VisionPoint Advisory Group and Navitas Wealth Advisors have merged to form Balefire, an SEC Registered Investment Adviser and comprehensive wealth management firm designed to meet the growing demand for integrated, high-capability financial and business advisory solutions for affluent individuals, families, and businesses. The new entity brings together over 60 professionals with complementary skillsets, offering comprehensive wealth management, strategic tax planning, and corporate solutions. Operating as a unified platform, Balefire is positioned to provide deeper insight, greater strategic continuity, and more scalable solutions.

​As a merger of two equals, the entity’s combined assets under management (AUM) topped $3.7 Billion as of January 1, 2025. Mergers and acquisitions, along with robust organic growth and a focus on providing an incomparable client experience, will drive Balefire’s strategic business development plan, designed to more than 10x the company’s AUM over the next decade. Balefire’s vision includes expanding annual revenues to $215 million, growing to $42 Billion in AUM, and scaling the Balefire team to 300 elite professionals.

Cassandra Kirby, partner and lead advisor at Braun-Bostich & Associates, an SEC Registered Investment Advisor and comprehensive financial planning firm located in greater Pittsburgh, has earned her Certified Public Accountant license in the state of Pennsylvania.

“Earning my CPA license is a significant milestone in my career, and I’m excited about the additional value I can bring to our clients at Braun-Bostich & Associates,” said Kirby. “This achievement will deepen my ability to provide strategic tax planning and financial guidance, ensuring that we at Braun-Bostich & Associates continue to offer holistic, well-rounded solutions tailored to each client’s needs.”

​The Oasis Group, a leading consultancy for the wealth management industry, recently launched a new research report on Artificial Intelligence (AI) Note Takers, sponsored by AdvisorEngine Inc.®, a provider of a complete wealth management platform for investment advisory firms. The comprehensive report evaluates the role of AI Note Takers in the wealth management sector – specifically analyzing their impact on financial advisors and their teams – and provides an in-depth analysis on six AI Note Takers.

This research, which is the second research report in The Oasis Group’s Peaks Research series, assesses how these applications perform in real-world advisory environments, their integration with existing technology stacks, and their ability to support financial professionals in delivering personalized, high-value client service.

The tariffs and how investors should respond is a topic on many American’s minds – and as the implications continue to unfold, members of the press may need some fresh sources to opine. Impact Communications is proud to represent hundreds of amazing financial experts.

​For instance, Brian Huckstep, CFA®, CFP®, anticipates tariffs will continue affecting portfolios, noting, "Higher prices reduce consumer purchasing power, impacting corporate earnings." He suggests the economic impact may already be reflected in stock prices, citing a 10% S&P 500 drawdown. However, he warns of potential inflationary effects yet to be fully realized in the market.

Jonathan Chandler, CFA®, says , a 50-stock defensive index may be the way to go, adding “The structures which enabled the US to prosper over the past 80 years have been shredded, creating a perilous economic environment. This has negative long-term implications for investors. Short-term traders may in fact do better in this environment than long-term investors.”

Nell Cordick, CFP®, offers a 10-point check list – something she uses with Bogart Wealth clients during market growth periods to discuss the future when there will be a downturn.

Mike Bisaro, AIF®, says that in almost all cases, assets invested for the long-term should stay invested. History has shown us that missing a few of the best-performing days when the market recovers can significantly reduce your long-term performance. Ensuring you have a properly diversified portfolio may help reduce risk, smooth out performance, and allow you to stay invested and take advantage of developing opportunities.

​Amy Hamasaki, CFP®, talks about tariffs and their impact on the domestic labor market, explaining that a tariff is essentially a tax on imported goods to make them more expensive. The theory here is to increase the cost of imported goods and thus make them less attractive, enticing domestic consumers to purchase goods domestically. She goes on to explain how these increased costs may impact living expenses for many Americans.

Kwanti, a portfolio analytics solution aiding financial advisors and investment managers with prospect conversion, client retention, model management, and more, recently achieved high client satisfaction ratings across multiple categories in the 2025 T3 / Inside Information Software Survey – including earning the highest rating in the Investment Data/Analytics Tools category for firms with more than 5% market share, as well as the highest rating in the Economic Analysis & Stress-Testing Tools category for firms with more than 3% market share.

The results of the annual technology survey and report, produced by Joel Bruckenstein of T3 Technology Tools for Today and Bob Veres of Inside Information, were unveiled and presented live at the recent T3 Technology Conference, which took place March 3rd – 6th in Dallas, Texas and saw over 1,000 total attendees. The survey is one of the most widely respected and referenced attempts to quantify what technology advisors are using, what they want to see more of, and which solutions they like best. Technology firms are ranked based solely on advisor input.

Advyzon, a comprehensive technology platform and portfolio management solution for financial advisors and investment managers, today announced that it was selected by Indivisible Partners, a privately-owned independent advisory firm, to form the nucleus of its wealth platform.
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“There’s a difference between doing more for a client, and just doing more of the same,” said John Thiel, executive chairman at Indivisible Partners. “Advyzon understands that Indivisible Partners is building a place where advisors can show the full extent of their value to the people they serve, without cutting corners in the name of short-term scale.”

​By integrating a hand-picked selection of advanced planning tools, open-architecture investment capabilities and comprehensive client solutions, Indivisible Partners empowers advisors to help clients make quality financial decisions by delivering comprehensive advice tailored to every client. Advisors will benefit right away from the flexibility and support offered by a servant leadership team of industry veterans with extensive operational experience.

Equita Financial Network is pleased to announce its 2025 Inspiring Insights webinar series. This four-part series is designed to provide financial advisors with cutting-edge insights and practical strategies to enhance their firms’ growth and impact. Carefully selected instructors will share actionable advice on key practice management topics such as leveraging IRS data to better serve clients, integrating philanthropy and multi- generational planning into the advisor’s service mix, and mergers and acquisitions.

The series was launched in April 2023 with a mission to further the education and knowledge of fiduciary financial advisors. Many of the webinars are approved for continuing education (CE) with the CFP® Board and for NAPFA members. 

Advyzon, a comprehensive technology platform and portfolio management solution for financial advisors and investment managers, recently achieved very high client satisfaction ratings and significantly increased market share in multiple categories of the 2025 T3 / Inside Information Advisor Software Survey – including earning the highest rating in the All-In-One Software category (8.88) for the eighth consecutive year, and for the first time, becoming the market leader in the category by capturing a 9.96% market share.

Syntax Data, a leading provider of direct indexing technology, announced at the 2025 T3 Technology Tools for Today Advisor Conference in Dallas, a collaboration with TradePMR, a leading brokerage and custodian services provider for independent financial advisors, which will provide TradePMR users access to state-of-the-art index and portfolio development capabilities. As part of the integration, TradePMR is adding the Syntax Direct custom index creation platform to its tech stack, making it available to all TradePMR users.

Equita Financial Network (Equita), a leading platform committed to empowering women-led registered investment advisory (RIA) firms, has been ranked as one of the fastest-growing RIAs in its category by InvestmentNews. This recognition is a testament to Equita's remarkable growth, industry leadership, and commitment to empowering women in financial services.

​Every year, InvestmentNews reports and then ranks the top 74 fee-only RIAs based on a variety of key metrics, such as growth in assets under management (AUM), client acquisition, and revenue. Equita's ranking on this prestigious list demonstrates its ongoing success in providing robust resources and facilitating a collaborative environment for independent, women-led firms.

Bogart Wealth announced that it has introduced Jeffrey Fuhrman, an experienced industry executive, to the team as President.

​“We’re thrilled to announce Jeffrey Fuhrman as the new President of Bogart Wealth and introduce him to the team,” said James Bogart, CFP®, ChFC®, CEO & Founder of Bogart Wealth. “Jeff has an incredible track record of leading firms across a variety of industries through significant growth and transformation, and we’re confident that he’ll be an asset in aiding our growth efforts for years to come.”

Financial Independence Planning, LLC (FIP) has reached a new milestone. To mark its 30th anniversary, the firm is launching a yearlong celebration to recognize the strong foundation it’s built and the hundreds of families the firm proudly serves.

​Founded in 1995 by Harry Keller, CEO and Senior Financial Advisor, FIP emerged when total financial planning was still an evolving concept. Keller envisioned a firm built on trust, education, and a holistic approach to wealth management. From humble beginnings in his townhouse basement, Keller partnered with local Chambers of Commerce, offering retirement classes to the community and complimentary financial plans. Keller’s vision quickly gained momentum, and three decades later, FIP has grown into a 15,000-square-foot headquarters, a team of 26 dedicated professionals, and a client base of over 830 households and as of January 2025.

Libretto, the innovative advice platform empowering financial advisors and family offices with total wealth financial planning and investment software, today announced a new feature enabling advisors to generate personalized, graphic-rich, white-label client letters with the click of a button.

“Libretto scales sophisticated planning, asset allocation, and risk management advice – our users connect the dots for their clients across these areas,” said Trevor Coyle, Product Manager at Libretto. “With these client letters, we’re helping advisors create a narrative-driven client deliverable that not only illuminates the comprehensive client solution but also enables deep dives into specific areas, tailored to what the advisor and client want to focus on.”

TaxStatus announced the launch of its Financial Baseline Report – a tool that empowers financial professionals with a comprehensive view of a client’s financial standing with data sourced directly from the IRS.

Designed to revolutionize financial planning, advice, and client onboarding, the Financial Baseline Report eliminates the inefficiencies of traditional data collection required to render advice. With an easy permission-based process, advisors no longer must obtain and upload tax returns.

Aspyre Wealth Partners is proud to announce that Matthew D. Starkey, MSFS, CFP®, CAP®, AEP® and Jessi Chadd, MSFS, CFP®, CeFT® have been named Five Star Wealth Managers by Five Star Professional in Kansas City magazine. This annual award is granted to a select group of professionals—fewer than seven percent of wealth managers in the region—who demonstrate an unwavering commitment to exceptional client service.

​Unlike awards that focus primarily on metrics such as assets under management (AUM) or the size and scale of a firm, the Five Star Wealth Manager recognition stands out for its emphasis on service excellence, ethical business practices, and client satisfaction. Recipients must meet 10 rigorous criteria, including client retention rates, industry credentials, and regulatory history, ensuring that honorees provide personalized, high-quality financial guidance. Chadd is being recognized for the third consecutive year, while Starkey celebrates his twelfth appearance on the list.

​Clients Blackbox, a marketing partner to some of the fastest-growing financial advisory and retirement planning firms in the USA, recently released a case study explaining how their innovative marketing strategies helped optimize marketing efforts and enabled sustainable growth for MDRN Capital, a full-service virtual firm dedicated to providing a complete and personalized retirement planning experience.

Levitt Capital Management (LCM) is pleased to announce two upcoming events aimed at providing valuable insights into investment strategies for Americans residing in Europe. Both of these events are designed to address the unique financial challenges faced by U.S. citizens/dual citizens living overseas, and both will feature Robert Levitt, founder of Levitt Capital Management. His expertise will provide those who attend with practical strategies to better manage their investments while also navigating the complexities of international financial regulations.

​Advyzon, a comprehensive technology platform and portfolio management solution for financial advisors and investment managers, today announced a partnership with the Correspondent Clearing division of StoneX Financial Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of StoneX Group Inc. (“StoneX”; NASDAQ: SNEX). StoneX is an institutional-grade financial services firm that provides global market access, clearing and execution, trading platforms, and more, serving more than 54,000 commercial, institutional, and global payments clients and over 400,000 retail accounts from more than 80 offices across five continents.

StoneX’s Correspondent Clearing division, which provides comprehensive custody and clearing solutions for broker-dealers, investment advisers, and foreign financial institutions, is partnering with Advyzon Enterprise Solutions to bring Advyzon’s full, all-in-one wealthtech platform to StoneX’s introducing broker-dealers and financial advisors.

ClientWise announced that financial services veteran executive Tim Whiting has joined the firm to serve as Chief Growth Officer.

In this role, Whiting will be responsible for the continued growth of ClientWise’s professional coaching and consulting services – functioning as a vital strategic bridge between sales and marketing. He will also oversee key account management, business development, relationship management, and further enterprise adoption of the ClientWise Business Builders AcademyTM and the new ClientWise Valuation service offering.

Whiting brings with him over 20 years of experience in the financial services and advisory profession.

Syntax Data announced a partnership with global index provider, FTSE Russell, to integrate its indices on the Syntax Direct custom index creation platform. The collaboration empowers financial advisors to customize major industry benchmarks to meet the specific needs and preferences of clients across mass affluent market segment.

​The integration of FTSE Russell indices into the Syntax Direct platform enables advisors to leverage major recognized benchmarks as a foundation for creating custom indices that focus on key performance drivers, such as quantitative and fundamental factors, as well as emerging investment themes. The Syntax Direct platform provides advisors with the ability to tailor personalized portfolios at scale, allowing them to serve more clients at a reduced cost.

VenturEd Solutions, a leading provider of cloud-based admissions, financial aid, student lifecycle, and payment solutions for schools, announced a significant enhancement to its financial aid product, School and Student Services® (SSS). Through an innovative partnership with TaxStatus, a fintech company revolutionizing financial services with frictionless IRS account monitoring and consent-based access to IRS tax records, SSS will streamline financial aid applications by securely retrieving family and business tax records. This breakthrough eliminates the need for manual completion of IRS forms and document uploads, ensuring faster, more accurate, and secure processing.

With TaxStatus’ advanced IRS integration, SSS provides schools with immediate access to verified financial data while safeguarding families through secure identity verification methods, including ID.me. This enhancement reduces application barriers for families and enables schools to make timely financial aid decisions without relying on manual or outdated methods.

Bogart Wealth announced that it has closed on a minority, long-duration investment from Constellation Wealth Capital (CWC), a long-term strategic investor that provides capital solutions exclusively to wealth management businesses and multi-family offices.

This minority investment in Bogart Wealth will be used to further enhance the firm’s client services, technology solutions, recruitment initiatives, marketing activities, and more. Bogart Wealth remains a proudly independent registered investment adviser (RIA), with employees being the overwhelming majority owners of the business.

Hailin Li, founder and CEO of Advyzon was named the winner of the Executive of the Year award among Technology Platforms, Products and Services in the ThinkAdvisor 2024 Luminaries Awards.

​The Luminaries Awards celebrate the trailblazers redefining excellence in financial services. Now in its fourth year, this prestigious program recognizes the visionary firms and individuals driving innovation and making a transformative impact on both the industry and the profession. The 2024 winners were announced at the Luminaries Awards Ceremony held at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas on December 11th, 2024.

Advyzon announced a robust new integration with iCapital. The partnership will initially include data and fund activity integration from iCapital’s curated menu of alternative investment strategies into Advyzon’s portfolio reporting platform, as well as a seamless single sign-on (SSO) experience from Advyzon to iCapital.

Future enhancements will incorporate iCapital’s user-friendly Document Center into Advyzon’s document vault, allowing Advyzon to surface alerts and tasks such as capital calls or subscription updates that appear in Advyzon’s CRM and dashboard.

​The integration between Advyzon and iCapital will also be available in Auria, the new offering from Advyzon Institutional for family offices and UHNW clients, announced last month and launching in Q1 2025.

Apex Fintech Solutions Inc. (“Apex”) and Advyzon are thrilled to announce the expansion of their strategic partnership focused on integrating with Advyzon Investment Management (“AIM”), an investment solution provider under the Advyzon umbrella.

Through this partnership, advisors can leverage the straight through processing that Apex provides and utilize AIM’s Nucleus model marketplace and rebalancing solutions to streamline investment management processes. For clients, this new integration between Apex and AIM gives advisors the option to outsource or make better use of technology to handle day-to-day investment management operations helping modern advisory firms spend more time on the goals they have for their businesses.