Wealth Enhancement Group buys Los Angeles RIA

Wealth Enhancement Group buys Los Angeles RIA
KCS Wealth Advisory manages over $373 million in client assets.
OCT 13, 2023

Wealth Enhancement Group has added a new location in Los Angeles with its acquisition of KCS Wealth Advisory, an independent registered investment advisor, the firm announced Thursday.

The deal brings Wealth Enhancement Group $373 million in assets under management and provides both firms with additional resources to enhance client services, the companies stated. 

Laura Gilman and Ken Waltzer, the two founders of KCS, had managed their own individual practices since 2004 and merged their firms to form KCS Wealth Advisory in 2014.

“The combination of KCS Wealth Advisory with Wealth Enhancement Group will enable us to continue to provide superior service to our clients with even more investment and planning options,” Waltzer, managing partner of KCS, said in a statement. “At the same time, I feel confident that my clients will remain in excellent hands when I eventually retire."

Jim Cahn, chief investments and business development officer at Wealth Enhancement Group, said the team at KCS has worked hard to develop and maintain relationships with their clients.

“KCS Wealth Advisory emphasizes their mission to collaborate with clients to help them reach their financial goals, and we're excited to bring them onboard,” he said.

Advisor Growth Strategies, a consulting firm serving the RIA industry, acted as KCS Wealth Advisory's advisor on the transaction.

Wealth Enhancement Group, a national wealth management firm, oversees more than $70.5 billion in assets, serving more than 55,000 households through its 90 offices. The acquisition of KCS increases the number of its offices in California to 17.

Demand surging for SMA, direct indexing strategies, says Goldman portfolio manager


Latest News

RIA dealmaking accelerates as three firms hit AUM milestones
RIA dealmaking accelerates as three firms hit AUM milestones

Wealth Consulting Group, Coastline and Maridea report fresh capital, acquisitions and asset growth as advisor M&A keeps climbing

VastAdvisor closes $1 million SAFE round from advisor-side backers
VastAdvisor closes $1 million SAFE round from advisor-side backers

Carson Group's Dani Fava, Jason Pereira of Woodgate Financial, and Sally George of Convergency Partners led the raise as the growth-tech startup builds out its AI platform and leadership bench.

Wells Fargo adds three advisor practices as recruiting rebound continues
Wells Fargo adds three advisor practices as recruiting rebound continues

New teams from William Blair, Ameriprise and UBS bring more than $560 million in combined client assets to the firm's employee and independent channels.

UBS will pay advisors 'handsomely' for banking starting next year
UBS will pay advisors 'handsomely' for banking starting next year

Regulators this year approved UBS Bank USA’s conversion to a nationally chartered bank.

SEC accuses Tricolor executives of hiding $800 million collateral hole
SEC accuses Tricolor executives of hiding $800 million collateral hole

How a subprime lender’s car-loan bonds allegedly unraveled before bankruptcy.

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