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Merit Financial Advisors, a Georgia-based financial advisory firm specializing in financial planning and wealth management for high-net-worth individuals and families and those navigating life transitions, recently announced it has partnered with Planned Futures LLC. According to a news release, Planned Futures, based in Williamsport, will expand Merit's presence in the region and increase assets by about $460 million.
Planned Futures provides investment management and retirement planning strategies for state troopers and other clients. The firm is led by James Arnold and John Keene Jr., who will assume new roles at Merit as regional directors and partners. They will be joined by their team of more than 10 professionals.
"Our company culture and client service are extremely important to us. We knew we had to find a partner with the same priorities in order to form a successful partnership," said Arnold, according to the news release.
"We have found this with Merit, who will provide us with the necessary back-end support and tools to fuel our growth and enable us to better serve our clients," added Keene, according to the news release.
This is Merit's 19th acquisition since taking a minority investment in December 2020 from Wealth Partners Capital Group ("WPCG") and a group of strategic investors led by HGGC's Aspire Holdings platform. Earlier this year, Merit acquired TFG Wealth Management, INVEX Financial and WealthPlan, which added a total of $424 million in assets and two new offices in Pennsylvania.
"Expanding Merit's presence in Pennsylvania has been a focus for some time, and we are very pleased to have James and John lead the charge," said Rick Kent, CEO and founder of Merit, according to the news release. "Their team's expertise, service offerings, and culture align exceptionally well with our core values; we are incredibly synchronized in nearly every aspect."
"We're excited to watch Merit expand into Pennsylvania with the Planned Futures team. James and John's successful business stems from their dedication to excellent client service and their drive for high-quality solutions; their client-first mentality makes them a perfect fit with Merit," said Nick Trepp, principal of WPCG.