Financial Services Acquisitions in Kansas
Kansas Financial Services Deal Themes
Kansas financial services acquisitions in recent years span several parts of the advice and capital stack—wealth and investment management, retirement planning technology, insurance distribution, and community banking footprints. Across the deals, buyers often expand both geographic reach inside Kansas and the kinds of planning or advisory capabilities they can offer clients.
Deal activity also shows a mix of platform-building and capability add-ons. Examples include Mariner adding business and individual risk advisory and insurance planning through Cowell Insurance Services (CIS) in Overland Park, while T. Rowe Price looks to deepen retirement income capabilities via Retiree, Inc.’s tax-aware software.
In Kansas, wealth managers and retirement specialists also keep partnering and consolidating. CAPTRUST Financial Advisors onboarded Meritage Portfolio Management (Kansas City), and advisory networks such as Carson Wealth and Creative Planning took equity partnership or acquisitions with Kansas-based advisory teams to build presence and client reach.
What Stands Out
- Wealth management consolidation shows up repeatedly, with firms like CAPTRUST Financial Advisors, Carson Wealth, and Creative Planning expanding in Kansas through acquisitions or equity partnerships.
- Retirement and investment planning capabilities are a recurring theme—from joining teams and AUM bases to adding planning software (e.g., T. Rowe Price and Retiree, Inc.).
- Insurance and annuity distribution are also represented, including Mariner acquiring a P&C advisor (Cowell Insurance Services) and Simplicity Group Holdings, Inc. expanding life and annuity distribution via Brokers Edge.
- Banking expansion remains present: Equity Bancshares, Inc. acquired KansasLand Bancshares, Inc. and expects branch and systems consolidation.
| Buyer | What’s being expanded in Kansas |
|---|---|
| Mariner | Risk advisory + insurance planning via Cowell Insurance Services |
| CAPTRUST Financial Advisors | Wealth/investment management team + brand presence via Meritage Portfolio Management |
| Simplicity Group Holdings, Inc. | Life & annuity distribution channels via Brokers Edge |
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- Buyer
- Mariner
- Target
- Cowell Insurance Services (CIS)
- Seller
- Lance Cowell (Cowell Insurance Services)
- Industry
- Financial Services
- Location
- Kansas, United States
- Type
- Buyout
Mariner, a national financial services firm, announced it has acquired Cowell Insurance Services (CIS), a property and casualty (P&C) insurance provider based in Overland Park, Kansas. The acquisition adds business and individual risk advisory capabilities to Mariner’s “One Mariner” ecosystem, integrating insurance planning with broader financial advisory services.
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February 5, 2026
- Buyer
- CAPTRUST Financial Advisors
- Target
- Meritage Portfolio Management
- Industry
- Financial Services
- Location
- Kansas, United States
- Type
- Buyout
CAPTRUST Financial Advisors has onboarded Meritage Portfolio Management, a Kansas City–based wealth and investment management firm with $2.4 billion in client assets. The Meritage team of 17 colleagues (including nine advisors) joined CAPTRUST in a deal that closed in December 2025 and will operate under the CAPTRUST brand; Houlihan Lokey served as Meritage's financial advisor.
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March 26, 2025
- Buyer
- Simplicity Group Holdings, Inc.
- Target
- Brokers Edge
- Industry
- Financial Services
- Location
- Kansas, United States
- Type
- Buyout
Simplicity Group Holdings, Inc. has acquired Brokers Edge, a Lenexa, Kansas-based wholesaler specializing in traditional fixed annuities, fixed indexed annuities, and life insurance products. The deal brings Brokers Edge founder Rich Hellerich into the Simplicity partnership and expands Simplicity’s life and annuity distribution capabilities for advisors and their clients.
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December 13, 2024
- Buyer
- Heritage Bancshares, Inc.
- Target
- Fidelity State Bank and Trust Company, Fidelity Kansas Bankshares, Inc.
- Industry
- Financial Services
- Location
- Kansas, United States
- Type
- Buyout
Heritage Bancshares, Inc. (Heritage Bank) and Fidelity Kansas Bankshares, Inc. jointly announced the signing of a stock purchase agreement under which Heritage Bancshares will acquire Fidelity State Bank and Trust Company. Following closing, Fidelity will be merged into Heritage Bank as the surviving entity, which is expected in Q2 2025 subject to customary approvals.
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July 2, 2024
- Buyer
- Equity Bancshares, Inc.
- Target
- KansasLand Bancshares, Inc.
- Industry
- Financial Services
- Location
- Kansas, United States
- Type
- Buyout
Equity Bancshares, Inc. (Equity Bank) completed the acquisition of KansasLand Bancshares, Inc., the parent of KansasLand Bank, expanding Equity's Kansas footprint and adding locations in Quinter and Americus, Kansas. The acquired KansasLand branches will convert to Equity Bank and Equity expects to consolidate core and digital systems later in the third quarter.
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- Buyer
- Abry Partners
- Target
- Prime Capital Investment Advisors
- Industry
- Financial Services
- Location
- Kansas, United States
- Type
- Growth capital
Abry Partners has agreed to acquire an equity interest in Prime Capital Investment Advisors (PCIA), providing growth capital and joining PCIA’s board to support expansion. The partnership will supply additional investment capital while preserving PCIA’s client-focused service model and leadership team.
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- Buyer
- Carson Wealth
- Target
- Integrated Wealth
- Industry
- Financial Services
- Location
- Kansas, United States
- Type
- Growth capital
Carson Wealth announced an equity partnership with Overland Park-based Integrated Wealth, bringing the six-person advisory team into Carson’s network and rebranding the firm as Carson Wealth. The deal gives Integrated Wealth access to Carson’s technology, investment offerings and operating resources to support growth of its $400 million AUM practice and expand Carson’s footprint into Kansas.
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March 30, 2023
- Buyer
- T. Rowe Price
- Target
- Retiree, Inc.
- Industry
- Financial Services
- Location
- Kansas, United States
- Type
- Buyout
T. Rowe Price has entered a definitive agreement to acquire Retiree, Inc., a fintech firm that provides retirement income planning software. The terms were not disclosed and the deal is expected to close in Q2 2023; T. Rowe Price said the acquisition will expand its retirement income capabilities and integrate Retiree's tax-aware income planning technology into its retirement solutions.
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December 2, 2021
- Buyer
- Prime Capital Investment Advisors
- Target
- 20/20 Financial Advisers, Financial Network Limited
- Industry
- Financial Services
- Location
- Kansas, United States
- Type
- Addon
Prime Capital Investment Advisors (PCIA) announced the acquisitions of 20/20 Financial Advisers and Financial Network Limited to expand its nationwide footprint and strengthen capabilities in wealth management and corporate retirement plan advisory. PCIA said the deals would add over 1,500 clients and more than 30 professionals, with the Financial Network Limited acquisition set to be completed on December 31, 2021 (terms not disclosed).
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- Buyer
- Creative Planning, LLC
- Target
- Sullivan, Bruyette, Speros & Blayney, LLC (SBSB)
- Industry
- Financial Services
- Location
- Kansas, United States
- Type
- Buyout
Creative Planning, an independent wealth management firm based in McLean, Virginia, acquired Sullivan, Bruyette, Speros & Blayney (SBSB), a Overland Park-based advisory firm with over $5 billion in assets under management. The deal brings more than 60 SBSB team members to Creative Planning and expands its capabilities and presence in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.
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- Buyer
- Macquarie Asset Management (Macquarie Group), LPL Financial Holdings Inc.
- Target
- Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc., Waddell & Reed wealth management platform (business unit)
- Seller
- Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc. shareholders, Macquarie Asset Management (seller of the wealth management platform to LPL)
- Industry
- Financial Services
- Location
- Kansas, United States
- Type
- Buyout
Macquarie Asset Management completed its acquisition of Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc., retaining the asset management business and adding approximately $76 billion in AUM. Concurrently, Macquarie sold Waddell & Reed's wealth management platform to LPL Financial, and the firms entered a long-term strategic partnership.
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- Buyer
- OneDigital Investment Advisors (OneDigital)
- Target
- Vertical Financial Group
- Industry
- Financial Services
- Location
- Kansas, United States
- Type
- Buyout
OneDigital Investment Advisors, a wholly-owned subsidiary of OneDigital, has acquired three offices of Vertical Financial Group in St. Louis, Overland Park and Chicago, expanding OneDigital's retirement and wealth capabilities. The move adds over 80 retirement plans (~$1B in plan assets) and wealth management for 400+ households to OneDigital's Retirement & Wealth vertical.
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- Buyer
- Stewart Information Services Corporation
- Target
- United States Appraisals
- Industry
- Financial Services
- Location
- Kansas, United States
- Type
- Buyout
Stewart Information Services Corporation acquired United States Appraisals to strengthen its digital mortgage fulfillment and valuation management capabilities, adding national appraisal expertise and the Valuguard mobile inspection technology. The deal (with Berkery Noyes as exclusive financial advisor to United States Appraisals) expands Stewart's appraisal and valuation offerings for lenders, banks, investors and mortgage industry partners.
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April 9, 2020
- Buyer
- Creative Planning, Inc.
- Target
- Coe Financial Services
- Industry
- Financial Services
- Location
- Kansas, United States
- Type
- Buyout
Creative Planning, Inc., a large independent Registered Investment Adviser, has acquired Coe Financial Services, an RIA based in Wichita, Kansas, bringing roughly $126 million of client assets into Creative Planning and establishing a Wichita office. The acquisition adds Richard Coe and his team to Creative Planning and expands the firm's geographic footprint and advisory capabilities in the region.
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February 4, 2020
- Buyer
- OneDigital
- Target
- Resources Investment Advisors, LLC
- Industry
- Financial Services
- Location
- Kansas, United States
- Type
- Buyout
OneDigital has acquired Resources Investment Advisors, LLC, an Overland Park, Kansas-based SEC-registered retirement plan and investment advisory firm founded in 1987. The deal expands OneDigital's capabilities by integrating retirement plan consulting and wealth management with its healthcare benefits offering to deliver a holistic employee wellbeing solution.
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- Buyer
- Economic Group Pension Services (EGPS), Inc.
- Target
- Qualified Plan Solutions LC
- Seller
- Scott Slagle (former owner)
- Industry
- Financial Services
- Location
- Kansas, United States
- Type
- Buyout
Economic Group Pension Services (EGPS), a national retirement plan consulting and administration firm, acquired Qualified Plan Solutions LC of Wichita, Kansas effective January 1, 2020. The transaction expands EGPS’s Midwest presence; former owner Scott Slagle joins EGPS as Regional Vice President for the Wichita office.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Which types of financial services acquisitions appear in Kansas?
You’ll see deals across wealth and investment management (e.g., team onboarding or acquisitions), retirement planning technology, insurance distribution and advisory, and even banking footprint expansion (branch acquisitions and systems consolidation).
What does Mariner’s Kansas acquisition add?
Mariner acquired Cowell Insurance Services (CIS) in Overland Park to expand business and individual risk advisory and insurance planning support under the Mariner brand.
Are there wealth management deals in the Kansas M&A activity?
Yes. For example, CAPTRUST Financial Advisors onboarded Meritage Portfolio Management (Kansas City), and Carson Wealth took an equity partnership in Integrated Wealth (Overland Park) with rebranding to Carson Wealth.
Do technology-focused acquisitions show up in Kansas financial services?
Yes. T. Rowe Price entered an agreement to acquire Retiree, Inc., a fintech firm providing retirement income planning software, to expand retirement income capabilities and integrate its tax-aware income planning technology.