Merit Buys $900M Former Commonwealth RIA Bridgeway Group

Merit Financial Advisors, an Atlanta-based RIA with about $30.1 billion in assets, acquired the Bridgeway Group, a Southern California wealth management firm with offices in Pasadena and Covina. Financial terms were not disclosed, and the deal closed July 31, according to Financial Advisor Magazine. Bridgeway oversees about $900 million in total assets.

Bridgeway had been affiliated with Commonwealth Financial Network for 13 years, and its partners began contemplating a move after LPL Financial announced its acquisition of Commonwealth, Financial Advisor Magazine reported. Bridgeway is the sixth former Commonwealth team to join Merit since that announcement, per Merit's news release cited by the outlet. The deal is Merit's 61st acquisition and ninth partnership in 2026.

All nine Bridgeway employees will join Merit, and the firm has rebranded as Merit Financial Advisors. Partners Matt Dupon and Sean Montgomery will serve as wealth manager-partners, while Scott Miller becomes area director, wealth manager and partner. Bridgeway grew about 22% annually over the past five years through a combination of market appreciation, acquisition and organic growth, according to Merit's release cited by Financial Advisor Magazine.

The transaction highlights how LPL's acquisition of Commonwealth has prompted advisor movement. Bridgeway is the sixth former Commonwealth team to join Merit since LPL announced the deal, pointing to a ripple effect from the custody-level combination.

The deal also extends Merit's West Coast footprint. In the release, Merit executive vice president David Wahlen said Bridgeway, combined with the earlier acquisition of Pradel Financial Group in the Seattle area, strengthens the firm's growing presence on the West Coast.

Terms remain undisclosed, and whether Bridgeway commanded a premium is unconfirmed. Dupon, Montgomery and Miller are staying in leadership roles, but Merit has not disclosed the ownership structure, so the deal's economic design is unclear.

Merit said it views Bridgeway as a platform for Southern California expansion, which suggests further deals in the region are possible, though none have been announced. The 22% annual growth figure combines market appreciation, acquisition and organic growth, so Bridgeway's standalone organic growth rate is not disclosed.

Merit has not announced its next acquisition. Its characterization of Bridgeway as a Southern California expansion platform suggests continued dealmaking in the region, though no specific plans are public.