Carson Group, EP Wealth kickstart 2026 dealmaking calendars

Carson Group and EP Wealth Advisors have kicked off 2026 with acquisitions that underscore ongoing RIA consolidation and a continued focus on regional scale, succession and deeper service benches for clients.

In Minneapolis, Carson Group – which currently manages over $53 billion in assets – has acquired full ownership of the Carson Wealth office led by managing partner and wealth advisor Jeremy Willner. The firm oversees about $395 million in advisory and brokerage assets and becomes Carson’s first acquisition of the year.

The move follows a staged deal: Carson took a 30% stake in the practice in 2024, when the team rebranded under the Carson Wealth banner after years in the firm’s partner network.

It also builds on a busy year of acquisitions for Carson, which in 2025 became one of the most active buyers on the scene as it brought on more than 20 RIAs.

Willner first connected with Carson through its coaching platform in 2005 and joined the partner network in 2018, part of a long on-ramp that many advisors have used to move from affiliation into full acquisition.

Carson Group CEO Burt White said in the announcement that Willner’s path “embodies the entrepreneurial spirit that defines Carson Wealth” and that the Minneapolis team is gaining momentum as it prepares for the future.

The practice, co-led by partners and wealth advisors Hayden Willner and Grant Fuchs alongside director of client services and operations Kayla Loesch, has grown through a mix of acquisitions and referrals, with an emphasis on multigenerational planning and long-term client relationships.

With Carson now owning the office outright, it plans to add advisors, broaden services and lean more on the parent company’s national resources in areas such as recruiting, operations and M&A.

“We’ve built this firm with intention and a lot of heart,” Jeremy Willner said. “Moving to full ownership just made sense for where we are and where we want to go.”

On the West Coast, Torrance, California-based EP Wealth Advisors announced its first partnership of 2026 with the acquisition of Capital Insight Partners, a Scottsdale wealth management firm with more than $730 million in assets under management.

Nine team members from Capital Insight Partners will join EP Wealth, which has been building out its Arizona footprint since 2019 and most recently added Phoenix-based Clearview Wealth Advisors in December.

“Our clients gain access to expanded planning resources, broader investment capabilities, and a larger team of experts. Yet, their existing advisors retain the leading role in the relationship,” said Capital Insight Partners co-founder Susan Anastasiadis.

The Capital Insight Partners team will fold into EP Wealth’s Arizona region under regional directors M.J. Nodilo and Adrian Larson, reinforcing the firm’s presence in the Southwest as RIAs continue to pursue tuck-ins and regional clusters to support growth and succession.