What Mariner Wealth Advisors does

Mariner Wealth Advisors is a national registered investment adviser founded in 2006 and headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas. The firm operates as a mega-RIA managing approximately $609 billion in assets across 142 office locations in the United States, providing integrated wealth management services to high-net-worth individuals, families, and institutions. Its core service platform spans seven disciplines delivered under one roof: wealth planning, investment management, tax planning and preparation, estate planning, risk advisory, trust services, and insurance solutions. The firm differentiates through in-house specialist teams in tax, estate, insurance, and investments that support affiliated advisors, enabling coordinated advice that single-practitioner firms cannot match.

Mariner operates an open-architecture investment platform with integrations across multiple custodians (Schwab, Fidelity, Pershing) and planning systems (Orion, eMoney, RightCapital, Wealth.com, Addepar, Clearwater Analytics). Client access is delivered through the proprietary MarinerGPS portal, and the firm also operates two advisor-facing platforms: Mariner Independent for advisors seeking operational infrastructure while preserving autonomy, and Mariner Outsourced Portfolio Solutions for broker-dealer advisors needing portfolio management support. The firm pursues a vertical segmentation strategy with dedicated capabilities for dental professionals, professional athletes, medical professionals, executives, business owners, and first responders, alongside institutional services through Mariner Institutional (retirement plan consulting, fiduciary advisory) and MSEC (institutional cash management).

The firm is privately held and backed by Leonard Green & Partners, with additional capital from Neuberger Berman and debt financing from Penfund. Growth has been driven primarily through aggressive acquisitions — over 30 deals since 2021, including the $292 billion Cardinal Investment Advisors acquisition in January 2025 and the Financial Services Network deal that added $26 billion and 400+ advisors. In April 2026, Mariner divested its Mariner Advisor Network (367 advisors, $31B AUM) to LPL Financial to refocus on the pure-RIA model. The firm is consistently ranked by Barron's among the top RIAs nationally, holding the #6 Mega RIA position in 2025 and having been ranked in the top five from 2016-2024.

Name

Mariner Wealth Advisors

Legal name

Mariner Wealth Advisors, LLC

Website

https://marinerwealthadvisors.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Mariner Wealth Advisors is a national mega-RIA managing approximately $609 billion in assets across 142 U.S. offices, delivering integrated wealth planning, investment management, tax, estate, and insurance services to high-net-worth individuals and specialized professional segments including executives, athletes, dentists, and medical professionals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Leawood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. AUM-Based Advisory Fees: Traditional wealth management fees based on assets under management. The firm manages $609 billion in assets as a mega-RIA, charging percentage-based fees on client assets.
2. Financial Planning Services: Comprehensive wealth planning services including cash flow analysis, retirement planning, estate planning, and tax strategies as part of integrated advisory offering.
3. Business Services: Institutional advisory, retirement plan services, executive financial planning benefit programs, financial wellness platforms, and specialty tax services for businesses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Mariner Wealth Advisors is a national registered investment adviser delivering integrated wealth management for high-net-worth individuals, families, and institutional clients. Core individual services span Wealth Planning, Investment Management, Tax Planning and Preparation, Estate Planning, Risk Advisory, Trust Services, and Insurance Solutions, delivered by advisors with access to in-house specialist teams. For institutions and businesses, Mariner provides retirement plan advisory, institutional cash management, investment banking and valuation advisory, executive financial planning, and specialty tax services.

Product overview

Mariner Wealth Advisors operates as a national wealth advisory firm offering an integrated platform of financial services for individuals, families, and businesses. The core offering centers on seven primary service areas for individuals: Wealth Planning, Investment Management, Tax Planning and Preparation, Estate Planning, Risk Advisory, Trust Services, and Insurance Solutions—all delivered through advisors with access to in-house specialist teams. For businesses, the platform extends to institutional retirement plan advisory (Mariner Institutional), Financial Wellness benefits, Executive Financial Planning, Business Tax Services, Specialty Tax Services, Business Risk Advisory, Institutional Cash Management, and Financial Institutions Group. The firm also offers two distinct advisor-facing platforms: Mariner Outsourced Portfolio Solutions for broker-dealer advisors seeking portfolio management support, and Mariner Independent for independent advisors seeking operational infrastructure. Client access is provided through MarinerGPS, a portal integrated with multiple custodian and planning platforms including Orion Advisor, eMoney, Schwab, and Fidelity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MarinerGPS: Client portal and account management platform for Mariner Wealth Advisors clients.
• Mariner Independent

Products and services

• Wealth Planning Comprehensive wealth management service including cash flow analysis, income protection strategies, education savings, retirement goal setting, and Social Security optimization tailored to individual client needs.
• Investment Management Customized portfolio construction and management utilizing an open-architecture framework with access to third-party managers and in-house solutions across cash, fixed income, equities, and alternative investments.
• Tax Planning and Preparation (Individuals) Integrated tax planning and compliance services including federal, state, and multi-state strategies, tax-efficient gifts and trusts, IRS representation, and year-round planning for high-net-worth individuals and business owners.
• Estate Planning Estate planning strategies including will and trust design, charitable planning, generation-skipping wealth transfer, and asset protection coordinated with legal counsel and tax teams.
• Risk Advisory (Individuals) Personal insurance advisory services covering home, auto, umbrella, and specialty coverage designed to protect client assets, coordinated alongside broader financial strategy.
• Trust Services Trust management services including trust design, trustee structuring, tax-efficient trust creation, and charitable planning through Mariner Trust Company.
• Insurance Solutions Personal and business risk management including life, disability, and long-term care insurance planning aligned with client wealth goals and coordinated by dedicated risk specialists.
• Mariner Institutional Independent investment consulting and retirement plan advisory services for corporations, public/government funds, Taft-Hartley plans, insurance companies, and nonprofit institutions, serving in a fiduciary capacity.
• Financial Wellness Employee benefit program providing online financial wellness platform with educational resources, goal-setting tools, and access to 1-on-1 financial coaching from licensed professionals.
• Executive Financial Planning

Quantifiable outcome

• Barron's Top RIA Firm ranking for 10 consecutive years (2016-2025)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles9 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and core.

• LPL FinancialmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 April 2026LPL Financial acquired Mariner Advisor Network, a unit of Mariner supporting 367 financial advisors managing approximately $31 billion in assets. The deal allows LPL to capture custody and clearing economics while enabling Mariner to exit a business line that no longer fits its pure RIA strategy.
• Private Advisor GroupminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 April 2026Private Advisor Group, in which LPL Financial holds a minority stake, acquired 144 hybrid advisors from Mariner Advisor Network, aligning them under its hybrid RIA model while maintaining multi-custody relationships on the LPL platform.
• Woodbridge InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2024Mariner acquired Woodbridge International, a middle-market M&A firm based in New Haven, Connecticut, to expand its advisory services. The deal enhances Mariner's expertise and global reach in sell-side M&A transactions.
• Financial Services NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2022Mariner acquired The Financial Services Network, a provider supporting over 400 independent financial advisors across 20 states. The deal expanded Mariner's platform offerings and advisor network, integrating The Network's resources and leadership.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Mercer Advisors: A national mega-RIA with comparable integrated wealth management, tax, and estate services for HNW clients. Co-listed with Mariner at the WSJ Buy Side 4.5-star rating, making it the closest comparable in scale and service model.
• Edelman Financial Engines: One of the largest US RIAs serving HNW and mass-affluent clients through employer-sponsored financial planning and advisor relationships. Direct overlap in target market and an active litigation counterparty to Mariner, underscoring direct competition for advisor talent.
• Creative Planning: A PE-backed mega-RIA headquartered in Overland Park, KS (same metro as Mariner) offering integrated wealth management and aggressively pursuing M&A. Closest geographic and strategic peer with overlapping vertical niches and a similar roll-up playbook.
• Focus Financial Partners: A partnership of fiduciary wealth management firms and the original public-market RIA consolidator. Mirrors Mariner's acquisition-driven growth strategy and serves as a benchmark for how PE-style RIA roll-ups scale.
• Commonwealth Financial Network: A large independent RIA and broker-dealer supporting independent advisors with back-office infrastructure. Directly comparable to Mariner's Mariner Independent and Mariner Outsourced Portfolio Solutions platforms.

Broad incumbents

• LPL Financial: The largest US independent broker-dealer and a broad incumbent across wealth management. Its 2026 acquisition of Mariner Advisor Network ($31B AUA) makes it both a partner and a strategic counterparty in advisor custody and platform services.
• Goldman Sachs Personal Financial Management: The wealth management arm of a bulge-bracket bank serving HNW and ultra-HNW clients with integrated investment, banking, and credit solutions. Comparable integrated offering but embedded within a much larger financial institution.
• Rockefeller Capital Management: A PE-influenced multi-family office and wealth manager serving UHNW and HNW clients with integrated planning, investment management, and family office services. Overlaps with Mariner's integrated in-house specialist model.
• Bessemer Trust: A private wealth and investment management firm serving ultra-HNW families with integrated investment, trust, and family office services. Comparable in serving HNW/UHNW with coordinated planning, but with a narrower footprint.

Emerging players

• Carson Group: A fast-growing RIA and coaching platform for independent financial advisors with a comparable acquisition and advisor-attraction model. Less mature than Mariner in assets but pursues an overlapping advisor-recruitment strategy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/MarinerWealthAdvisors
• Facebookfacebook.com/marinerwealthadvisors
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mariner-wealth-advisors
• Instagraminstagram.com/marinerwealthadvisors
• Xx.com/marinerwealth

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Subsidiaries10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A35 records

Investments3 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mariner Wealth Advisors