Creative Planning Acquires Maryland RIA Burt Wealth Advisors 

Mega-RIA Creative Planning has acquired Burt Wealth Advisors, a North Bethesda, Maryland-based registered investment advisory firm with $1 billion in assets under management. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. 

Founded in 1985, Burt Wealth Advisors has served the North Bethesda community for nearly four decades, offering customized financial planning services that include tax reduction strategies, education funding, and estate, business, and retirement planning. 

“We’re thrilled to have Burt Wealth join Creative Planning,” said Peter Mallouk, president and CEO of Creative Planning. “Their three decades of experience, high level of professionalism and commitment to putting clients first align perfectly with Creative Planning’s values and vision for the future.” 

“Joining Creative Planning gives our clients access to its full suite of services while preserving the personal touch that has defined Burt Wealth since its inception,” said Burt Wealth president Fred Cornelius and executive vice president Maria Cornelius in a joint statement. “Both of our firms believe in doing what’s right for clients, investing in long-term relationships and fostering a collaborative environment where advisors can do their best.” 

Burt Wealth is Creative Planning’s 15th acquisition in the past two years. The Overland Park, Kansas-based firm’s most recent transaction before this deal was the acquisition of Financial Abundance, a $275 million RIA based in State College, Pennsylvania, following its addition of Santa Clara, California-based Grassi Investment Management, which oversees $1.3 billion in client assets. 

Creative Planning and its affiliates oversee more than $390 billion in combined assets under management and advisement across all 50 states and 90 countries as of September 30, 2025.  

Gorman Jones served as Burt Wealth’s exclusive financial advisor on the transaction.