Commonwealth Financial Network partners with Legacy Capitals
Commonwealth Financial Network, a national leader known for giving financial advisors integrated business solutions, has announced a new partnership with Legacy Capitals. The focus is straightforward and practical: an advisor education program built to help professionals serve high-net-worth (HNW) families—and the advisors who guide them—with more confidence and clarity.
The collaboration centers on the Whole Family Advisor program, an approach that blends technical planning with the people side of wealth. It’s designed for the moments that matter: helping families align values with decision-making, preparing the next generation, and keeping complex dynamics from derailing long-term plans.
Why this matters for wealth management
For many HNW families, managing wealth isn’t simply about investments or tax strategy. It’s about relationships, roles, and responsibility. Karen McColl, senior vice president of wealth management at Commonwealth, underscored that families often face daunting dynamics while trying to protect what they’ve built. Passing along dollars without passing along values rarely works. The Whole Family Advisor program from Legacy Capitals equips advisors with tools and know-how to support high- and ultra-high-net-worth clients in a way that honors both.
The aim is practical fluency. Advisors learn how to facilitate conversations that might otherwise stall, help clients define shared family priorities, and guide plans that balance control with continuity. The outcome is better advice, delivered with more empathy and structure, so wealth and wisdom can move together.
How the program rolls out
The first phase is underway now, with 25 advisors taking part in live virtual classes. They’re working through hands-on courses and trading real-world experiences about legacy planning—what’s worked for clients, what hasn’t, and how to handle the gray areas that inevitably arise. That mix of curriculum and peer discussion helps translate ideas into repeatable practice.
Commonwealth plans to continue in cohorts of roughly 25 advisors at a time, expanding access while keeping the learning intimate enough for meaningful exchange. Alongside the training, experienced Legacy Capitals consultants will be available to support Commonwealth advisors as they run family meetings and navigate sensitive, sometimes intricate, family dynamics in the moment.
Preparing for the great wealth transfer
Dr. Richard Orlando, founder and legacy consultant at Legacy Capitals, points to a simple reality: in the years ahead, trillions of dollars are expected to move between generations. With that transfer comes risk—of conflict, of misalignment, of plans that miss the mark. Advisors need to be ready to help families protect both their legacies and their relationships. This partnership reflects a shared commitment to raising the bar for how independent advisors serve the specialized needs of high-net-worth families.
Put differently, the stakes are high. Families want continuity. They want clarity. And they want guidance that respects both their finances and their story. This program is built to meet that need.
Membership and support that continue after class
When advisors complete the initial program, they receive a complimentary one-year membership to Legacy Capitals’ Academy. That membership includes ongoing education, access to Commonwealth-branded resources they can share with clients, and connection to a supportive peer network. The result is continuity: advisors can keep learning, keep refining, and keep bringing timely, client-ready materials to the table.
Those resources are meant to deepen relationships and spark the kinds of conversations that lead to lasting plans. Advisors get structure and support; families get clarity and a path forward.
Part of Commonwealth’s Private Client Group strategy
This initiative fits within Commonwealth’s broader Private Client Group effort to deliver specialized tools, insights, and investment options to advisors who serve high-net-worth clients. By investing in advisor education, Commonwealth is aiming at one outcome: better client results. The firm’s emphasis on training and practical resources reinforces its standing as a leader in financial advising.
About Commonwealth Financial Network
Commonwealth Financial Network is a member of FINRA/SIPC and operates as a Registered Investment Adviser. The firm provides holistic, integrated solutions that help financial advisors grow and run their businesses efficiently. J.D. Power has consistently recognized Commonwealth as the leader in independent advisor satisfaction among financial investment firms, an honor it has received 11 times in a row. Founded in 1979, Commonwealth is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts, with a secondary location in San Diego, California. The firm partners with around 2,200 independent financial advisors overseeing assets exceeding $296 billion.
About Legacy Capitals
Legacy Capitals delivers training, coaching, and consulting focused on wealth and values transfer, succession planning, and family governance. Its approach combines humanity and technology so families receive tailored support during key transitions. The team brings extensive experience working with financially successful families, with a deep understanding of family wealth and the complexities that come with it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Commonwealth and Legacy Capitals partnering on?
They’ve joined forces on an advisor education program—the Whole Family Advisor program—that helps professionals serve high- and ultra-high-net-worth families with a focus on legacy planning, family dynamics, and values-based decision-making.
How does the Whole Family Advisor program work in practice?
Advisors participate in live virtual classes, take practical courses, and share real experiences around legacy planning. The cohort model fosters peer learning while Legacy Capitals consultants support advisors with family meetings and complex dynamics as they arise.
What do advisors receive after completing the initial program?
Graduates receive a complimentary one-year membership to Legacy Capitals’ Academy, which provides ongoing education, access to Commonwealth-branded client resources, and a peer network for continued support.
Why is education on wealth transfer so important right now?
With trillions of dollars expected to move across generations in the coming years, advisors need the skills to help families safeguard their legacies, avoid common pitfalls, and preserve both wealth and values.
Who benefits most from Legacy Capitals’ services?
High-net-worth families, family businesses, and their advisors benefit from tailored training and consulting on family wealth management, succession planning, and governance—so plans reflect both the numbers and the family’s priorities.
