In plain terms
Start With the Decision, Not a Product
Financial advice should help you make a better decision. It should not make you feel like you walked into a sales presentation.
You may be trying to decide when to retire, when to claim Social Security, what to do with a portfolio you already own, whether an annuity you are thinking of buying makes sense, whether one you already own is worth keeping, how to reduce taxes over time, or what happens financially after you sell a business.
We start there.
We start by identifying the decision and what could change the answer. Then we look at the other parts of your financial life that matter to it.
Sometimes that leads to one focused recommendation. Sometimes it leads to a broader financial plan. Sometimes investment management makes sense.
And sometimes the best answer is to leave things alone.
That is the point.
More about the decisions we help clients solve is on our what we do page.
How we think
Why Look at the Whole Financial Picture?
Because financial decisions rarely stay in one box.
A retirement date affects Social Security, Medicare, taxes, withdrawals, and how much risk the portfolio needs to take.
A Roth conversion affects taxes today, taxes later, Medicare premiums, and the accounts available for future spending.
Selling a business can change almost everything at once.
We do not start with an account and build outward.
We start with you.
Before recommending a change, Chad looks at how that decision affects the rest of your financial life.
That does not mean every question needs a comprehensive financial plan. It means the answer should still make sense when the pieces are put together.
Fiduciary
What Does Fiduciary Mean Here?
Holland Capital is a fiduciary.
M. Chad Holland, CFA, CFP®, is also bound by professional standards that require him to put clients’ interests first, regardless of the financial question being discussed.
In practical terms:
- You will know how Holland Capital is paid before you agree to anything.
- You do not have to move your investments to receive financial planning or focused advice.
- Investment management is recommended only when it makes sense for your situation.
- If leaving something exactly as it is makes the most sense, we will tell you.
If insurance is appropriate, we can compare options from multiple insurance companies.
Insurance is not required to become or remain a Holland Capital client.
Investments
How Are Portfolios Built?
We do not start with a model portfolio and decide where you fit.
Chad first creates an Investment Policy Statement around your goals, income needs, taxes, time horizon, risk, liquidity needs, and other constraints.
The IPS defines what the portfolio must do, what risks are acceptable, and what constraints matter.
An independent investment manager then builds and manages a customized portfolio within that mandate.
The portfolio is built around the client, not the other way around.
Individual securities are used rather than filling the portfolio with funds. Each investment has to earn its place.
Chad remains responsible for the relationship, the planning, and the Investment Policy Statement. The investment manager handles security selection and day to day portfolio execution. More on investment management.
How we are paid
What Will It Cost?
You will know before you decide.
Financial Planning and Focused Advice
Most planning engagements have a fixed fee based on what you are asking us to solve.
We define what is included, what you will receive, and what it will cost before you become a client.
Hourly advice is also available when that makes more sense.
More on financial planning.
Ongoing Investment Management
Investment management is charged as a percentage of the assets managed.
The independent investment manager also charges its own stated fee.
Holland Capital does not receive commissions from the securities held in managed portfolios.
Any applicable fees are disclosed before assets are managed.
Fees are agreed in writing before you say yes.
Who we help
When Are We Most Useful?
When the answer is not obvious and the consequences matter.
You may be approaching retirement and trying to determine whether the numbers actually support stopping, when to claim Social Security, and how to bridge the years before other income begins.
You may have accumulated investments across several accounts and no longer know whether they add up to a coherent strategy.
You may be dealing with a business sale, inheritance, concentrated stock position, annuity, tax decision, or another financial event where getting the decision wrong could matter.
You probably do not need someone to explain what a 401(k) is.
You need someone who can look at the entire situation, identify what matters, and help you solve the decision in front of you.
Not everyone needs ongoing investment management.
Not everyone needs a full financial plan.
Sometimes one answer is enough.
Getting started
What Happens on the First Call?
The Clarity Call
Fifteen minutes. Phone or video.
You do not need to prepare a presentation or gather a stack of statements.
Tell us what you are trying to solve.
We will ask enough questions to understand the situation and tell you whether we think we can help.
If the answer is yes, we will explain what we recommend doing next.
If the answer is no, we will tell you that too.
Nothing transfers. No accounts are opened. There is no paperwork to sign and no commitment attached to the call.
After the Call
If you want our help, we will put the scope, what you will receive, and the cost in writing.
You can review it and decide whether you want to proceed.
Most meetings are held by phone or video, which also makes it easier to include spouses, attorneys, accountants, and other professionals when needed.
When an in person meeting makes more sense, we arrange one in advance.
What happens next
What If the Best Answer Is to Do Nothing?
Then that is what we will tell you.
You may already own the right investment.
Your retirement date may already make sense.
The annuity you already own may be worth keeping. The one you are considering may be worth buying. Or neither may improve the plan.
You may need an attorney or CPA instead of us.
Good advice does not require a transaction.
The objective is to understand the decision, consider the consequences, and leave you knowing why the answer makes sense.
Start With One Conversation
Tell us what you are trying to solve.
The first conversation is free. If it makes sense to move forward, we will scope and price the engagement, then adjust it with you as needed before we begin.
