David & Jonathan S. – Father-Son Transition, $700M AUM
Independent RIA, Dual-Registered, Midwest U.S. / Ontario
David S. had spent over 30 years building a respected independent RIA succession. His son Jonathan, a CFA and CFP® with over a decade of experience, was already working in the practice and poised to take over. But despite a strong relationship and shared vision, both knew that family and business don’t always mix easily—especially with a $700M book on the line.
They hired Advisor Hunt™ to help structure the internal succession with clarity, neutrality, and long-term success in mind. Advisor Hunt designed a stepwise wealth management M&A plan that aligned with both parties’ goals: preserving David’s legacy and retirement security while empowering Jonathan with full operational control and financial upside.
Key elements of the Advisor Hunt plan included:
- Independent valuation of the RIA sucession to remove emotional bias
- Graduated equity transfer tied to clear performance milestones
- Multi-year advisor succession planning timeline to ease clients into the transition
- Role definition and communication strategies to minimize tension within the team and family
Outcome:
- Seamless transfer of ownership and leadership over a 36-month period
- Zero client attrition during the financial advisor transition
- Full payout to David, split between upfront and structured payments
- Stronger client perception of continuity and long-term planning
In Jonathan’s words:
“Advisor Hunt brought objectivity and structure to a process that could’ve become emotionally complicated. They handled it with professionalism, so we could stay focused on our clients and each other.”
Learn More about Advisor Hunt