In the wealth management industry, recent strategic moves by leading firms suggest that tax-focused capabilities are becoming increasingly central to comprehensive client service.

In particular, Mercer Advisors has been expanding its tax planning and advisory services through targeted acquisitions, including a Southern California-based tax and accounting firm designed to deepen its tax-centric offerings for high-net-worth families and advisors. That reflects a broader trend toward integrating tax strategy more tightly with investment and planning services.

Similarly, Creative Planning and its subsidiary United Capital have been active in acquiring advisory practices that bring additional income tax planning and wealth management resources into their ecosystem.

This evolution has important implications for Family Offices in the United States, where tax efficiency is a critical driver of real net returns over generations.

Why Tax Strategy Matters More Than Ever

Tax planning is not an add-on. It is a strategic determinant of long-term wealth preservation and growth, especially in multi-jurisdictional contexts or when clients hold complex portfolios spanning public equities, private markets, real assets, and alternative investments.

When tax considerations are integrated into portfolio decision-making early, rather than applied as an afterthought, outcomes improve materially. Tax-aware structuring can enhance after-tax returns, protect capital during transitions, and optimise intergenerational transfer.

What Tax-Focused RIAs Bring to Family Office Strategy

The move toward tax-focused RIA acquisitions signals a broader shift in how wealth managers are serving clients:

• Tax planning is becoming embedded into holistic financial and investment strategies.
• High-net-worth clients expect seamless coordination between tax, investment, estate, and philanthropic planning.
• Firms that can knit these disciplines together deliver more predictable outcomes and reduce friction in execution.

For example, Mercer Advisors’ acquisition of a specialized tax and accounting firm in Southern California strengthens its family office platform that includes investment management, estate planning, and now deeper tax advisory resources.

Likewise, Creative Planning’s expansion of United Capital’s footprint with additional RIAs brings income tax planning layers into broader wealth management services, supporting a more cohesive client experience.

What This Means for Family Offices

For Family Offices, the rise of tax-focused strategies reinforces a core truth: leadership must view tax planning as integral to every key decision from asset allocation to governance to succession planning.

Tax strategy influences portfolio construction, risk management, cash-flow planning, and philanthropic initiatives. It also affects how Family Offices respond to regulatory changes, transfer wealth between generations, and manage multistate or cross-border tax exposures.

Preparing for a More Tax-Aware Future

At Regarde Familia Family Office, we evaluate how external developments in tax-centric advisory models may inform our own approach:

• We prioritise early engagement with tax professionals during due diligence and investment structuring.
• We align tax planning with strategic objectives, rather than treating it as a compliance exercise.
• We revisit tax-efficiency benchmarks regularly, ensuring portfolios remain responsive to regulatory shifts and individual client goals.

Preparing for this landscape means elevating tax strategy from a cost management function into a core element of investment and family governance planning.

The trend toward tax-focused RIAs in the broader wealth management landscape highlights that tax effectiveness is not an afterthought, but a competitive differentiator.

For Family Offices, embracing this strategic perspective enhances resilience, optimises long-term outcomes, and strengthens the stewardship of capital across generations.