Creative Planning buys Rockbridge, adding $2.2B in assets
What's the deal? Creative PlanningDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has acquired Rockbridge Investment Management, a Syracuse, New York-based registered investment advisory firm, adding roughly $2.2 billion in assets under management and 23 employees. The transaction closed on November 2, 2026. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Who's involved? Founded in 1991, Rockbridge is one of the largest fee-only fiduciary wealth management firms in the Syracuse area, offering financial planning, investment management, retirement, estate, insurance, and tax services. Creative Planning provides investment management and financial planning to individuals, families, and institutions, alongside affiliated tax, legal, trust, and family office services.
What's the endgame? The deal expands Creative Planning's advisory footprint in Central New York while giving Rockbridge clients access to integrated services, including dedicated CPAs and estate planning professionals. Existing clients will continue working with their current advisors.
Why now? Rockbridge CEO Patrick Rohe and Managing Partner David Carroll said clients had long asked for coordinated services. "Joining Creative Planning allows us to bring that fully integrated experience … to our clients and the Syracuse community," they said in a joint statement.
Creative Planning CEO Peter Mallouk said Rockbridge's reputation for "in-depth financial planning and a thoughtful client experience … mirrors how we approach our work."
The signal: The deal reflects brisk consolidation in the registered investment advisory industry, where 387 deals were announced through the third quarter of 2026, up 12.2% year over year. Analysts forecast a record 510 for the full year, as independent firms chase scale and broader service capabilities.
Read more: citybiz.co
Image credit: Ken Lund
