Cornerstone Planning Group adds Worcester advisor Julianne Hertel

By AI, Created 4:26 PM UTC, May 18, 2026, /AGP/ – Cornerstone Planning Group said Worcester-based advisor Julianne Hertel has joined its RIA platform, bringing about $60 million in assets under management and expanding the firm’s Massachusetts presence. Hertel will keep the Dream Big Wealth Strategies brand while gaining access to Cornerstone’s operational, compliance, technology and practice management support.

Why it matters: - Cornerstone Planning Group is deepening its private wealth footprint in Massachusetts with an advisor who brings an established book of business. - The move adds scale to Cornerstone’s private wealth platform as the firm says it has now surpassed $1 billion in assets under management on that side of the business. - Hertel gains added infrastructure that can support growth without giving up her brand or client relationships.

What happened: - Cornerstone Planning Group announced that Julianne Hertel, founder of Worcester-based Dream Big Wealth Strategies, LLC, has joined the firm’s registered investment advisor platform. - Hertel brings approximately $60 million in assets under management. - Hertel previously built her practice at New York Life. - She will continue operating under the Dream Big Wealth Strategies name. - Hertel will keep serving clients from Worcester, Mass., while working within Cornerstone’s Fairfield, N.J.-based RIA infrastructure.

The details: - Cornerstone will provide Hertel with operations, compliance, technology, investment resources and practice management support. - The transition gives Hertel more flexibility to grow Dream Big Wealth Strategies while preserving her own brand identity. - Cornerstone said the arrangement is designed to help independent advisors maintain ownership of client relationships while accessing larger-firm infrastructure. - Cornerstone works with independent advisors seeking operational, compliance, investment, technology and business support.

Between the lines: - The deal fits a broader industry pattern: smaller advisory practices are moving onto larger platforms to gain scale, tools and support. - Cornerstone appears to be using advisor recruiting to expand geographically and build out its private wealth business. - Hertel’s emphasis on community and relationships suggests the brand continuity may be as important as the operational lift.

What’s next: - Hertel will continue growing Dream Big Wealth Strategies within Cornerstone’s platform. - Cornerstone will look to use the addition to strengthen its Massachusetts presence and private wealth momentum. - More advisor moves like this could follow if the platform model continues to appeal to independent practices.

The bottom line: - Cornerstone gets a Massachusetts advisor with meaningful assets; Hertel gets scale without sacrificing her identity.