Exhibit 99.1
![LOGO](https://capedge.com/proxy/8-K/0001193125-19-241091/g773425img001.jpg)
Blucora To Unify Wealth Management Divisions as AvantaxSM
Firm OffersTax-Smart Planning & Investing Strategies to Advisors and the Clients They Serve
IRVING, TEXAS—September 9, 2019—Blucora, Inc. (NASDAQ: BCOR) announced today that it will be rebranding its wealth management business to Avantax Wealth ManagementSM, a move designed to bring broader awareness to the company’sfirst-of-its-kindTax-Smart wealth management approach, providingtax-focused advice with cutting-edge tools and software.
With the new brand, Blucora plans to unify its two wealth management divisions, HD Vest and 1st Global, Inc. after acquiring the latter earlier this year, which added scale and expanded its establishedtax-optimized financial services footprint by creating the largest, most capabletax-focused wealth management community in the country. Together, HD Vest and 1st Global have a total of 4,200 affiliated advisors, who oversee more than $67 billion in client assets.
“With the launch of Avantax, we are creating a powerful brand for HD Vest and 1st Global that aims to redefine whatTax-Smart wealth management means,” said Blucora’s President of Wealth Management Enrique Vasquez. “Each year investors give up1-2 percentage points of performance to taxes - we look forward to working with our advisors to elevate their businesses, communicate the importance of atax-focused approach, and most importantly provide better solutions and results for clients.”
In June, the company launched a new proprietarytax-smart investing software platform, which seeks to help advisors systematically capturetax-alpha for clients. The firstTax-Smart module included at launch focused ontax-loss harvesting, with additionalTax-Smart modules slated to be added by year end.
The AvantaxTax-Smart approach helps clients maximize one of life’s most complicated and costly expenses: taxes. The company arms advisors with tools, processes and platforms to accurately and efficiently combine tax planning and wealth management strategies to optimize a clients’ financial success.
“Unlike the broader financial industry, which treats taxes as aonce-a-year event, we believe that every financial decision is, at its core, a tax decision,” said Blucora President and CEO John Clendening. “With this unification and rollout of new tools, Blucora, the first and largest holistictax-focused financial provider, further strengthens its position and ability to provide clients with integrated tax and wealth management.”
The rebranding is expected to take place in two phases, with HD Vest converting to the Avantax Wealth Management name inmid-September 2019, followed by 1st Global once regulatory approval has been obtained.