LEAWOOD, Kan., April 21, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Mariner Wealth Advisors, an independent wealth advisory firm nationally ranked No. 2 on Barron’s 2013 list of Top Independent Financial Advisors, today announced that it is expanding its wealth advisory team by acquiring a majority interest in Housen Financial Group, based in Manasquan, New Jersey.*

With approximately $817 million in assets under management, Housen Financial is an independent wealth management firm with a staff of 13 professionals who manage a wide range of their clients’ financial needs. Housen Financial shares Mariner Wealth Advisors’ focus on ensuring that all facets of a client’s wealth and well-being are in the hands of highly qualified wealth professionals.

“I am excited by the opportunities this new relationship brings to our firm, and most importantly, to our clients,” said Christopher R. Housen, CPA, CFP and president of Housen Financial. “Joining the Mariner Wealth Advisors family of companies will provide us with a deep bench of resources, including technology and support that will enhance the personalized wealth management services we offer clients throughout every stage of their lives.”

The acquisition of Housen Financial brings Mariner Wealth Advisors to more than $9.5B in assets under management with $2.4B in the Northeast. It also increases Mariner Holdings’ assets under management to $30B. Mariner Wealth Advisors’ expansion in to the New York/New Jersey market began two years ago when it acquired New Jersey-based Brinton Eaton. Then, in late 2013, Mariner Wealth Advisors acquired a majority stake in New York-based RR Advisory Group.

In addition to its new partnership with Housen Financial, Mariner Wealth Advisors has undertaken several strategic initiatives in recent months to further its goal of delivering industry-leading services to clients when and where they need them. These strategic initiatives include the launch of FirstPoint Financial, a firm dedicated to providing personalized financial advice and industry-leading resources with no minimum asset requirements; and the introduction of Mariner Trust Company, which supports Mariner Wealth Advisors’ clients with a wide range of trust and estate planning solutions.

According to Martin C. Bicknell, chief executive officer of Mariner Wealth Advisors, “In Housen Financial Group we have found another partner who shares our commitment to providing financial advice that is based purely on the needs and interests of our clients. Housen’s professionals are among the best in the industry, and I look forward to providing them with additional resources so they can focus even greater attention on delivering innovative, effective solutions to their clients.”

He continued, “We have integrated several other regional advisory firms recently and expect to seamlessly integrate Housen into the Mariner Wealth Advisors organization in the same manner. Throughout the process, we will continue to deliver the personalized advice and service that our clients nationwide have come to expect.”

About Mariner Wealth Advisors
Mariner Wealth Advisors is an independent, national wealth advisory firm that provides unbiased financial advice focused on meeting client needs. Mariner’s expert wealth advisory teams help clients achieve and maintain financial peace of mind – preserving the wealth they have created and building a legacy for future generations of family and business leaders. The firm’s wealth advisory services include:

• Financial planning
• Investment advisory services
• Multi-generational wealth planning
• Risk management
• Philanthropy
• Executive compensation planning
• Business succession planning
• Family office services
• Retirement planning services
• Insurance consulting

Visit www.marinerwealthadvisors.com.

About Housen Financial Group
Housen Financial Group is a boutique independent financial planning firm with clients in more than 20 states. The firm is a family-based business offering a wide range of professional financial advice including investments, retirement, education, taxes, estate planning, insurance and risk management, and business strategy/succession planning. Housen Financial Group appreciates the complex concerns in their clients’ lives and helps them work toward preserving wealth and building long-term financial success.

Visit www.housenfinancial.com.

* Barron’s has ranked Martin C. Bicknell and the teams at Mariner among the top independent financial advisors nationally for the past few years. The Barron’s recognitions are based upon information compiled using data for Mariner Holdings, a global financial services firm that owns and manages both Mariner Wealth Advisors and its affiliate, Montage Investments, an independent asset management firm.

SOURCE Mariner Wealth Advisors