Waverly Advisors and Carson Group are rolling on with their respective expansion strategies, with each firm notching a notable business milestone.
On Tuesday, Waverly Advisors announced its acquisition of Dickinson Investment Advisors, an Iowa-based RIA founded in 1998 by Ron Dickinson.
The deal was closed on January 10, making it Waverly's first transaction for the 2025 season.
The partnership with Dickinson, which specializes in providing tax planning services alongside financial planning and investment management, also gives the RIA aggregator its first foothold in the Iowa market while expanding its assets under management to approximately $16.4 billion.
“Ron and his team have created a thriving firm by fostering long-term, personalized relationships with their clients,” Justin Russell, president and CEO of Waverly, said in a statement. “We truly appreciate the priority that Dickinson places on its client relationships, as our client-centric approach is the foundation of Waverly’s culture.”
Ron Dickinson stated the partnership would enhance his firm’s ability to serve clients with expanded resources and infrastructure.
The acquisition, which comes after Waverly's December deal for Planning Capital Management in Pennsylvania, marks its 21st transaction since receiving an equity investment in late 2021 from Wealth Partners Capital Group and HGGC’s Aspire Holdings platform.
Over at Carson Group, the Omaha, Nebraska-headquartered firm announced its acquisition of Taylor Financial Group, a women-owned RIA based in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey.
Following the transaction, Taylor Financial Group – which manages $385 million in assets – will take on the Carson Wealth brand but retain its 10-person team.
Coming on the heels of its decision to fully acquire its Cedar Rapids, Iowa office, it marks Carson’s 10th deal of 2024.
The partnership with Taylor Financial Group also lays the foundation for a new tax planning program, Carson Tax Strategy, which is set to launch in the first quarter of 2025.
In its Q3 2024 RIA M&A deal report, Echelon placed Carson Wealth among the top six most active acquirers in the RIA space for the first nine months of the year, caught in a four-way tie for third place with Constellation Wealth Capital, Waverly, and Allworth Financial.
“We’re defining the future of wealth management and how advisors approach tax planning,” Burt White, CEO of Carson Group, said Monday. “This initiative equips our advisors with expertise in tax strategy, creating opportunities to deepen client engagement and practice growth.”
Debbie Taylor, founder of Taylor Financial Group and a recognized tax planning expert, will lead the program as managing partner and chief tax strategist.
“By leveraging tax planning solutions, advisors can help their clients optimize financial outcomes, minimize tax liabilities, or increase after-tax returns,” Taylor said.
Carson Group now manages more than $40 billion in assets and serves over 51,000 client families through its network of advisory offices.
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