisition will see $2.6 billion in retirement planning assets for over 40,000 participants added to OneDigital’s book.
FEB 16, 2024

OneDigital Investment Advisors is continuing to solidify its position in the retirement plan advisory market with another significant acquisition.

Though its subsidiary OneDigital Investment Advisors, the insurance brokerage, financial services, and HR consulting firm has entered into a strategic partnership with Wintrust Investments to acquire the latter’s retirement benefits advisors division.

The move is expected to extend OneDigital's influence in the retirement planning sector, particularly in the Chicago area, where both companies have established operations.

The acquisition is aimed at enhancing the retirement plan servicing business for both entities, bringing together OneDigital's comprehensive advisory services with Wintrust's client base and market presence.

“We are delighted that Wintrust Retirement Benefits Advisors has chosen to unite with OneDigital,” Vincent Morris, president of retirement and wealth at OneDigital, said in a statement. “The decision to align our strengths underscores a shared commitment to providing holistic, customized retirement planning and solutions that elevate client outcomes.”

Once completed, the deal will integrate over $2.6 billion in retirement plan assets into OneDigital’s already hefty portfolio of more than $100 billion, including management advisory accounts associated with retirement plan assets for over 40,000 participants across more than 200 client sponsors.

The strategic relationship also includes an ongoing referral partnership between OneDigital and Wintrust, aimed at driving additional scale and capabilities to benefit Wintrust's clients who sponsor workplace retirement savings plans.

The Wintrust retirement benefits advisors team, led by Dan Peluse, will continue to assist clients under the larger umbrella of OneDigital, joining forces with OneDigital’s existing teams to offer a broader set of resources.

“This deal will enable us to increase the value we can create for our clients through better purchasing power with both plan administrators and investment management firms and an expanded service offering beyond fiduciary plan consulting,” said Tom Zidar, chairman and CEO of Wintrust Wealth Management.

OneDigital’s Thursday announcement of its Wintrust acquisition comes several weeks after another deal with RIA WealthSource Partners, which will see $2 billion across nine states added to OneDigital’s book.

More recently, it made its debut in the property and casualty insurance space by snapping up St. Louis-based HM Employee Benefits and Risk Management.

Here's why financial advisors should hire military spouses for their practices

Latest News

Mesirow acquires part of flexPATH in second retirement deal of 2026
Mesirow acquires part of flexPATH in second retirement deal of 2026

Chicago-based Mesirow Fiduciary Solutions adds flexPATH's plan-level outsourced fiduciary book, boosting its retirement market reach to $164 billion.

Advisor moves: LPL lands $350M veteran advisor duo in Florida
Advisor moves: LPL lands $350M veteran advisor duo in Florida

Also, Raymond James's employee advisor channel adds breakaways from Wells Fargo and Stifel, while UBS welcomes an ex-Morgan Stanley duo in Indiana.

SEC accuses crypto firm founder of running $425 million Ponzi scheme
SEC accuses crypto firm founder of running $425 million Ponzi scheme

It promised guaranteed principal and 10% monthly returns. The SEC says it invested nothing.

MassMutual Ascend tops $2 billion in RIA annuity sales as advisors warm to income products
MassMutual Ascend tops $2 billion in RIA annuity sales as advisors warm to income products

Ten years after entering the fee-based annuity market, MassMutual Ascend says nearly half its lifetime sales came in the past two years alone – but barriers remain among fee-only advisors.

Fintech bytes: Wealth tech firms target advisor productivity with new integrations
Fintech bytes: Wealth tech firms target advisor productivity with new integrations

Amplify, WealthReach, Zeplyn and Zocks have unveiled partnerships aimed at automating portfolio management, content creation, account opening, and client communication.

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