Merit Financial Advisors ("Merit"), a Georgia-based financial advisory firm that specializes in financial planning and wealth management solutions for high-net-worth individuals and families and those navigating life transitions, announced today that it has acquired Obsidian Planning Solutions ("Obsidian"). This marks Merit's fiftieth acquisition and its first two offices in Maryland, expanding its national footprint and adding $476 million in assets.

Based in Rockville and Columbia, Maryland, Obsidian specializes in business succession planning and provides sophisticated financial planning for business owners. Through its partnership with Merit, Obsidian will gain access to expanded operational scale and enhanced marketing resources. At the same time, the partnership strengthens Merit's institutional knowledge and broadens its business succession planning capabilities. Partners Patrick Carroll and Todd Feldman, along with their team, will be joining Merit.

"Obsidian's expertise in business succession planning enables Merit to expand our offering to this underserved market," said Tyler Vernon, Managing Principal and Partner at Merit. "Their team's focus on this massive generational wealth transfer—trillions of dollars expected to move from Baby Boomers, particularly who own private companies, to new owners in the coming years—aligns perfectly with Merit's mission to better serve this client base."

This is Merit's fiftieth acquisition, and the first since taking a minority investment in July 2025 from Constellation Wealth Capital.

"Obsidian's primary focus is guiding business owners through a process to plan their eventual exit, and partnering with Merit has been a crucial part of our strategy," said Todd. "This partnership enables us to optimize staffing and leverage Merit's operational support, allowing us to grow and enhance our offering," added Patrick.

The transaction was finalized on October 3, 2025. The financial and legal terms of the deal were not disclosed. Jeff Nash of Bridgemark Strategies served as the advisor to Obsidian in their process.