The Planned Approach Will Join Buckingham Strategic Wealth

Founded in 2002 by Stephanie Guerin, CFP® and Kelly Hokanson, CFP®, TPA is a fiduciary firm offering wealth management services to professionals, retiring business owners, executives, and other high net worth clients in the greater Kansas City area and elsewhere in Missouri.

TPA will become part of Buckingham Strategic Wealth upon completion of the transaction, which is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2021, subject to customary closing conditions.

“With Stephanie and Kelly, we have found a like-minded, client-focused team with a strong and growing presence in their local market. They also share our approach to evidence-based financial planning and wealth management,” said Justin Ferri, Buckingham’s Chief Operating Officer. “Partnering with the TPA team will enable us to further expand our presence in Missouri, serving more clients and neighbors, with fiduciary advice in the communities where we live and work.”

“At the end of the day, this decision was about synergy. It was about finding the most effective way to help us grow our firm while further enhancing our ability to serve great clients the right way,” explained Stephanie Guerin, CFP®, Co-Founder of TPA. “This move allows us to maximize our capabilities and quality of planning much faster than if we were to continue building our firm independently. At the same time, we are excited to offer Buckingham our unique perspective as a firm led by women advisors in Kansas City for almost 20 years.”

“Buckingham shares our deep client-first mindset. Their dedication to life planning - considering the whole client - reinforces that we have found the right home, but even stronger and more capable. Their intellectual curiosity, structural capabilities, empathy, and even their sense of humor, matches ours perfectly,” added Kelly Hokanson, CFP®, Co-Founder of TPA. “We are beyond excited to join Buckingham and see the impact of our collaboration immediately in Kansas City. We cannot wait to see what we accomplish together.”

Buckingham CEO Adam Birenbaum echoed that sentiment. “We share more than a love of the ’Show Me State’ with the team at The Planned Approach. Our guiding principles are aligned with how they approach each client relationship – the passion to serve, the passion to do right and the passion to progress. We are excited to have them join the Buckingham family. Stephanie, Kelly and their team will strengthen the services Buckingham offers to mutually benefit all of our clients and our communities.”

DeVoe & Company, a leading investment bank and consulting firm to RIAs, acted as financial advisor to TPA.

For more information on how Buckingham partners with top advisors, please visit www.buckinghamstrategicwealth.com/partner-with-buckingham-home.

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About Buckingham Strategic Wealth

Buckingham Strategic Wealth, LLC (“Buckingham” or “Buckingham Strategic Wealth”) helps individuals, families, businesses, trusts, nonprofits, retirement plans and medical practice owners achieve their most important life and financial goals by creating customized, comprehensive, evidence-based financial plans. Buckingham’s investment philosophy is rooted in an academic approach tailored to address each client’s willingness and ability to accept market risk. As a registered investment adviser, Buckingham has a fiduciary obligation to its clients. Buckingham’s investment approach centers on modern portfolio theory implemented through passively managed mutual funds and the firm’s fixed income portfolio design and execution capabilities. Headquartered in St. Louis, Buckingham has 43 additional offices across the country. For more information, visit www.BuckinghamStrategicWealth.com.

Buckingham Strategic Wealth has more than $21 billion in regulatory assets under management as of June 30, 2021.

Contact: Nancy Schwartz

Director of Marketing

314.783.2991

nschwartz@buckinghamgroup.com

Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains certain forward-looking statements that reflect Buckingham’s current views with respect to certain current and future events. These forward-looking statements are and will be, subject to many risks, uncertainties and factors relating to Buckingham’s operations and business environment, including, without limitation, uncertainty surrounding the current COVID-19 pandemic, which may cause future events to be materially different from these forward-looking statements or anything implied therein. Any forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Buckingham on the date of this release. Buckingham does not undertake to publicly update or revise its forward-looking statements even if experience or future changes make it clear that any statements expressed or implied therein will not be realized. Additional information on risk factors that could affect Buckingham may be found in the filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission made by Focus Financial Partners Inc. (of which Buckingham is a partner firm).