As a fiduciary financial advisor in Durham, Holland Capital helps two-income professional households in their 40s and 50s bring separate retirement plans, savings and goals together into one financial plan. We work with clients in Durham by video and phone, and meet in person by appointment at the Regus center on South Mangum Street in Durham.
Two careers. One household plan.
Durham is home to Duke University and Duke Health, and much of Research Triangle Park lies within Durham County.
Perhaps one of you works at a university or health system and the other at a company in the Park. Each job comes with its own retirement plan, its own insurance and its own benefits enrollment.
Each set of choices may make sense by itself. Together, they may not add up to a plan.
Two Retirement Plans, One Portfolio
A 403(b) at a university or hospital and a 401(k) at a company each have their own investment menu, costs and employer contributions.
The first step is to understand how each plan’s employer contributions work and what it takes to receive them. Then you can decide which account to fund next, and whether to use pre-tax or Roth savings.
It also helps to invest the two plans as one portfolio. Each plan can hold the funds it offers best, rather than both holding the same mix.
Our guide on Duke University retirement planning covers the Duke plans in more detail.
Taxes, Cash and Insurance
Two good incomes can push a household into a higher tax bracket. That changes which savings choices pay off, and it can limit some tax breaks.
A plan also sets how much cash to keep on hand, and where savings beyond the retirement plans should go.
Insurance is easy to leave on autopilot. Life and disability coverage through work may not be enough, and the coverage can change or end when the job does. We review what each of you has and where the gaps are.
RETIREMENT ENGINEERING™
The Order Matters
Five retirement decisions and why timing matters.
Why Pay for a Plan?
If you have saved well, you may wonder what a planner would add. It is a fair question.
A plan does not replace your judgment. It checks your numbers, puts your decisions in order and shows what each one costs or saves. It also points out anything left undone, such as a will or a beneficiary update.
Estate documents matter more once there are children, a home and two sets of accounts. Our guide on estate planning covers the basics.
At Holland Capital, investment management is a separate choice. Some households want only the plan. Others want help with both.
How We Work with Clients in Durham
Holland Capital Management is an independent registered investment adviser and a fiduciary. M. Chad Holland, CFA, CFP® works directly with clients and is responsible for the planning and advice.
Bring your latest tax return, recent pay stubs for both of you, each retirement plan statement, your benefits summaries, your insurance policies and a statement for each other account.
We lay out both sets of benefits side by side and show how they fit into one plan for your household.
The first conversation is free. If there is work worth doing after that, we will define the scope and cost before you decide whether to move forward.
Holland Capital is based in Charlotte. If you are looking for a fiduciary financial advisor in Durham, we meet by appointment at the Regus center at 555 South Mangum Street in downtown Durham, and handle shorter check-ins by video or phone. Holland Capital does not maintain a branch office in Durham.
We work with clients throughout North Carolina. You can see the other North Carolina communities we serve here.
Our what we do page explains how a planning engagement works.
RETIREMENT ENGINEERING™
The Order Matters
Five retirement decisions and why timing matters.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Advise on Our Workplace Plans if You Do Not Manage Them?
Yes. Holland Capital acts as a fiduciary when providing financial planning and investment advice. For a two-income household, that includes which funds to use in each workplace plan and how much to save in each.
You keep the accounts where they are. We tell you how we are paid before you decide on any service.
Is It Too Early to Plan for Retirement in Our 40s?
No. Your 40s are when the choices made each year still have time to add up. How much you save, where you save it and how it is invested can make a large difference by your 60s.
Is There a Place to Meet in Durham?
Yes. We meet by appointment at the Regus center at 555 South Mangum Street downtown.
With two work schedules to fit around, a video call is sometimes easier.
Photo: Discover Durham / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 4.0, cropped.
