Financial Advisor
Lewis Center Ohio

Certified Financial Planner™ professionals with Fortune 500 experience, Harding Financial Group can help you manage investments, retire comfortably, and pass on generational wealth tax-efficiently.

Financial Planning Services and Wealth Management

It’s our fiduciary duty to put your needs first

Retirement Planning

Determine your retirement income and create a retirement plan to make it a reality

Learn About Retirement Planning

Risk Management

We help you identify areas where you may be financially exposed and can help mitigate that risk

Learn About Risk Management

Tax Planning

Adjust your finances to minimize your tax burden and keep more of the money you make

Learn About Tax Planning

Estate Planning

Efficiently pass on wealth to your family and avoid headaches, arguments, and probate.

Learn About Estate Planning

Cash Management

Wisely manage your cash, liquidity, debt, and investments

Learn About Cash Management

Philanthropy

Give to charities of your choice and maximize the benefit you receive for your generosity.

Learn About Philanthropy

Fee-based Certified Financial
Planners in Lewis Center, Ohio

Our Investment Advisor Representatives continuously deliver value by having the expertise to help you understand which investments you have, how they support you and your Lewis Center family’s goals, and which alternatives are appropriate for you at any stage of the market cycle.

Michael Harding, CFP®

Holding the CFP® certification and other industry licenses for over 20 years, Michael is a highly skilled financial planner with a specialization in wealth management for high-net-worth investors. Prior to founding Harding Financial Group in 2005, he won several awards for superior performance and was recognized on many occasions for quality investment management in his 10 years at Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch.

Michael Holly, CFP®, ALHC

Carrying designations as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and Associate Life & Health Claims, Michael is a comprehensive financial planner who excels in helping individuals and families achieve their financial goals. Michael previously spent 5 years at Nationwide Financial and is well-versed in tax-efficient retirement income strategies.

Want to schedule a Complimentary Consultation?

Click To Schedule

Why Harding Financial Group as your Lewis Center Financial Advisors?

Columbus Business First Top 20 Fee-Only Financial Advisors list four consecutive years

Harding Financial Group takes a unique approach when compared to many other advisors today. We truly develop individual investment portfolios that are tailored to each client, according to their needs, stage of life cycle, risk tolerance, and investment preferences. We do not use “age-based” plans or pre-built model portfolios of any kind. Every investment in our client’s portfolios is hand-selected to support their stated objectives and is backed by our experienced financial planners through professional research and factual data.

Our belief is that above-average portfolio returns are achieved by squeezing the most out of every dollar invested and doing the gritty work that other advisors aren’t willing to do. The only way for our advisors to have the time required for such personalized investment management is to maintain a limited client list. In an industry where advisory firms are built from the ground up to scale their business quickly, Harding Financial Group has intentionally sacrificed scalability for the sake of providing superior customer service.

Our expertise spans much more than just investment management. Our financial planners strategize to help you keep the most of your money through tax planning, and take a long-term, multi-generational approach to ensure every decision made helps you grow your family legacy through the attainment of generational wealth.

With clear, consistent, and transparent communication, Harding Financial Group is committed to a Satisfaction Guarantee Policy for our advisory services. Our goal is unparalleled quality of services and if not, we return fees for your first 12 months of service.

What Our Harding Financial Group
Clients Are Saying

    
 
 
          Stephanie Fowler 
 
 
 
  We have been working with Michael Holly with HFG for several months now. He has been very patient with us, and has taken the time to make sure we feel comfortable and understand all unfamiliar financial circumstances. He is extremely thorough during our meetings, as well as having a well rounded plan to present all options. He is someone we feel comfortable calling and asking questions to and feel secure knowing he has our best interests at hand.
  
 
         Ann Smerles 
 
 
 
  HFG has been a great help as I
approach retirement. Michael listens to my goals and diligently works to provide an excellent outcome. He explains his plan, asks for my opinion, and clearly answers my  questions.
  
 
         Al Jenkins 
 
 
 
  Carefully listen to your needs and develop a customized plan to suit those needs.
  
 
         Paul Atwell 
 
 
 
  Since retiring in 2008, Harding Financial has handled our accounts.  Currently, they are also involved with our adult children’s accounts.  Not only do they have our complete trust, but the comprehensive outlook towards capital retention and the estate is wonderful.  Michael Harding is an amazing professional. He is highly accredited, knowledgable and thorough. The regular market letters, and quarterly in person reviews keep us up to date.

We highly recommend Harding Financial.
  
 
         Eric Atwell 
 
 
 
  I am incredibly fortunate to have found such a professional and trustworthy financial advisor. Their deep understanding of the market has truly made a remarkable difference in managing my finances.
From the very beginning, their expertise and guidance instilled a sense of confidence in me. They took the time to thoroughly analyze my financial situation and patiently explained various strategies tailored to my goals. This personalized approach was both refreshing and reassuring.

What sets them apart is their unwavering commitment to transparency and honesty. I have complete faith in their recommendations, knowing that they always have my best interests at heart. They've not only helped me navigate complex financial decisions but have also provided invaluable insights that have led to tangible results.

Their ability to stay current with market trends and adapt strategies accordingly is truly impressive. I've witnessed firsthand how their deep understanding of the market has translated into positive outcomes for my investments.
In a world where financial matters can be overwhelming, having a financial advisor like Harding Financial Group has been a game-changer for me. I wholeheartedly recommend their services to anyone seeking expert guidance, exceptional professionalism, and a partner who genuinely cares about their clients' financial well-being.
  
 
         Michael Kappas 
 
 
 
  My  involvement with the Harding Financial Group has been a great experience!
I believe that Michael and his staff are very professional and do everything possible to make their clients comfortable and secure!
I have the upmost confidence in their abilities and their knowledge of the markets that affect our financial investments!
I have referred family and friends to the Harding Financial Group!
I’m very pleased to be part of this great organization!
  
 
         Lisa Collins 
 
 
 
  I can’t say enough about how happy I am with Harding Financial Services and have been very pleased with the services they provide! I have been with them for 15 years and Mike and his team are the best!  Never once have I worried about where he directs my monies.  So if you are looking for a highly qualified professional team they will work on what needs best fit you in younger years or retirement years!
  
 
         Heidi Steinbrenner 
 
 
 
  I switched from a large financial firm to Harding Financial Group about a year ago.  I am very pleased with the special attention and advice they give to my personal financial needs as I head into retirement.  They are very through and knowledgeable on giving me advise that is best for me. I could not be more confident with Harding Financial handling my finances and highly recommend them to others.
  
 
         Nicholas Martin 
 
 
 
  Harding Financial Group Experience:

My wife and I were referred to Harding Financial Group by an existing client of theirs. In our initial meeting with Mike Harding and Michael Holly we expressed our long term goals. Not only for retirement but for large purchases such as a new car and a future home. They assisted us in developing a strategy of savings and budgeting to acquire the car we wanted, save for our future home while continuing to grow our retirement portfolio. The Harding Financial Group not only guides their customers to a happy retirement, but a happy journey to retirement.

3 Step Value-Driven Financial Process – The Four Seasons Formula

Harding Financial Group has developed and refined a comprehensive planning process called The Four Seasons Formula that puts together all pieces of your financial puzzle. Having a process ensures that even as your life changes and needs evolve, our expert team of financial advisors is always there to give you the full picture.

Just as you have certain criteria you are screening advisors for, we also have criteria we look for in our ideal clients. Our ideal clients must be a match not only in terms of investable assets, but also in attitudinal qualities and level of engagement. From the time someone contacts HFG to the time they decide to become a valued client, we will have guided them through 3 distinct phases of the process. Having a thorough process ensures that we are setting up our relationship for long-term success, and that you know exactly what to expect when you reach out to us

Discover

Also referred to as our “FIT Process”, a series of introductory calls and meetings to determine if we are a mutual FIT geared toward financial and personal data gathering including various documents and information to ensure HFG has a thorough understanding of your current financial picture, as well as your lifestyle and financial goals.

Design

We’ll prepare a preliminary investment strategy, as well as list financial planning opportunities and how you can address them. Once this has been reviewed, this is the time where you’ll make a decision on whether to enlist HFG as your trusted advisory firm.

An advisory agreement will be signed, appropriate accounts will be opened, and transfers initiated. Once accounts are ready, we’ll collaborate to finalize our investment strategy proposal and the next steps for addressing financial planning opportunities.

Deploy

With all agreements in place, we’ll build an investment portfolio optimized to support your unique financial and lifestyle goals. We’ll conduct thorough retirement and tax-savings analysis, identify risk management opportunities, look for pitfalls in your estate plan, and work collaboratively with you to develop and maintain a comprehensive Personal Financial Organizer throughout the course of our relationship.

Throughout the year we’ll have strategic meetings to:

Review your portfolio in relation to current market conditions
Explain key data points in your quarterly performance report
Address next steps in your financial planning process
Check in personally to ensure your plan is consistent with any recent life changes

These strategy sessions help us ensure the plan maintains its ideal trajectory, timely course-corrections can be made, and we address any questions that may be on your mind.

If you are looking for financial advisors in Columbus Ohio, contact Harding Financial Group below and one of our CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional advisors will happily answer your inquiry.

Schedule An Appointment
With Harding Financial
Group

For A Complimentary Phone Consultation

Get a one-one consultation with our retirement advisors in Lewis Center OH to begin the conversation about your retirement goals, needs, and current financial situation.

See our Frequently Asked Questions below for commonly asked questions about Retirement Planning.

CALL (614) 515-4722

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What are "fee-only" and "fee-based" advisors? How do you get paid?

Fee-based advisors are compensated primarily through a fixed percentage of assets under management.

We chose this model of compensation to give clients the confidence that we are on the same team – as our firm’s compensation is tied directly to our client’s performance. This creates a natural incentive to defend our clients’ assets in a down market and grow their assets in an up market.

The “fee-based” model also allows our advisors to facilitate the purchase of insurance products if our clients have the need instead of outsourcing the transaction to an unrelated 3rd party.

Watch our video about Why we are Fee Based Financial Advisors.

Q. Why should I hire a Certified Financial Planner® to manage my money?

Our CFP® professionals are required to uphold a Fiduciary standard, which means they are bound to making recommendations that are always in their clients’ best interest. They have also taken extra steps to enhance their knowledge and financial planning skillset.

To obtain the CFP® designation, they had to satisfy 4 requirements:

1. Experience – Accumulate several thousands of hours of professional experience related to the financial planning process. As a result, CFP® practitioners possess practical experience, in addition to financial planning knowledge.

2. Education – Possess a Bachelor’s degree (or higher), as well as successfully complete the CFP® educational curriculum which includes 70 Principal Knowledge Topics under the categories below:
– Professional Conduct and Regulation
– General Principles of Financial Planning
– Risk Management & Insurance
– Investment Planning
– Tax Planning
– Retirement Savings & Income Planning
– Estate Planning
– Psychology of Financial Planning

3. Examination – Pass a comprehensive 6-hour CFP® Certification Examination that tests their ability to apply financial planning knowledge in an integrated format.

4. Ethics – Satisfy the CFP Board’s Fitness Standards and commit to CFP Board to abide by professional standards, as well as uphold their Fiduciary duty.

Learn more here about Why HFG?

Q. How do you stay up to date with the market and industry trends?

Education is a very high priority in our office as we are always learning and growing to expand our knowledge. We spend hundreds of hours a month in the financial markets, paying attention to macroeconomic data like unemployment numbers, jobs created or lost, nonfarm payrolls, interest rate hikes, trends in different economic sectors, world events, and more.

Each advisor also has to obtain a certain number of required continuing education and professional development hours to remain a CFP® or other professional distinction. Continuing education topics cover a wide facet of industry services including securities, taxes, insurance, college planning, ethics, and more. We keep our licenses current so these requirements are always met.

We’re always trying to find ways to better serve our clients as we view this as a true win-win partnership, and education is paramount to that success.

Q. What is your investment strategy and thoughts about diversification?

The mathematics of loss dictate that outperforming in a down market, or minimizing loss, is more important than outperforming in a rising market. Therefore, our investment philosophy is defense first. We have the skillset to perform well in a bull market, but more importantly, have the experience of defending assets through the Tech Bubble of 2000, the Great Recession of 2008, and most recently, the COVID pandemic.

Although we curate a custom investment portfolio for each client, the fundamental strategy remains the same, which is what we refer to as the “Core and Satellite” strategy.

The core of every portfolio is generally comprised of select mutual funds that are appropriate for the client. We are very selective with the Core funds we use – they must have a strong history of outperformance versus their peers and come from top-rated fund managers. Depending upon the stage of the market cycle and the client’s financial objectives, we introduce Satellite positions into the portfolio to get exposure to certain market sectors, and to get away from others. This helps to lean the portfolio in certain directions to achieve one of two things:

1. Defend client assets, or
2. Grow client assets

We briefly discuss our investment strategy using Core & Satellite portfolio positions on our Wealth Management page.

Q. Where do you serve clients?

We have clients all over the country and throughout the Lewis Center area. In particular, some of the neighborhoods include:

Abbey Knoll, Belmont Place, Cross Creek, Glen Oak, McCammon Chase, North Farms, Northpoint Meadows, Oak Creek, Oak Creek East, Oldfield Estates, Parkshore, Piatt Meadows, The Shores, Village at Alum Creek, Waverly Place, Wilshire, Woodstone and more.

In many cases, clients come to our office for an in-person meeting but those that are comfortable via Zoom, we can accommodate that way too.

Financial Advisor Lewis Center Ohio