Carson expands East Coast presence with three new locations

Carson expands East Coast presence with three new locations
The national RIA has fully acquired three new branches in Maryland, Georgia, and Tennesee, all led by a 25-year industry veteran.
MAY 17, 2024

Carson Wealth has expanded its presence in the eastern United States with new footholds across three states.

The national RIA has announced that it has acquired three new locations in Hagerstown, Maryland; Atlanta, Georgia; and Johnson City, Tennessee.

The locations are all under one firm led by Scott Ford, managing director, partner, and wealth advisor at Carson Wealth. The financial planning firm, with an emphasis on entrepreneurs as clients, manages $840 million in assets.

Carson Wealth previously held a minority stake in Ford's firm before transitioning to full ownership.

“This move helps solidify our commitment to the clients and families we serve, even long after I may no longer be leading the firm,” Ford said in a statement. “Transitioning these locations to be wholly-owned allows us to enhance the way we serve our clients.”

A 25-year veteran of the industry, Ford's relationship with Carson Wealth began nearly a decade ago as a member of Carson Coaching.

He got in on the ground floor as the first to join Carson's partner network in 2012. From there, he was able to grow his business to three locations across three states with a team of more than 30 advisors and operations staff.

Burt White, CEO of Carson Group, emphasized the benefits of Carson’s business model, highlighting its ability to support financial advisors’ growth and operational needs.

White was elevated to the CEO role in early April as Ron Carson, the firm’s founder, stepped away from the chief executive role while still staying on as board chairman.

“This partnership between Carson and Scott Ford’s team has tremendous potential. It creates a true win-win scenario that benefits everyone involved – the advisors, the staff, and most importantly, the clients they serve,” said White.

He also highlighted Carson’s focus on advisor succession planning, a crucial concern across the industry as only an estimated 37 percent of advisors have a succession plan in place.

 “This partnership between Carson and Scott Ford’s team … creates a true win-win scenario that benefits everyone involved – the advisors, the staff, and most importantly, the clients they serve,” White said.

Latest News

Fintech bytes: Envestnet reaffirms $1B RIA commitment with Tamarac tech investment
Fintech bytes: Envestnet reaffirms $1B RIA commitment with Tamarac tech investment

Also, Orion has added BlackRock, Fidelity, and Vanguard to its custom portfolios suite, and RedBlack has set up a new headquarters after crossing a trillion-dollar milestone.

RIA moves: Maridea acquires multigenerational practice in Pennsylvania debut
RIA moves: Maridea acquires multigenerational practice in Pennsylvania debut

Also, New York-based Legacy Edge Advisors names its first-ever CEO, while Novare Capital Management hires a Vanguard veteran with a multigenerational planning focus.

Private equity eyes 401(k) plans, but fees remain a hurdle
Private equity eyes 401(k) plans, but fees remain a hurdle

Asset managers are racing to bring private market products to retirement plans, but cost and liquidity concerns linger.

IRS floats proposal ending tax breaks for schools that weigh race
IRS floats proposal ending tax breaks for schools that weigh race

Treasury's latest tax-exemption crackdown on private schools lands in the wake of a separate push to restrict refundable credits for some immigrant filers.

Trust over tech:  The hidden signal of stock success in the AI era
Trust over tech: The hidden signal of stock success in the AI era

Workforce trust measures predicted which companies came out ahead during COVID-19. The same dynamic may now be playing out across the AI transition — and the data suggests the spread could be just as wide.

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