Mount Pleasant Magazine Sept/Oct 2014

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Ask the Experts
Taking Care ofYour
Financial Health
Oak Capital Management
Idon’t have any money, so there’s
no need to talk to you.” George Holmes, a
CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™
professional, has heard those words often.
“That’s like telling your doctor you’re too
sick to discuss your health,” he explained.
“Financial health includes many of the
same elements as physical health and fitness. Just like
working with your doctor, a client needs to be able to
ask questions freely and take the time to understand each
part of the process.”
Holmes, a partner at Oak
Capital Management, LLC,
is in the business of helping
people understand financial
planning and growing their
assets over time.
People are often focused on
the short-term, and some don’t
take time to develop a long-term
financial plan. Patience and a
plan are the keys to establishing
wealth; few people are given a
lump sum sufficient to maintain
their needs into their retirement years. A family’s priorities
can change, and, because it can take seven to 10 years to
build a sizable nest egg, people tend to delay starting a
retirement savings program.
Holmes, who was bitten by the investment bug when
he was 16, has earned a Retirement Planning Specialist
title from AXA Advisors by attending AXA Advisors’ week-
long “At Retirement Education Program” at the Wharton
School, University of Pennsylvania, which is designed
to help financial professionals learn about elements of
retirement planning. In addition to the CFP® certification
and the Retirement Planning Specialist AXA Advisors title,
he has earned a master’s in Business Administration from
the Citadel.
There’s no “right” way to set up an investment
portfolio, he pointed out, adding that there are thousands
of individual investment choices. He said before setting
up an account, investors should review their long-term
strategy to make sure that a specific account is appropriate
and suitable. The most important aspect of any plan is to
understand the function of each piece of the plan.
Holmes pointed out that stocks, bonds, cash savings
and real estate all have a place
in a well-developed portfolio,
and he cautioned that risk
tolerance, financial literacy,
liquidity and job situation must
be considered when putting
together a financial plan. He
added that debt reduction,
savings and risk management
need to be tailored individually.
“My career is about
helping understand the ‘whys’
in life,” Holmes said. “Why
do you need a college savings plan? Why do you need
life insurance? Why do you need liquid savings? Why
do you need retirement planning? Once we start to sort
out the whys in your life, a plan will almost fashion
itself to your needs.”
To learn more about how you can save for your retirement
years, call George T. Holmes IV at 843-849-7878 or
visit . The offices of Oak Capital
Management are located just off Long Point Road in
Mount Pleasant.
Photo by Jenn Cady.
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Securities offered through AXA Advisors, LLC (NY, NY 212-314-4600), member FINRA, SIPC. Investment advisory products and services offered through AXA Advisors, LLC, an
investment advisor registered with the SEC. Annuity and insurance products offered through AXA Network, LLC. Oak Capital Management, LLC is not a registered investment
advisor and is not owned or operated by AXA Advisors or AXA Network. CFP® and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM are certification marks owned by the Certified Financial
Planner Board of Standards, Inc. These marks are awarded to individuals who successfully complete the CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.
PPG-97090(08/14)(exp.08/16)