As a fiduciary financial advisor in Savannah, Holland Capital helps port and logistics managers decide how much of each annual bonus should go to taxes, cash, debt, retirement accounts and long-term investing. Most planning takes place by phone and video. Face-to-face sessions are scheduled at a Regus office on Bull Street downtown.
The bonus arrives once a year. The decisions about it add up.
Savannah is home to the Port of Savannah, operated by the Georgia Ports Authority. About 37% of Savannah residents were born in another state.
When a share of your pay arrives as one annual bonus, it can be hard to plan around. The amount can change from year to year. Without a plan, a bonus can disappear into everyday spending before it does any lasting good.
Have that plan built by a fiduciary, and ask how they are paid.
Setting the Order Before the Bonus Arrives
We decide in advance how much goes to taxes, cash reserves, debt, retirement accounts and long-term investing. The order depends on your situation.
Deciding ahead of time makes it easier to follow the plan when the money lands.
Taxes on a Bonus
The tax withheld from a bonus may not match the tax you actually owe. We estimate the tax on the bonus and compare it with what was withheld.
Retirement Accounts First or Later
Some plans let you direct part of a bonus into your 401(k). We check what your plan allows and whether you are already near the yearly limit.
Our guide on how to maximize your 401(k) explains the limits in more detail.
When the Bonus Is Smaller Than Expected
Because bonus amounts can change, we test whether regular bills can be covered by base pay rather than assuming the same bonus each year. The bonus can then fund goals that can grow or shrink from year to year.
Investing What Is Left
After the short-term needs are covered, the rest can be invested for the long term. Our investment management invests those dollars in line with your goals and timeline, adding each year’s bonus to one portfolio.
How We Work with Clients in Savannah
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 the pay statements for your last two bonuses, a current pay stub, your 401(k) statement and your most recent tax return.
The result is a written bonus plan that shows where each dollar goes, with an estimate of the taxes.
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.
Our offices are in Charlotte, North Carolina and Winter Park, Florida. We work with clients in Savannah primarily by video or phone. When an in-person meeting makes sense, we meet by appointment at the Regus center in the Altmayer Building, 100 Bull Street, downtown.
For clients whose investments we manage, accounts are held directly at Charles Schwab in the client’s own name. Holland Capital manages the investments but does not take custody of client assets. If a client ever needs in-person assistance from Schwab, the closest branch is in Savannah at 7150 Hodgson Memorial Drive.
We work with clients throughout Georgia. You can see the other Georgia 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
How Is Holland Capital Paid?
We offer financial planning on a fixed-fee basis, subject to the scope of the engagement. Investment management is offered on a fee basis, generally calculated as a percentage of the assets we manage. When providing financial planning and investment advisory services, we act as a fiduciary. Holland Capital Management may also receive commissions when clients buy insurance through the firm. Those commissions create a conflict of interest, which we disclose in our Form ADV.
Why Plan a Bonus with a Fiduciary?
Holland Capital acts as a fiduciary when providing financial planning and investment advice. For someone paid partly by bonus, that means advice on taxes, cash and investing as one plan, with your interests first.
Bonus money invested in an account we manage adds to our fee. We tell you that up front.
Where Do We Meet in Savannah?
In the Altmayer Building at 100 Bull Street, where we reserve a Regus meeting room by appointment. Shorter conversations happen by phone or video.
Photo: Bubba73 (Jud McCranie) / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped.
