National insurance and financial services firm Alera Group has announced the acquisition of DFG 401(k) Advisors, an independent qualified retirement plan services company specializing in corporate retirement advisory and employee financial wellness solutions.
This acquisition continues a push into the wealth and retirement space by Alera Group, following the acquisition of registered investment advisor Wharton Group, with $3.5 billion in assets under management, in June—a transaction that nearly quadrupled the total assets overseen by Alera’s wealth management arm.
Founded in 2017 with backing from private equity firm Genstar Capital, Alera originally brought together 24 firms in property and casualty insurance, retirement and wealth services, with a combined revenue of $150 million. The integrated company now brings in around $1 billion in revenue with more than 3,500 professionals across 150 offices nationwide.
Based in Phoenix, Ariz., DFG has provided fiduciary guidance, plan performance and employee financial wellness services to small and mid-size companies offering 401(k) retirement plans for three decades.
Jeff Anderson, DFG President and Managing Partner, described his firm as, “a dedicated team of industry professionals, protecting fiduciaries from corporate and personal financial liability and enhancing potential return-on-plan investment opportunities.”
DFG joins Alera Group under the name BCG 401(k) Advisors through Benefit Commerce Group, an Alera Group company headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz. The BCG 401(k) Advisors team will continue serving clients in their existing roles. Terms of the transaction were not announced.
“DFG 401(k) Advisors is dedicated to helping clients execute the best strategies in order to achieve their desired level of financial security,” said Alan Levitz, CEO of Alera Group. “The team is aligned with Alera Group as it endeavors to exceed client expectations, as they provide quality retirement solutions. We look forward to welcoming this team to Alera Group and expanding our footprint in Arizona.”
Wise Rhino Group, an M&A advisory practice serving retirement and wealth advisory providers, as well as third-party administrators, was the exclusive advisor to DFG 401(k) Advisors throughout the transaction.
"Jeff Anderson and his DFG team have consistently been one of the elite retirement advisors in the Southwest,” said WRG Partner Peter Campagna. “Partnering with a rapidly growing and dynamic firm like Alera will help them bring their already outstanding client service to even higher levels.”