Osaic announced Veater Financial Group, a California-based financial planning firm overseeing about $1.1 billion in assets under advisement, has joined the company’s Empowered Independence channel, shifting the practice into a W-2 employee model as it pursues additional scale and long-term growth.
Veater Financial Group, led by President and Financial Professional George Veater, operates offices in Fresno and Brea, California. Osaic described the move as part of its continued buildout of the Empowered Independence platform, which it positions as a flexible operating model for advisors who want expanded infrastructure and support while maintaining their firm identity.
The transition follows Veater Financial Group’s affiliation with Osaic Wealth since 2020. Osaic said the firm’s move into the W-2 channel is intended to strengthen succession planning, reduce administrative demands, and allow the team to devote more time to client service and strategic leadership. Under the arrangement, Veater Financial Group will continue operating under the VFG brand.
Osaic also said Veater will take on broader responsibilities within the organization, working closely with other Empowered Independence offices, with an emphasis on the Western region, to help drive organic growth and share best practices. The company added that it will work with Veater on succession planning as well as the firm’s longer-term expansion.
Osaic said VFG’s advisors and staff became W-2 employees through the Empowered Independence structure, while the firm’s brokerage, direct business, and advisory relationships with Osaic Wealth, Inc. will remain unchanged.
Veater Financial Group includes three financial professionals, including a CFP® professional, and a support team of three full-time and one part-time staff member serving clients across California. Osaic said the firm’s fee-based planning focus, advisory penetration and client-first reputation align with its effort to expand in the Empowered Independence space, particularly following its acquisition of CW Advisors.
The company said Veater Financial Group is among a growing set of advisor teams moving to the Empowered Independence model. Osaic pointed to recent transitions, including Schaible Russo Financial, which shifted from an independent contractor approach, and Virtus Wealth Solutions, which joined from Commonwealth earlier this year.
Osaic, a portfolio company of Reverence Capital Partners, said it supports roughly 11,000 financial professionals and focuses on wealth management solutions intended to enhance clients’ lives and legacies.
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“The transition of Veater Financial Group represents the continued momentum and appeal of Osaic’s flexible operating model for advisors, including our Empowered Independence channel. The transition of Veater Financial Group represents the continued momentum and appeal of Osaic’s flexible operating model for advisors, including our Empowered Independence channel. George and his team built a high-quality, planning-centric practice that fits seamlessly within our ecosystem. We’re excited to partner with them as we deliver the scale, support and strategic resources that will accelerate their next chapter.”
Jamie Price, President And CEO, Osaic
“Veater Financial Group has always been about delivering holistic, fee-based planning with integrity and clarity. Joining Osaic’s Empowered Independence channel enables us to deepen that commitment. We gain the operational infrastructure and strategic partnership needed to grow, while freeing our team to focus on what matters most—supporting clients and shaping the future of our practice.”
George Veater, President And Financial Professional, Veater Financial Group
