By Kenneth Corbin
A large New York wealth management team has left Commonwealth Financial Network to affiliate with Wells Fargo's FiNet, the bank's channel for independent advisors. KBK Wealth Management joined Wells Fargo on Jan. 13, the company announced Wednesday.
The team includes six advisors and eight support staff who oversaw more than $1.3 billion in client assets at Commonwealth. A Commonwealth spokeswoman didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on the departure.
KBK is the latest team to depart from Commonwealth in the wake of its acquisition by LPL Financial on Aug. 1. Numerous teams have left Commonwealth to start their own registered investment advisory firms, join other firms, or affiliate with independent broker-dealers such as FiNet.
One of the KBK advisors, Richard Kass, says his team gravitated to the independence Wells Fargo offers the advisors who affiliate with FiNet.
"Our decision to transition to Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network was driven by one core priority -- doing what's best for our clients," he says. "This affiliation enables us to preserve our independence while enhancing our platform, capabilities, and long-term stability -- positioning our practice for the next phase of growth."
Kass is a veteran advisor who broke into the industry in 1984 as a broker with Bear Stearns and worked for a series of firms before joining Commonwealth in 2006. In 2021, he dually registered as an investment advisor.
Michael Kessler has been in the industry slightly longer than Kass, starting out in 1984 with Nathan & Lewis Securities. He joined Commonwealth in 2006 as well.
Advisor Alan Brachfeld is a 36-year industry veteran whose career began in 1989 with Independent Financial Securities and went on to join Commonwealth at the same time as Kass and Kessler.
The other advisors are more recent entrants to the industry: Jeffrey Feinstein, a 10-year veteran; Nancy Curtin (15 years); and Jordan Cohen (seven years).
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January 15, 2026 16:02 ET (21:02 GMT)
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