Wealth Enhancement expands Houston footprint with Trippon acquisition

Wealth Enhancement's deal machine continued to roll this week as it followed up a deal in North Carolina with another acquisition of a Houston-area RIA and its affiliated tax firm.

The latest deal to pick up Trippon Wealth Management Group and J.M. Trippon & Company PC CPAs.in Texas brings four advisors, eight tax professionals and eight support staff onto Wealth Enhancement's platform, along with roughly $299 million in client assets.

The transaction lands just days after Wealth Enhancement disclosed a separate deal for WealthShield Partners and Madison Oaks Wealth Partners, a combination that carried more than $993 million in client assets.

Tax and planning under one roof

Wealth Enhancement chief executive Jeff Dekko framed the Trippon deal as part of a broader push to fold tax expertise directly into client relationships rather than treating it as a separate service.

"Taxes can have a significant impact on a family's long-term financial picture, but too often they're addressed separately from the rest of a client's financial plan," Dekko said. "James Trippon and his team have built a practice that brings those conversations together, helping clients make more informed decisions."

Read more: RIA moves: Wealth Enhancement snaps up West Coast RIA with sister tax shop

Founded in 2005, Trippon Wealth Management Group works alongside J.M. Trippon & Company PC CPAs – a tax practice dating to 1988 – to serve high-net-worth families, business owners and professionals, with particular depth in the energy, healthcare and quick-service restaurant sectors.

James Trippon said joining Wealth Enhancement gives the practice room to grow.

"Partnering with Wealth Enhancement is a tremendous opportunity to continue delivering outstanding service to our clients while joining a platform that will help us grow in ways that benefit our clients and all of our stakeholders for years to come," he said.

"As one of the nation's largest and fastest-growing metropolitan areas, Houston remains an important growth market for Wealth Enhancement," said Jim Cahn, Wealth Enhancement's chief strategy officer. "James and his team strengthen both our presence in the region and ability to serve clients seeking more tax-aware financial advice."

Read more: BMO adds three advisors in Dallas amid Y'all Street wealth boom

As of June 30, Wealth Enhancement and its registered investment advisor, Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, reported $158.2 billion in client assets, including $5.5 billion in brokerage assets held through Wealth Enhancement Brokerage Services.

The Trippon deal fits a pattern that played out across the wealth management industry throughout 2025. According to a report from Berkshire Global Advisors, RIAs with more than $100 million in assets under management completed 349 transactions last year, a record that topped 2024's prior high of 276 deals – a 26% year-over-year increase.

Private equity-backed platforms drove the bulk of that activity. Berkshire Global's data show sponsor-backed acquirers accounted for roughly 86% of strategic deals last year, with Wealth Enhancement named among the most active buyers alongside Mercer Advisors, Merit Financial, and Beacon Ponte.

Berkshire Global Advisors also flagged a trend of acquirers moving beyond traditional advisory purchases to add trust services, outsourced investment offices and, increasingly, in-house tax practices.

"RIAs also accelerated tax services acquisitions, buying CPA firms or in-house CPA arms,' the report noted.