Credent Wealth Hits $4.3B With New Deals, Fueling RIA Consolidation

AUBURN, Ind. – January 14, 2026 – Credent Wealth Management has kicked off the new year by acquiring two more advisory firms, continuing an aggressive national expansion that underscores a powerful consolidation trend sweeping the wealth management industry. The Indiana-based Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) announced today it has acquired MainStreet Financial Advisors of Kalamazoo, Michigan, and First State Investment Advisors of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The deals bring a combined $250 million in assets under management (AUM) and approximately 350 clients to Credent, pushing the firm’s total AUM to over $4.3 billion. The addition of four advisors and two staff members expands Credent’s network to 14 offices nationwide, solidifying its position as a significant player in the RIA space.

An Accelerating Expansion Strategy

These transactions mark the tenth and eleventh acquisitions for Credent in just the last three years, illustrating a deliberate and fast-paced growth strategy. Since its founding in 2018, the firm has rapidly scaled from its Indiana headquarters into a national presence, driven by a combination of organic growth and strategic partnerships. The firm’s stated goal is to build a "forever firm" by attracting like-minded advisors who prioritize long-term client relationships.

"We're starting the year with meaningful momentum," said David Hefty, CEO of Credent Wealth Management, in a statement. Hefty emphasized that the new partnerships reflect a growing interest from advisors seeking a firm built for longevity—one that "protects independence, invests in its people, and brings our core values to a national scale."

The integration plan reflects this national ambition. MainStreet Financial Advisors will merge with Credent’s existing office in Portage, Michigan, to bolster service capacity in the region. Meanwhile, First State Investment Advisors will establish a new Credent office in Tulsa, complementing the firm’s existing Oklahoma City location and deepening its footprint in the Southwest.

The Allure of a Fee-Only Platform

The acquisitions also shine a light on a pivotal shift within the financial advisory profession. MainStreet Financial Advisors was a hybrid firm previously affiliated with the broker-dealer Cambridge Investment Research. Its transition to Credent, a fee-only RIA, is part of a broader industry movement where advisors are leaving commission-based models to seek greater independence, fiduciary responsibility, and more comprehensive planning resources.

For advisors, joining a larger platform like Credent can unlock access to advanced technology, compliance support, and marketing resources that are often out of reach for smaller, independent practices. This allows them to offload operational burdens and focus more on client-facing activities.

John Ruzza, founder of MainStreet Financial Advisors, pointed to this as a key motivator. "Becoming part of a fee-only firm with the scale and resources to support comprehensive, ongoing planning allows our clients to receive more customized guidance without losing the personal touch," Ruzza stated. He added that joining a firm that models integrity provides "real peace of mind for the future."

This sentiment was echoed by Matt Redmond, Vice President of First State Investment Advisors. "Credent offers the platform, resources, and support to elevate how we serve clients, while preserving the core values our firm was built on," Redmond said. The alignment of a client-first philosophy with the benefits of scale appears to be a winning combination for attracting established practices.

The Private Equity Factor

Credent’s acquisition spree is not happening in a vacuum. It is powered by significant financial backing, a crucial element in today’s M&A-heavy environment. In December 2025, Credent announced an expanded partnership with Crestline Investors, an alternative investment manager with approximately $18 billion in AUM. This partnership provides the long-term capital necessary to fund acquisitions, invest in technology, and support succession planning for incoming advisors.

Crestline’s involvement is emblematic of a dominant force reshaping wealth management: private equity. Drawn by the recurring revenue streams and growth potential of the RIA model, PE firms have become the primary engine of industry consolidation. In 2025, M&A activity in the RIA sector hit record highs, with some industry reports suggesting that nearly 90% of transactions were backed by private equity. This infusion of outside capital allows firms like Credent to accelerate their growth far beyond what would be possible organically, enabling them to compete for larger deals and build national platforms.

A New Era of Consolidation

The trend toward consolidation is driven by more than just available capital. An aging advisor population is increasingly looking for succession plans, and selling to a larger firm provides a ready-made solution for ensuring client continuity. At the same time, mounting regulatory pressures, rising compliance costs, and the need for sophisticated technology make it difficult for smaller firms to thrive independently. By joining a larger entity, they gain economies of scale that help them navigate these challenges.

While the benefits are clear, the path is not without complexity. Successful integration requires a careful alignment of culture, technology, and investment philosophy. The most successful acquirers are those that can provide tangible value and support without stripping away the autonomy and client-centric focus that made the acquired firms successful in the first place.

As the wealth management landscape continues to shift from a fragmented cottage industry to one dominated by large, professionalized enterprises, firms like Credent are positioning themselves at the forefront of this evolution. Their strategy of combining a client-first ethos with a robust, capital-fueled acquisition model provides a compelling blueprint for building the advisory firm of the future.