An Alternate Exit Plan: How a $1.4B Merrill Team Solved for Succession
The Diamond Podcast for Financial Advisors
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Why Many Wirehouse Advisors Stay Put
Tim explores fear, comfort, and Stockholm-syndrome-like dynamics that keep advisors at big firms.
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Overview
For many advisors, the real question isn’t how big the business becomes—but what happens next. This episode explores how Tim Krueger and his $1.4B Merrill team rethought succession, liquidity, and legacy to create long-term continuity.
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NOTE: The views and opinions expressed by the guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Diamond Consultants. Neither Diamond Consultants nor the guests on this podcast are compensated in any way for their participation.
About this episode…
For many advisors, success is defined by growth: more clients, more assets, more revenue. But at some point, the question shifts from, “How big can we build this?” to “What happens next?”
After nearly two decades at Merrill, Tim Krueger and his partners had built a $1.4B practice and one of the most successful teams in their market. By any traditional measure, the internal sunset path would have been the simplest option. But simplicity wasn’t the goal. Protecting clients, creating opportunities for the next generation, and preserving the culture they had built mattered more.
That led Tim and his partners to make a very different decision: to break away from the wirehouse, sell out of that environment entirely, and align with NewEdge Advisors in a way that solved for succession, liquidity, and long-term continuity—simultaneously.
In this conversation with Louis Diamond, Tim shares how focusing on other people’s needs – clients, teammates, and future leaders – became the ultimate growth strategy. Plus, they discuss:
- Lessons learned over nearly two decades at Merrill—and how structure, team building, and next gen cultivation become paramount.
- Stepping away from Merrill’s CTP retire-in-place program—and what other business owners shared with him that inspired the decision to leave the wirehouse.
- Opting to align with NewEdge Advisors—and how liquidity and continuity were key factors.
- “Shrinking to grow”—and why it isn’t just a portfolio philosophy, but a business one.
- Monetizing the business—and how the process can be a new beginning for the business, not an end for the business owners.
- Building a true runway for G2 and G3—and how it can create a rare win-win-win for founders, teams, and clients alike.
It’s a candid look at what life after a wirehouse can unlock—and how thinking differently about succession can redefine both legacy and fulfillment.
Want to learn more about where, why, and how advisors like you are moving? Click to contact us or call 908-879-1002.
Related Resources
Diamond Consultants Merrill Advisor Transition Report
This annual “firm-focused report” takes a closer look at advisor movement to and from Merrill during the first half of 2025.
The Transition Roundtable: Merrill, UBS, Wells, and Morgan Advisors Reflect on Their Paths
Four top advisors who each left a major firm share how they built successful independent businesses on their own terms. Originally recorded as a live webinar, this candid roundtable explores the real fears, challenges, and opportunities of transition, and what advisors wish they’d known before making the leap.
Shrink to Grow: Why Advisors are Making the “Strategic Decision” to Let Go of Assets
In a world where bigger is considered better, many of Wall Street’s most talented and productive advisors are opting to go against the grain and leave chips on the table.
Tim Krueger
With over four decades years of experience in financial services, Tim Krueger is a recognized leader in wealth management. As Co-Founder and Partner at KFBMA, Tim provides strategic oversight for the firm’s vision, growth, and operational excellence. He guides key initiatives, mentors advisors, and ensures that KFBMA remains at the forefront of industry’s best practices, delivering a client experience defined by trust, innovation, and results.
Drawing on decades of experience in private wealth management, Tim combines strategic insight with deep expertise in investment planning, risk mitigation, and tax-efficient strategies. His commitment to building enduring relationships ensures that every recommendation is tailored to deliver meaningful, long-term results aligned with each client’s goals and family priorities
Tim is known for creating comprehensive, highly personalized wealth management strategies that reflect the goals, values, and family priorities of his clients. His approach combines strategic insight with a commitment to building lasting relationships, ensuring advice that drives meaningful, long-term results that align with each client’s goals and family priorities.
In 2025, Tim partnered with Cory Fosdyck, Jerry Brown, and Collin McCall to establish Krueger, Fosdyck, Brown, McCall & Associates (KFBMA)—an evolution of the highly regarded Krueger, Fosdyck & Associates team that operated under Merrill Lynch Wealth Management from 2006 to 2025.
Beyond his professional achievements, Tim is a passionate community advocate. He has emceed numerous charitable events in the Destin area and served as Chair of the American Cancer Society’s Cattle Barons’ Ball (2008–2009) and Chairman of the Safety & Public Works Committee for the City of Destin. Today, Tim continues to make an impact as a Trustee of the Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation, charter sponsor of Sinfonia Gulf Coast, and supporter of the Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation and Special Operators Transition Foundation. Tim also serves on the board of directors of DEFENSEWERX the nation’s largest 501(c)(3) organization of its kind, dedicated to enabling agile innovation for government partners through a network of innovation hubs across the country.
Recognition & Honors:
Named to Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisors list (2022–2025)
Named to Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams list (2023–2025)
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