Independent Financial Group Welcomes Makino Financial and Advisor Karen Brelsford

Maryland-based practices overseeing approximately $175 million join from Commonwealth, citing advisor autonomy and high-touch service

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Independent Financial Group, LLC (IFG) – a privately held independent wealth management provider supporting more than 600 financial professionals across more than 400 locations nationwide – today announced the recruitment of Makino Financial and financial advisor Karen Brelsford.

Both join IFG from Commonwealth Financial Network and are based in Maryland in the Greater Baltimore metropolitan area. Together, they oversee approximately $175 million in client assets.

"At IFG, our mission is to empower accomplished advisors with the autonomy, high-touch service and collaborative community they need to grow their practices and serve clients on their own terms," said David Fischer, IFG Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer. "Frances, Bernard, Gloria and Karen exemplify the kind of client-focused, service-driven advisors who thrive at IFG. Their commitment to putting clients first aligns perfectly with our values, and we're thrilled to welcome them to the IFG family as they enter their next stage of growth."

Makino Financial is led by Frances Makino, a 36-year veteran of the financial services industry. She is joined by Bernard and Gloria Makino, her children and the firm's next generation of leadership, ensuring its legacy of personalized client service continues.

"For more than three decades, our focus has been on providing families with guidance that is personal, thoughtful and free from outside pressures," said Frances Makino, Founder and President of Makino Financial. "When it came time to evaluate our future, independence was non-negotiable. After months of careful consideration, we chose IFG because it shares our belief that clients deserve advice tailored to their individual needs, free from the influence of corporate interests or priorities under a large publicly held or private-equity-owned firm. IFG was the one partner that would allow us to continue delivering the personalized service and client experience that has defined our firm for 36 years."

Brelsford, CFP®, EA, AIF®, CRPS®, with 22 years in the industry, brings a broad base of expertise to her clients. In addition to providing comprehensive wealth management and financial planning services, she owns JK Associates, a tax practice, enabling her to deliver integrated guidance across investment, retirement and tax strategies. She has a long history of collaborating with Makino Financial, with the two firms consistently supporting one another based on the needs of their clients.

"I've always believed that great advice starts with independence," Brelsford said. "The ability to serve clients based solely on their goals, not anyone else's, is sacrosanct. In IFG, I have found a partner that shares that belief. I take pride in joining a firm that truly respects advisor autonomy and lets me continue giving my clients the personalized attention and integrated planning they deserve."

These affiliations are part of a powerful growth wave at IFG. The firm is expanding its national footprint and investing heavily in leadership to support that momentum. Recent appointments include Chad Cristo as Head of Business Development, West Region; Bruce Levitus as Regional Business Development, East; Kelsey Hasterlik, CFP®, as Regional Business Development, Mountain; and Steven Gensler as Senior Vice President of Advisor Growth and Development.

About Independent Financial Group
Independent Financial Group, LLC (IFG) is a privately held independent wealth management provider based in San Diego, California. Founded in 2003, IFG supports more than 600 independent financial professionals in over 400 offices nationwide with a comprehensive suite of business solutions. IFG has been widely recognized as a leading independent broker-dealer. In 2025, Financial Advisor magazine listed IFG as the 15th largest national independent broker-dealer and #2 for privately held broker-dealers based on gross revenue. Financial Planning ranked IFG 1st for women as a percentage of producing representatives in 2025 and 7th for financial advisor payout in 2024. InvestmentNews ranked the firm in the top 10 for payout and account assets in 2024. IFG is an eight-time honoree on the Inc. 5000 list of "Fastest-Growing Private Companies in the US," and the San Diego Business Journal ranked IFG #7 among the Largest Private Companies in San Diego in 2022 and 2023.
To learn more about IFG, visit ifgsd.com.

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SOURCE Independent Financial Group