top of page

Annuities

"Variable annuity fees usually cost between 2% to 4% per year.  High fees eat up your investment growth over time." Note: per Google search for the phrase "variable annuity fees"


We charge so much less.

 

Here are the main types of variable annuity fees you will see:

  1. Mortality & Expense fees - typically 1.2% to 1.5% annually

  2. Administrative fees - either $30+ per year or between 0.15% to 0.30% of acct. value per year

  3. Investment Subaccount Fees - 0.5% to 2.0% acct. value

  4. Rider fees - cost an extra 1% to 2% each year

  5. Surrender charges (during the initial 7-10 years only) usually starts around 7% and declines annually

​​

What are our fees?​   For items 1 through 5 above, my fee is 1% of acct. value, plus $240 annually.  That's all!

​

If you would like to see your variable annuity grow faster due to lower fees, click on the Contact tab above, email us with your phone number and any details you would like to provide, and we will contact you and give a brief explanation of what your options with us are.  Then, the decision is yours!  

​​

​

​

Robert Holman, Founder -
The Defensive Advisor


Robert has been an analyst, manager, director, and financial advisor for over 40 years, first for corporations and now for individuals. 

 

He founded Holman Wealth Management, LLC (HWM) to help clients reach their desired lifestyle and monetary goals faster than with typical investment programs.  This is especially helpful to those who are behind in their retirement savings or wealth goals.

 

He worked for TD Ameritrade as an employee as an investment consultant, then for LPL Financial as a financial advisor, before establishing HWM to render totally independent judgments regarding financial issues of all types.

 

He is a summa cum laude graduate of The University of Texas at Austin Business School and is a Chartered Financial Analyst and a Certified Financial Planner.

 

He resides with his wife and family in Dallas, TX.  He serves in leadership roles in his church, helps divorced individuals recover from rejection, teaches biblical classes, and helps church members with financial stewardship concepts. 

 

Charles Schwab 

 

We recommend Charles Schwab for client accounts due to the high level of client service.   Charles Schwab merged with TD Ameritrade to bring forth a fully integrated, best-in-class investing platform.

 

XY Planning Network

 

Holman Wealth Management is a member of XY Planning Network.  Included with membership are financial planning and investment reporting tools, compliance assistance, and access to other financial service providers generally available at a discount, all of which help keep our fees low.

 

 

Holman Wealth Management - The Defensive Advisor

Dallas, TX 75229 

To email us ... click here

 (469) 907-0628

​

Last Edited: October, 2025

​​

​

Holman Wealth Management LLC is a registered investment adviser offering advisory services in the State of Texas. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. The information shared on this page shall not be directly or indirectly interpreted as a solicitation of investment advisory services to persons of another jurisdiction unless otherwise permitted by statute.
​
HWM advisors are fiduciaries and as such, always put the client's needs and interests above their own.  All HWM advisors are fee-only advisors.  
 
The written content and opinions voiced herein are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual without HWM having complete knowledge of that individual’s total financial profile.  Material presented herein is believed to be from reliable sources and no representations are made by our firm as to another parties’ informational accuracy or completeness. 
 
To determine what is appropriate for you, consult HWM or a qualified professional financial advisor.  While we provide general tax and legal information, please consult with a tax professional or attorney on tax and legal issues before proceeding on such information.  No investment strategy guarantees success or assures against occasional losses.

 

CFA - Chartered Financial Analyst (or CFA®): The CFA charter is the gold standard for the investment industry. CFA charterholders enjoy a mark of the highest distinction in the investment management profession, a globally respected, graduate-level investment credential established in 1962 and awarded by CFA Institute — the largest global association of investment professionals. Passing the three six-hour cumulative CFA exams (Levels I, II, III) is a difficult feat that requires extensive study (successful CFA candidates report spending an average 3,000 hours of study to become a CFA). Earning the CFA charter demonstrates mastery of many of the advanced skills needed for investment analysis and decision making in today’s quickly evolving global financial industry.  The CFA exam is generally considered more difficult than the CPA exam or the bar exam. There are about 59,000 CFA charterholders.

 

To earn the CFA charter, candidates must master a broad-based curriculum of investment principles, and commit to abide by, and annually reaffirm, their adherence to the CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct. The CFA Program curriculum provides a comprehensive framework of knowledge for investment decision making and is firmly grounded in the knowledge and skills used every day in the investment profession. The three levels of the CFA Program test a proficiency with a wide range of fundamental and advanced investment topics, including ethical and professional standards, fixed-income and equity analysis, alternative and derivative investments, economics, financial reporting standards, portfolio management, and wealth planning.

 

The CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct, enforced through an active professional conduct program, require CFA charter holders to:

  • Place their clients’ interests ahead of their own

  • Maintain independence and objectivity

  • Act with integrity

  • Maintain and improve their professional competence

  • Disclose conflicts of interest and legal matters

 

CFA® charterholders who fail to comply with the above ethics, professional standards and other requirements may be subject to the CFA Institute’s enforcement process, which could result in censure or permanent revocation of their CFA® charter.

​

CFP® (Certified Financial Planner): The CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™: The CFP® certification is a voluntary certification; no federal or state law or regulation requires financial planners to hold CFP® certification. It is recognized in the United States and other countries for its (1) high standard of professional education; (2) stringent code of conduct and standards of practice; and (3) ethical requirements that govern professional engagements with clients. Currently, more than 103,000 individuals have obtained CFP® certification from the CFP Board in the United States. 


To attain the right to use the CFP® marks, an individual must satisfactorily fulfill the following requirements: 
  ●  Education – a) Complete an advanced college-level course of study addressing the financial planning subject areas that CFP Board’s studies have determined as necessary for the competent and professional delivery of financial planning services, and b) attain a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited United States college or university (or its equivalent from a foreign university). CFP Board’s financial planning subject areas include insurance planning and risk management, employee benefits planning, investment planning, income tax planning, retirement planning, and estate planning; and
  ●  Examination – Pass the comprehensive CFP® Certification Examination. The examination includes case studies and client scenarios designed to test one’s ability to correctly diagnose financial planning issues and apply one’s knowledge of financial planning to real-world circumstances; and
  ●  Experience – Complete at least three years of full-time financial planning-related experience (or the equivalent, measured as 2,000 hours per year); and  
  ●  Ethics – Agree to be bound by CFP Board’s Standards of Professional Conduct, a set of documents outlining the ethical and practice standards for CFP® professionals. 


Individuals who become certified must complete the following ongoing education and ethics requirements to maintain the right to continue to use the CFP® marks: 
  ●  Continuing Education – Complete 30 hours of continuing education hours every two years, including two hours on the Code of Ethics and other parts of the CFP Standards of Professional Conduct, to maintain competence and keep up with developments in the financial planning field; and  
  ●  Ethics – Renew and agree to be bound by the CFP Standards of Professional Conduct. The Standards prominently require that CFP® professionals provide financial planning services at a fiduciary standard of care. This means CFP® professionals must provide financial planning services in the best interests of their clients. 

​

CFP® professionals who fail to comply with the above standards and requirements may be subject to CFP Board’s enforcement process, which could result in suspension or permanent revocation of their CFP® certification. 

​

Proud member of XY Planning Network! Advisors displaying this badge have been accepted into XY Planning Network by vowing to adhere to strict fiduciary standards and by carrying the CFP® designation. XY Planning Network is the leading financial planning platform for fee-for-service financial advisors who want to serve their Gen X and Gen Y peers by providing comprehensive financial planning services without commissions, product sales or asset minimums. 

​

© 2026 by The Defensive Advisor, defensiveadvisor.com and Holman Wealth Management LLC.  Created with Wix.com.

  • Facebook Social Icon
  • LinkedIn Social Icon
bottom of page