Highlands Wealth Group

Securities offered through LPL Financial, a registered investment advisor, member FINRA/SIPC.  For hyperlinks to FINRA and SIPC, please refer to ‘Contact Info’ section above. Advisory services offered through IFG Advisory LLC, a registered investment advisor. Highlands Wealth Group, IFG Advisory LLC and Integrated Financial Group are separate entities from LPL Financial.

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Director of Financial Planning

Integrated Financial Group | The Brain Trust

Consortium Member

Wells Fargo

Premier Banker / Vice President

Wealth Private Banker / Vice President

BB&T

Private Advisor / Assistant Vice President

Wealth Solutions Center Advisor I

Leadership Development Program Associate

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney

Client Service Associate

Financial Planner | Minimizing dreams delayed & sacrifices made for high earners and lifelong savers

In my heart, I knew there had to be a better way.

So, we made one…

The biggest names in financial services don’t want their advisors to provide comprehensive advice. They say gather assets, charge a percentage, don't say too much, and meet once a year.

It never felt right. Arbitrary account minimums, pretending that a monte carlo simulation was a financial plan, being hounded for referrals to other lines of business, sales meeting after sales meeting, we couldn’t take it anymore. 

We launched Highlands Wealth Group in 2021 because we believe financial planning should be simple, direct and heartfelt. 

Most of our lives happen before retirement. Our process has been carefully crafted to help our clients enjoy living in the moment while also doing what's necessary to secure their futures. 

Investment management is not the key that unlocks the door to the robust planning experience we believe sets us apart. We can work with you whether you choose to bring investments to our firm or not.

We offer both in-person and virtual relationships which allows us to work with clients locally and across the country. 

Our ideal clients are friendly and fun-loving. We find that most of the folks we work with fall into one of these categories:

Lifelong Savers - Folks in their 50s/60s with $500k+ in investable assets

High Earners - Folks in their 30s/40s with $200k+ in household income. 

Our comprehensive financial planning process includes:
Income Tax Planning
Retirement Planning
Cash Flow Planning
Insurance Planning
Employee Benefits Optimization
Estate Planning
Investment Planning

Costs for initial planning engagements generally range from $2,500 to $9,500. The initial engagement includes the completion of the plan + 3 months of implementation assistance. Ongoing planning engagements are available and range in cost from $150-$450 monthly for 12-months. Clients who choose to invest with us enjoy reduced or no additional financial planning costs depending on the level of assets invested. 

Our standard investment management cost schedule is as follows:
$0-$250,000 - 1.50%
$250,000.01 to $500,000 - 1.35%
$500,000.01 to $1,000,000 - 1.25%
$1,000,000.01 to $2,500,000 - 0.90%
$2,500,000.01+ - 0.50%

Visit https://go.oncehub.com/HWGBRADWILLIAMS to find a time to meet!

Posts on LinkedIn are for educational purposes only and should not be taken as individual advice. Consult your legal, tax, and financial team before implementing any financial strategies you read.

The courage to admit ignorance.


A key quality every financial planner should possess.

"𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩, 𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬...

...𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙗𝙚𝙩 𝙄'𝙢 𝙜𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙖 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙪𝙩!" 

Research is a critical component of our process. 

Just recently I've schooled myself on...

→ Transferring hard assets from business to personal
→ Costs associated with Donor Advised Funds
→ Taxation for Resident Aliens on int'l income
→ Income Limits for Marketplace Insurance
→ The Australian Superannuation
→ The dissolution of S-Corps

Oh yeah, and there was that whole OBBBA tax overhaul...

Many financial pros play 𝙛𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙨𝙚 with limited knowledge. 

It's better to give a great answer tomorrow...

...than a dangerous answer today.

Brad Williams, CFP®

Financial Planning should be simple, direct and heartfelt. Our process has been carefully crafted to give our clients the best chance of reaching their long-term goals while still living an ideal life today. 

While investment management is a service we provide to a majority of our clients, it is not the key that unlocks the door to the robust planning experience we believe sets us apart. We can provide financial planning services without any requirement of bringing investments to our firm. We offer both in-person and virtual relationships which opens the door to work with clients locally and across the country. 

Our ideal clients are friendly and fun-loving. We find that most of the folks we work with fall into one of these categories:

The Lifelong Saver - Pre-Retirees/Retirees looking to optimize the plan for their nest egg.

The High Earner - Successful professionals hoping to unlock the full potential of their income. 

Small Business Owners/Solopreneurs - Movers and shakers who find themselves in need of a partner to help them simplify their finances and implement strategies that build wealth in and beyond the business. 

Our comprehensive financial planning process includes:
Income Tax Planning
Retirement Planning
Cash Flow Planning
Insurance Planning
Assistance with supporting loved ones
Estate Planning
Investment Planning

Costs for initial planning engagements are determined by complexity and generally range from $1,500 to $7,500. The initial engagement includes the completion of the plan + 3 months of implementation assistance. Ongoing planning engagements are available and generally range in cost from $150-$450 monthly for 12-months. Clients who choose to invest with us enjoy reduced or no additional financial planning costs depending on the level of assets invested. 

Our standard investment management cost schedule is as follows:
$0-$250,000 - 1.50%
$250,000.01 to $500,000 - 1.35%
$500,000.01 to $1,000,000 - 1.25%
$1,000,000.01 to $2,500,000 - 0.90%
$2,500,000.01+ - 0.50%

Posts on LinkedIn are for educational purposes only and should not be taken as individual advice. Consult your legal, tax, and financial team before implementing any financial strategies you read.

Ferrying Family-First Professionals to fantastic futures through Financial Planning | Follow for Personal Finance Content

Year-End Planning Checklist - #2 


Have you taken your full 𝗥𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗺𝘂𝗺 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (RMD)?

An 𝗥𝗠𝗗 is... 
→ an amount of money that must be taken from
→ certain tax-deferred retirement accounts 
→ once you reach a specific age

When does your RMD start?
𝗔𝗴𝗲 𝟳𝟮 → Born in 1950 or earlier
𝗔𝗴𝗲 𝟳𝟯 → Born between 1951 & 1959
𝗔𝗴𝗲 𝟳𝟱 → Born in 1960 or later

What accounts are included?
→ Traditional IRA
→ SEP IRA
→ SIMPLE IRA
→ 401(k)
→ 403(b)
→ 457(b)

How is your RMD calculated?
→ Use Prior-Year December 31st balance
→ Add values of required accounts together
→ Use the correct factor on IRS Life Expectancy Tables
→ Divide total account value by the IRS factor

Example:
→ $1,000,000 Total Value (12/31/2024)
→ Age 75 (Married/Spouse is the same age)
→ IRS Factor = 24.6
→ RMD Amount = $1MM/24.6 or $40,650.41

RMDs from Multiple IRAs can generally be aggregated and taken from one account or split.

Most employer plans do not allow aggregation. RMD must be taken from each account separately. 

403(b) plans are an exception and can be aggregated with other 403(b)s. 

RMDs from employer plans can be delayed if you are still working for the plan sponsor. 

What if I fail to take my RMD?
→ You will pay a penalty to the IRS
→ 25% of amount not distributed
→ Penalty can be reduced to 10%
→ If you take it within 2 years

𝗕𝗢𝗡𝗨𝗦:  Inherited IRAs follow a whole different set of rules.

You might be wrong.


Yesterday, I had the pleasure of telling a new client that he can retire.

He told me he thought he'd need twice as much to be able to retire.

In his early 60s, that would've meant he'd have to work forever. 

Turns out he can actually do the following...
→ Never work again
→ Pay cash for a new car
→ Spend 40% more annually
→ Live to his full life expectancy
→ Leave behind a million dollar estate

How we're making it happen...
→ Establish retirement spending guardrails
→ Minimize lifetime expenses through tax planning 
→ Implement a tax-aware time-segmented investment plan
→ Plan for lifetime healthcare and potential long-term care expenses 

Savers often sacrifice more enjoyment than they have to.

That's especially true in the early retirement years.

The fear of running out of money is powerful.

Planning can show you what's possible. 

Planning instills real confidence.

Confidence is comforting.

Enjoy retirement.

Year-End Planning Checklist - #1 


Are there any unrealized investment losses in your taxable accounts?

If yes, consider realizing losses to offset realized gains.

You can also write off up to $3,000 in losses against ordinary income. 

Unused losses can be carried forward to future tax years. 


When realizing losses, be careful not to trigger a "𝙒𝙖𝙨𝙝 𝙎𝙖𝙡𝙚."

This occurs when...
→ A security is sold, realizing a loss
→ Then the same or "substantially identical" security is purchased
→ Within a 61-Day Window

The 61-Day Window includes:
→ 30 days before the date of sale
→ The day of the sale itself
→ 30 days after the sale

Triggering a wash sale negates the benefit of the realized loss.

Year-End Planning Checklist - #3 


Do have funds remaining in a Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA)?

FSAs are Use-It-Or-Lose-It savings vehicles.

It's important to know the rules your employer offers.

Some allow for up to $660 to rolled over to next year.

Some offer a grace period up to March 15th.

Many companies give you 90 days to submit prior year receipts.


Don't let your hard earned money go to waste!

Year-End Planning Checklist - #4 


Know your deadlines!

𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱
→ 1st Day to file FAFSA for 2026

𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟳, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱
→ End of Medicare Enrollment Period

𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟱, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱
2026 Marketplace Insurance Enrollment

𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟯𝟭, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱
→ Satisfying RMDs
→ Employer Plan Contributions
→ Completing 2025 Gifts to Others
→ Making 2025 Charitable Donations

𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 𝟭𝟱, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
→ 1040 Filing/Payment
→ Q1 Estimated Payment
→ Tax Filing Extension Request
→ 2025 IRA/HSA contributions

What would you do with...


→ Unlimited Time
→ Unlimited Money

I recently participated in "mock" job interviews with South Carolina Honors College students. 

These young people were charismatic, thoughtful and well prepared.

Any graduate program or employer will be blessed to have them. 

I asked all of them a similar question....

𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘶𝘯𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘶𝘦 𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰?

Their answers were inspiring and really got me thinking.

I need to add this question to my financial planning process.

Planning is about making smart moves with finite resources.

It should also about about uncovering what's possible.

I don't think we can do that if we don't also explore the impossible. 

Maybe we discover a whole new idea of what an ideal life might look like. 

What if that ideal life isn't so impossible after all?


Working on my own answer to that question now!

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