Partner with Holistic Planning

Partnered Independence is for the entrepreneur advisor who wants to run their own practice, but doesn’t have the time, capital, or desire to run their own RIA. For this advisor, we offer a platform to leverage Holistic Planning’s technology and operations support so you can focus your resources on your serving your clients.

In our opinion, the main difference is the level of independence and control. While both RIAs and IBDs are more independent than the traditional Broker-Dealers, the RIA model is the most independent option that exists. While an advisor at an IBD must adhere to the BD’s compliance guidelines, limited investment menu, and the regulatory parameters of FINRA, a fee-only RIA has the ability to “shop the street” for the best products and prices while acting as a fiduciary for the client in a completely unrestricted and unconflicted capacity. RIAs also have greater autonomy and control over their compliance, marketing, pricing, and technology as well as their P&L and expenses. RIAs also have a greater ability to monetize their business, which is traditionally better, not only from a tax perspective but also from a total value perspective.

Holistic Planning takes on the regulatory and compliance risk for our Partnered Firms which, in short, means you can focus more time and energy on your clients and less time managing regulatory obligations. Gone are the days of the “lowest common denominator” approach to compliance which creates inefficiency and frustration for advisors and clients.

Joining Holistic Planning is an ideal option for advisors who know there must be a better way. The Broker-Dealers have lost the pulse of the advisor because they see the advisor’s client as really their client that the advisor services for them…hence the employee relationship with the BD. For the last decade and growing more every year, advisors are leaving the Broker-Dealers for true independence because of a combination of the following issues:

• Overreaching Compliance and Inefficient Workflows
• Poorly Integrated and Outdated Technology
• Changing Culture and Values
• Limited Investment Options and Services
• Reduced Succession Planning Options and Valuations
• No Ownership of Client Relationships
• Tax Inefficiencies from Limited Business Structure Options

Holistic Planning provides a platform dedicated to giving advisors turnkey support for the day-to-day operations they have grown accustomed to while delivering the freedom and control they desire to scale their business.

Holistic Planning provides a next-generation platform designed by and for elite advisors. You no longer have to “go-it-alone” and build the transition support, technology stack, operational back office, human resources, marketing, legal and compliance, and much more just to get the independence you deserve. Holistic Planning was built for the entrepreneurial advisor that wants a turnkey solution to leverage technology and operational support needed to run their day-to-day so they can focus on what’s most important: serving their clients. Partner Firms join a community of like-minded advisors who have true autonomy over their business but share a common culture and desire to grow.

Yes! As a Partner Firm with Holistic Planning, you have complete flexibility and independence to create and brand your own DBA. Of course, you can also use the Holistic Planning brand if you want to leverage our existing marketing campaigns and branding.

Partner Firms of Holistic Planning have complete autonomy in the succession planning of their business. Advisors should be able to sell their business to whomever they want for the price that person is willing to pay. Typically, business valuations are substantially higher in the RIA model compared to the captive Broker-Dealer. Also, the captive Broker-Dealer compensation is taxed as ordinary income because they are paying the advisor to transition the assets rather than buying the assets outright (they cannot buy something they already own). This leads to substantial tax inefficiencies versus the capital gains treatment in the RIA model.

Advisors may look to Holistic Planning for succession planning options for the following benefits:

No Succession Plan

• Maximize Enterprise Value
• Maximize Tax Efficiency
• Transition Timeline
• Flexibility
• Access to Buyers

Successor Identified

• Deal Flexibility
• Maximize Tax Efficiency
• Transition Timeline Flexibility
• Access to Financing
• Successor Owns Book