LPL Financial announced that financial advisors Bill Wagner, CFP, RICP, Scott Sennett and Andrew Kocukov of Horizon Wealth Management Group have joined its broker-dealer and Registered Investment Advisor platforms. The Wichita, Kansas-based team reported serving approximately $385 million in advisory, brokerage and retirement plan assets and joins LPL from Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network.
Horizon Wealth Management Group focuses primarily on retirees and individuals approaching retirement, using a comprehensive planning-based approach designed to help clients navigate both the financial and personal aspects of life after leaving the workforce.
The practice combines the experience of Wagner, Sennett and Kocukov with Operations Manager Julie Starns. A majority of its business centers on clients who are moving into or already living through the distribution phase of retirement, when financial planning often shifts from accumulating assets toward generating income and preserving wealth.
The team’s planning process is built around understanding a client’s priorities before developing recommendations. Its services include financial planning, retirement income strategies, estate planning guidance, long-term care discussions and ongoing investment support.
Horizon Wealth Management Group also uses a collaborative structure in which advisors work together on client strategies and estate planning discussions. The model is intended to give clients access to the combined expertise of the broader team while maintaining a high level of accessibility.
The advisors selected LPL after evaluating potential partners based on technology, financial planning resources and service capabilities. Horizon said LPL’s platform was particularly well suited to its planning-oriented business model and could help the team operate more efficiently while improving the client experience.
The move also gives the practice access to LPL’s dedicated service model, which provides advisors with a consistent support team. Horizon believes the structure can improve response times and reduce administrative demands, allowing advisors to spend more time working directly with clients.
For LPL, the addition expands a platform that now supports more than 32,000 financial advisors and the wealth management businesses of approximately 1,100 financial institutions.
LPL services and custodies approximately $2.6 trillion in brokerage and advisory assets on behalf of roughly 8 million Americans. The company offers financial advisors multiple affiliation models along with investment products, technology, financial planning tools and practice-management services.
Horizon Wealth Management Group’s transition reflects continued movement among independent and wirehouse-affiliated advisors seeking platforms that provide greater technology capabilities, planning resources and operational support while allowing practices to maintain their existing client relationships and business identities.
For Horizon, the move is intended to support future growth without changing the planning philosophy that has shaped the practice. The team will continue emphasizing retirement planning and long-term client relationships while using LPL’s technology and service infrastructure to expand its capabilities.
KEY QUOTES:
“We believe successful retirement planning is about much more than managing money. It’s about helping people create a fulfilling life after they leave the workforce and ensuring they have a strategy in place to support the future they envision. Every recommendation starts with understanding what’s important to our clients and the goals they want to accomplish. That level of planning helps us build deeper relationships and provide guidance that extends well beyond investment management.”
Bill Wagner, Financial Advisor at Horizon Wealth Management Group
“We spent significant time researching potential partners and ultimately felt LPL was best positioned to support both our team and our clients. The technology is exceptional, and the financial planning tools align closely with our approach. The dedicated service model will help us deliver an even better client experience. Having direct access to a consistent service team means faster answers, greater efficiency and more time spent where it matters most: helping families pursue their goals.”
Bill Wagner, Financial Advisor at Horizon Wealth Management Group
“What stands out about Horizon Wealth Management Group is the team’s belief that meaningful advice begins with understanding each client’s goals, priorities, and vision for the future. Bill, Scott, and Andrew bring distinct expertise to that work, operating as one team so clients benefit from the collective experience and dedication of the entire firm. We’re honored to welcome Horizon Wealth Management Group to LPL and look forward to supporting the team as they expand their impact while preserving the valued relationships that have shaped their success.”
Marc Cohen, Chief Growth Officer at LPL Financial
