LPL Financial Adds $270 Million-Asset Adviser Team From Ameriprise
The financial advisers of Zarra Wealth Management have joined LPL Financial’s broker-dealer and registered investment adviser platform. They reported serving approximately $270 million in advisory, brokerage, and retirement plan assets and join LPL from Ameriprise.
Based on Long Island, in Westbury, N.Y., the team consists of Christopher Zarra, CFP, CHFC, CFS, James Kelly CFP, APMA, and Michele Welch, CFP. The team said it prides itself on the fiduciary guidance it provides to their clients.
“We’re often introduced to our clients’ family members because of the high-touch, personalized service we provide,” said Welch. “We all share the same philosophy: we treat our clients like family, anticipate their needs, and prepare them for any financial situation. Acting in their best interest is always our top priority.”
In search of greater autonomy while maintaining a client-first focus, the team spent years conducting thorough due diligence before choosing LPL.
“This was a thoughtful decision to get away from the franchise model and gain more freedom and independence,” said Zarra. “As three CFP professionals, it was important for us to align with a firm that offers no proprietary investment products and provides us the flexibility to run our practice in a way that best serves our clients. With LPL, we now have access to a broader range of products, tools, technology, and support to elevate our practice and help clients.”
According to the firm’s website, the Zarra team focuses on wealth management, retirement planning, financial planning, asset management, and tax planning. At the core of the company’s services is a “data-driven, three-step financial strategy” designed to help clients pursue their goals. The three steps are: in-depth financial analysis, personalized financial strategy, and ongoing financial management.
Kelly added, “We don’t believe in a cookie-cutter approach. Every client’s financial plan and investment portfolio is thoughtfully customized to their needs. We are excited to have the flexibility to tailor strategies for our clients without being limited by a corporate agenda.”
Scott Posner, managing director, business development, said, “We welcome the Zarra Wealth Management team to LPL. At LPL, we recognize that advisers are looking for sophisticated capabilities and autonomy to build and grow their ideal practice according to their vision. We look forward to supporting the team for years to come.”
As of July 31, 2025, LPL supported more than 29,000 financial advisers. Total advisory and brokerage assets were $1.9 trillion.
Earlier this month, LPL held its Focus 2025 conference and showcased its latest in wealth management technology. This included a $50 million investment to transform adviser compensation with AI-powered forecasting, multi-custody tracking, and comprehensive analytics.
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