Kestra Private Wealth Services (Kestra PWS), a registered investment adviser subsidiary of Kestra Financial, Inc., today announced that Kathryn McGough, JD, CFP®, has joined its community of independent financial professionals in partnership with Kindred Wealth Partners (Kindred), a Pennsylvania-based wealth management firm affiliated with Kestra PWS.

McGough previously managed approximately $240 million in client assets and brings more than a decade of industry experience to Kindred. She specializes in complex estate planning for multigenerational, high-net-worth families, helping clients navigate sophisticated wealth-transfer strategies and state and federal estate-tax considerations. McGough draws on her prior background to help families understand how their estate plans and broader financial strategies work together over time, translating complex concepts and documents into actionable financial guidance.

McGough began her career at an independent trust company before expanding into wealth management, where she shaped a client-first approach centered on long-term planning and personalized advice. She chose Kestra PWS and Kindred, given their model carries that same client-first culture while adding institutional resources, including access to trust services, investment research, and technology that can be tailored to client needs. Based in the Greater Chicago area, McGough is establishing a local office that extends Kindred’s presence in a key growth market.

“Kathryn’s move reflects what we hear from a growing number of advisors: you should not have to trade independence for the resources of a larger platform,” said Rob Bartenstein, Founder and President of Kestra PWS. “She brings a rare blend of expertise to Kindred, and we are proud to support her in putting that knowledge to work on her clients’ terms. Advisors should not have to choose between scale and independence, and Kathryn is proof of that.”

“Kathryn’s experience and approach to client service make her a natural fit for Kindred Wealth Partners. Her deep estate planning expertise strengthens the value we bring to multigenerational families and supports our continued growth,” said Chuck Palmer, Managing Partner of Kindred Wealth Partners. “Kestra Private Wealth Services has been an outstanding partner throughout our journey, providing the resources and flexibility that allow us to invest in exceptional talent like Kathryn while staying focused on what matters most: serving our clients.”

“Every decision I have made in my career comes back to one question: what is in the best interest of my clients,” said McGough. “This move is no different. At Kindred and Kestra Private Wealth Services, I have the independence to put clients first and the resources to support them.”

About Kestra Private Wealth Services

Kestra Private Wealth Services, LLC (Kestra PWS) is a hybrid registered investment advisor (RIA) headquartered in Austin, TX and supporting independent financial professional teams across the nation. Founded by industry veterans, Kestra PWS empowers advisors to transition seamlessly from wirehouses and W-2 roles to independent businesses. The firm’s platform is composed of its independent RIA and a broker-dealer to provide financial professionals with an open-architecture platform and independence across both fee- and transaction-based business models. The firm’s comprehensive support covers every detail of transition, from office setup to compliance, freeing advisors to focus on serving clients and growing their wealth management businesses. Kestra PWS has helped more than 125 financial professionals and more than 50 single- and multi-team offices across the country find independence with their full-service support model. For more information, visit https://www.kestrafinancial.com/Wirehouse-Exiters.

Kestra Financial, Inc. (Kestra Financial) provides a leading independent advisor platform that empowers independent financial professionals – including traditional and hybrid RIAs – to prosper, grow, and provide superior client service. Kestra Financial offers advisors and firms personalized support, integrated business management technology, and access to a collaborative community of like-minded financial professionals, ultimately enabling their growth, success, and ability to best support their own clients.

The Kestra Financial division includes Kestra Private Wealth Services, LLC (Kestra PWS), Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (Kestra AS) and Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/SIPC. Securities offered through registered representatives of Kestra IS. Investment advisory services offered through appropriately licensed representatives of Kestra AS or Kestra PWS. Except for the referenced Kestra companies, Kestra IS, Kestra AS, or Kestra PWS are not affiliated with other entities referenced in this publication.

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