Best Wealth Managers for Business Owners Post-Exit (2026): Top 7 Compared
Quick Answer
The best wealth managers for business owners post-exit in 2026 are predominantly large PE-backed RIA roll-ups. Mariner Wealth Advisors (Lovell Minnick + Leonard Green, ~$100B+ AUM, ~40+ acquisitions incl. Cardinal Advisors 2023) is one of the largest. Mercer Advisors (Genstar + Oak Hill, ~$60B AUM) leads on fiduciary positioning. CAPTRUST (Carlyle + GTCR, ~$700B+ AUM) is the institutional-grade choice. Wealth Enhancement Group (TA Associates + Onex, ~$80B AUM via ~50+ acquisitions) offers full-service. Beacon Pointe Advisors (Abry Partners, ~$30B AUM) is women-led with family-office services. Creative Planning (founder-led, ~$300B AUM post Goldman PFM 2024 acquisition) is the largest US privately-held RIA with sophisticated tax planning. Fisher Investments (founder-led, ~$200B AUM) is the largest US independent RIA with mass-market positioning. Pricing typically 0.5-1.25% AUM. CT Strategic Partners runs sell-side mandates and can introduce post-exit owners to the right wealth advisor.
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Selecting a wealth manager post-business-exit is one of the highest-stakes decisions a business owner makes, second only to the sale itself. In 2026, the wealth management market is dominated by large PE-backed RIA roll-ups, with $100B-700B+ AUM each.
Choosing the right wealth manager matters because (1) post-exit wealth events ($5M-100M+ liquid) need sophisticated tax + estate + insurance planning, not just investment management, (2) fee differences (0.5% vs. 1.25% AUM) on $10M+ liquid = $50k+/year, (3) team continuity matters, PE-backed roll-ups consolidate firms and team retention varies.
This guide compares 7 leading wealth managers for post-exit business owners.
What this guide covers
- Largest PE-backed RIA roll-ups: Mariner (Lovell Minnick + Leonard Green, ~$100B), Mercer (Genstar + Oak Hill, ~$60B), CAPTRUST (Carlyle + GTCR, ~$700B), Wealth Enhancement (TA Associates + Onex, ~$80B), Beacon Pointe (Abry Partners, ~$30B).
- Founder-led at scale: Creative Planning (~$300B post Goldman PFM 2024), Fisher Investments (~$200B).
- Pricing: 0.5-1.25% AUM (0.5-1.0% standard, Fisher at 1.0-1.25% premium).
- Fee impact: 0.5% delta on $10M = $50k/year.
- Team continuity matters with PE-backed roll-ups.
Comparison: top 7 options at a glance
| Vendor | Best for | Pricing range | HQ | Key feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mariner Wealth Advisors | Post-exit wealth, complex business owners | Custom (~0.5-1.0% AUM) | Overland Park, KS | Largest US PE-backed RIA roll-up |
| Mercer Advisors | Post-exit wealth, fiduciary-led | Custom (~0.5-1.0% AUM) | Denver, CO | Major PE-backed RIA roll-up |
| CAPTRUST | Post-exit wealth, institutional-grade | Custom (~0.5-1.0% AUM) | Raleigh, NC | Largest US PE-backed institutional RIA |
| Wealth Enhancement Group | Post-exit wealth, full-service | Custom (~0.5-1.0% AUM) | Plymouth, MN | Large PE-backed RIA roll-up |
| Beacon Pointe Advisors | Post-exit wealth, women-led + family-office services | Custom (~0.5-1.0% AUM) | Newport Beach, CA | Women-led PE-backed RIA roll-up |
| Creative Planning | Post-exit wealth, sophisticated tax planning | Custom (~0.5-1.0% AUM) | Overland Park, KS | Largest US privately-held RIA |
| Fisher Investments | Post-exit wealth, simple equity-focused | Custom (~1.0-1.25% AUM) | Camas, WA | Largest US independent RIA by AUM |
How we evaluated
- Liquid wealth size. $5-25M: mid-market RIA (Beacon Pointe, Wealth Enhancement). $25-100M: institutional RIA (CAPTRUST, Creative Planning). $100M+: family-office or multi-family-office.
- Sophistication needed. Simple investing only: Fisher. Tax + estate + insurance planning: Creative Planning, Mercer, Mariner.
- Fiduciary status. All RIAs are fiduciary. Some are dually-registered as broker-dealer (Fisher); pure-RIA is fiduciary-only.
- Fee structure. AUM-based (most): 0.5-1.25%. Flat-fee or hourly: rare. Negotiate at $10M+ AUM.
- Team continuity post-acquisition. PE-backed roll-ups consolidate firms. Reference 3-5 prior clients on team retention after their firm joined the platform.
Mariner Wealth Advisors
Mariner Wealth Advisors (Lovell Minnick + Leonard Green Partners) is one of the largest US PE-backed RIA roll-ups, ~$100B+ AUM through ~40+ acquisitions including the 2023 Cardinal Advisors ($292M) acquisition. Strong adoption among post-exit business owners.
- Largest US PE-backed RIA roll-up.
- Strong post-exit business-owner expertise.
- Multi-state office footprint.
- Sophisticated tax + estate planning.
- AUM-based fees can be expensive at $10M+.
- Less personal at large client scale.
- Recent platform consolidation.
When Mariner Wealth Advisors is the right choice: you’re a post-exit business owner with $5M-100M+ liquid and want sophisticated complex-wealth advisory.
Mercer Advisors
Mercer Advisors (Genstar Capital + Oak Hill Capital) is one of the largest US PE-backed RIA roll-ups, ~$60B+ AUM. Strong fiduciary positioning + complex wealth services.
- Strong fiduciary positioning.
- Complex wealth services (tax + estate + insurance).
- Multi-state footprint.
- Strong client portal + reporting.
- AUM-based fees expensive at high AUM.
- Recent consolidation creates client-team turnover risk.
When Mercer Advisors is the right choice: you’re a post-exit business owner wanting fiduciary-led complex wealth management.
CAPTRUST
CAPTRUST (Carlyle Group, GTCR) is one of the largest US PE-backed RIAs, ~$700B+ AUM (institutional + private clients). Strong institutional foundation + private-client growth.
- Institutional-grade investment philosophy.
- Strong tax + estate planning.
- Comprehensive private-client services.
- Multi-state footprint.
- Less personal than smaller boutique firms.
- AUM-based fees expensive at high AUM.
When CAPTRUST is the right choice: you’re a HNW post-exit owner wanting institutional-grade investment philosophy.
Wealth Enhancement Group
Wealth Enhancement Group (TA Associates + Onex Partners) is one of the largest US PE-backed RIA roll-ups, ~$80B+ AUM through ~50+ acquisitions. Strong full-service wealth advisory.
- Full-service wealth advisory.
- Strong PE-backed growth.
- Multi-state footprint.
- Good tax + estate planning.
- AUM-based fees.
- Consolidation creates team turnover risk.
When Wealth Enhancement Group is the right choice: you’re a post-exit owner wanting full-service wealth advisory at scale.
Beacon Pointe Advisors
Beacon Pointe Advisors (Abry Partners) is the women-led PE-backed RIA roll-up, ~$30B+ AUM. Strong family-office-style services for HNW post-exit owners.
- Women-led leadership team.
- Strong family-office-style services.
- Good HNW post-exit expertise.
- AUM-based fees.
- Less institutional scale than CAPTRUST.
When Beacon Pointe Advisors is the right choice: you’re a post-exit owner wanting family-office-style services with women-led leadership.
Creative Planning
Creative Planning (founder-owned, privately-held) is one of the largest US RIAs by AUM, ~$300B+. Strong sophisticated tax planning for post-exit owners. Acquired Goldman Sachs PFM Advisors in 2024.
- Sophisticated tax planning expertise.
- Founder-led (less consolidation risk).
- Multi-state footprint.
- Recent Goldman PFM acquisition adds scale.
- AUM-based fees.
- Founder-led culture changing with growth.
When Creative Planning is the right choice: you’re a post-exit owner wanting sophisticated tax planning at scale.
Fisher Investments
Fisher Investments (founder-owned, privately-held) is the largest US independent RIA by AUM, ~$200B+. Mass-market positioning with TV + radio marketing.
- Massive AUM scale.
- Simple equity-focused approach.
- Strong retiree positioning.
- Heavy marketing presence (TV / radio).
- Higher AUM-based fees (1.0-1.25% vs. 0.5-1.0% industry).
- Less sophisticated tax + estate planning.
- Heavy outbound sales culture.
When Fisher Investments is the right choice: you’re a retiree wanting simple equity-focused investing without complex needs.
How to choose: buying criteria
1. Match firm to liquid wealth size
$5-25M: mid-market RIA. $25-100M: institutional RIA. $100M+: family-office structure.
2. Negotiate AUM fees
Standard 0.5-1.0% AUM. At $10M+ AUM, negotiate down 0.1-0.3%. Saves $10-30k+/year on $10M.
3. Validate team continuity
PE-backed RIAs consolidate. Reference 3-5 clients on advisor tenure post-acquisition.
4. Tax + estate planning depth
Post-exit owners often have $5-20M+ in deferred tax (carry, rollover equity, installments). Tax-planning depth matters.
5. Insurance + estate vehicle planning
Post-exit wealth often funds insurance + trust strategies. Confirm the firm has in-house or partner expertise.
6. Direct PE-fund / private-market access
Some firms (Creative Planning, CAPTRUST) offer direct PE-fund access. Confirm if you want this exposure.
Dangers and traps when selecting
1. Choosing on AUM alone
Largest firm isn’t always the best fit. Check service quality + tax sophistication.
2. AUM-based fee overpay
1.0% on $10M = $100k/year. Negotiate down at $5M+ AUM.
3. Team turnover after PE roll-up
Recent PE-backed acquisitions risk advisor turnover. Validate references on advisor tenure.
4. Insufficient tax planning
Post-exit wealth events have complex tax implications (carry, rollover, installments). Generic wealth advisors may miss optimization.
5. Conflicting advice across silos
If you have advisor + attorney + CPA from different firms, coordinate carefully. Some RIAs offer in-house tax + estate.
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About the Author
Christoph Totter is the founder of CT Acquisitions, a buy-side partner headquartered in Sheridan, Wyoming. We work directly with 100+ buyers, search funders, family offices, lower middle-market PE, and strategic consolidators, including direct mandates with the largest consolidators that other intermediaries cannot access. The buyers pay us when a deal closes, not the seller. No retainer, no exclusivity, no contract until close. Connect on LinkedIn · Get in touch
Frequently asked questions
Who are the best wealth managers for business owners post-exit?
Top 7 in 2026: Mariner Wealth Advisors (Lovell Minnick + Leonard Green, ~$100B AUM), Mercer Advisors (Genstar + Oak Hill, ~$60B), CAPTRUST (Carlyle + GTCR, ~$700B), Wealth Enhancement Group (TA Associates + Onex, ~$80B), Beacon Pointe Advisors (Abry Partners, ~$30B), Creative Planning (founder-led, ~$300B), Fisher Investments (~$200B).
How much do wealth managers cost?
Standard 0.5-1.0% AUM. Fisher Investments at 1.0-1.25% premium. On $10M liquid: $50-125k/year. Most firms negotiate down at $5M+ AUM.
What’s the right wealth manager for a $20M exit?
Institutional-grade RIA: Mercer, CAPTRUST, Creative Planning, Mariner. Negotiate AUM down to 0.5-0.7% range. Confirm in-house tax + estate planning.
PE-backed RIA vs. founder-led?
PE-backed (Mariner, Mercer, CAPTRUST, Wealth Enhancement, Beacon Pointe) offers scale + multi-state coverage; risk is team continuity after acquisitions. Founder-led (Creative Planning, Fisher) offers stability; risk is succession when founder retires.
Should I have multiple wealth managers?
For $50M+ liquid wealth, splitting across 2-3 firms is common (different style + risk hedge). For $5-25M, one is typically sufficient.
How does CT Strategic Partners work with wealth managers?
We refer post-exit business owners to the right wealth manager for their liquid wealth size + tax complexity + service-style preference. We work with most major firms.