Published on WealthManagement.com on January 9th, 2026 | Authored by Alex Ortolani

Deal & Moves: Integrated Snags RIA, IBD Prospera Lands Wells Fargo Team

In addition, $14B Mather Group acquires a New Jersey-based firm, Prime Capital recruits an established RPA, and EY analysts look ahead to the year in financial service M&A.

Alex Ortolani,Senior Reporter,Wealth ManagementJanuary 9, 2026

3 Min Read

This week, global tax and consulting firm EY’s deal report on the financial services sector found that, in North America, “M&A activity fell in 2025, with a 5% yoy decline in the number of publicly disclosed deals.”

Drilling down further into the wealth and asset management sector, however, and the picture looks more familiar to readers of Wealth Management: deals rose in North America by about 4.8%.

For 2026, the London-based EY is overall bullish.

“Looking ahead, provided inflation and interest rates continue to fall back across major financial markets, confidence is expected to pick up even more,” Andre Veissid, EY-Parthenon Global Financial Services industry leader, said in the report. “This should boost acquisition appetite further, as firms use M&A activity to support revenue growth and cost optimisation.”

The first week of 2026 may be more about the announcement of deals set in 2025. But with a handful of billion-plus acquisitions, and more relevant deals below, it’s safe to say the year is starting off much like 2025 ended.

Related:Creative Planning Acquires Commercial Insurance Firm

Integrated Partners Adds HNW-Focused Fair Street

Integrated Partners, a CPA-focused hybrid RIA and office of supervisory jurisdiction of LPL Financial with over $23.8 billion in client assets, has recruited Guilford, Conn.-based Fair Street Advisors.

Fair Street and Vincent Esposito, founder and managing partner, will bring $233 million in assets under management to Integrated’s advisor platform. His firm is focused on high-net-worth individuals and families, and made the move partly to tap Integrated’s larger “infrastructure, advanced planning depth and collaborative resources required to support its next phase of growth,” according to the announcement.

Esposito will be joined by partner Connor Dolan and client service administrator Rebecca Stakelum.

Employee-owned Integrated was founded 30 years ago by founder and CEO Paul Saganey, who elevated Andree Mohr to president in 2024.

Saganey and team have grown the firm through a CPA Alliance model, which includes more than 250 CPA partners. The Waltham, Mass.-based RIA added nearly $2 billion in new advisory relationships in 2025.

$250M Harm & Harm Financial Leaves Wells Fargo for Prospera

Prospera Financial Services, a Dallas-based independent broker/dealer, has added its first advisory team in New England by luring Williston, Vt.-based Harm & Harm Financial Consulting Group from Wells Fargo.

Harm & Harm is led by John Harm III and includes client associate Sara Boucher and associated advisor Connor Corbett.

Related:Meet Five Advisors Who Used to Play Professional Soccer

The firm oversees $250 million in client assets, and will join Prospera’s more than 230 other advisors and $28 billion in AUM.

Harm & Harm had been with Wells Fargo since 2016, according to BrokerCheck.

The Mather Group Deals for N.J.-Based Hogan-Knotts Financial Group

The Mather Group, a $14-billion fee-only RIA based in Chicago, has expanded its East Coast presence with the acquisition of The Hogan-Knotts Financial Group based in Red Bank, N.J.

Led by principals Robert Hogan and Timothy Knotts, the RIA has more than $300 million in AUM and is focused on individuals, multi-generational families, and businesses.

“As demand for comprehensive planning continues to grow, this next chapter allows us to expand our capabilities and deepen the resources available to our clients, all while preserving the personalized experience,” Hogan said in a statement.

The Mather Group is owned by majority shareholder The Vistria Group, with employees owning the remainder of the firm, according to press releases and the firm’s Form ADV.

Alaris Acquisitions advised Hogan Knotts on the transaction.

RPA Jim Marx Joins Prime Capital from Alera

Retirement plan advisor Jim Marx has left the Alera Group to join Overland Park, Kan.-based Prime Capital Financial, as a partner and managing director.

Related:RIA Caprock Makes 2nd Acquisition to Date with $4B Austin-Based Team

Marx will be based in White Plains, N.Y. with the $35 billion Prime Capital, which has been acquiring wealth management firms to go along with its retirement plan practice.

Marx left a role as senior retirement plan services consultant at Alera and has a focus on financial planning, retirement plan design and working with business owners and their employees.

In December, Prime announced that Fred Reish, a longtime consultant in the 401(k) retirement plan advisor space, had joined to lead its fiduciary and Employee Retirement Income Security Act practice.

Deal & Moves: Integrated Snags RIA, IBD Prospera Lands Wells Team