Karly Holland
CFP®
Divergent Planning, LLC
Lead Advisor
Karly Holland
CFP®
Divergent Planning, LLC
Lead Advisor
As a fee-only financial planner, my focus is to offer unbiased financial advice to help you achieve your life goals. - Karly Holland, CFP®
Fee-only financial planner located in Bethesda, MD, serving clients locally and across the country

Our independent financial advisory firm diverges from other financial planners because we focus on more than just your investment portfolio. Our collaborative ensemble approach means that each specialist of our financial team plays a role in your plan, which encompasses all aspects of your financial life, including savings, expenses, retirement, investments, Social Security, and taxes. We support our ensemble approach with systems thoughtfully designed to be nimble and help make sure the next actions in our relationship with you are already planned, which leads to accountability and follow-through. We do not consider your financial plan as a static document and will adapt it alongside the changes in your life.
Karly Holland’s inspiration for a career in financial planning was sparked in college when she realized that many of her peers didn’t understand basic budgeting. Karly’s dad had taught her to be responsible with money, and she wanted to build on that knowledge so she could help herself and others. Today as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, she is thrilled to help Divergent Planning's clients understand the why and the how of their financial planning recommendations so that they can feel confident that they are on the right track. Also the Institute of Business & Finance (IBF) awarded Karly with the only nationally recognized tax designation, CTS ™ (Certified Tax Specialist ™ ).
As a Lead Advisor, Karly assists in prepping for client meetings, preparing financial plans, and researching clients’ questions. With a background in tax projections and preparation, she also reviews tax returns and analyzes the potential tax impacts of strategies such as Roth conversions. Karly enjoys the tax-planning aspect of her responsibilities, particularly when she works with people who are getting close to retirement when the impact can be crucial. She counts her most satisfying career moment as the day she presented a financial plan to a client, who thanked her, saying a weight had been lifted off them.
Karly Holland is a Member of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors

The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) is a leading professional association of Fee-Only financial advisors - highly trained professionals who are committed to working in the best interests of those they serve.
NAPFA members live by three important values:
- To be the beacon for independent, objective financial advice for individuals and families.
- To be the champion of financial services delivered in the public interest.
- To be the standard bearer for the emerging profession of financial planning.
At Divergent Planning, we provide financial planning that evolves with your life. Based in Bethesda, Maryland, we are an independent Registered Investment Advisory firm partnering with mid-career professionals, pre-retirees, and federal government employees in Maryland, Virginia, Washington DC, and nationwide.
Here, you will not find financial advisors who are focused on selling you products that earn commissions. Nor will you find “financial planning” that is simply focused on your investments and ignores the other areas of your finances. We offer:
1. Fee-only, fiduciary services: As an RIA, we are legally obligated to put your best interests first. As a fee-only advisor, we avoid conflicts of interest by refusing to accept commissions for the services or products we recommend.
2. Adaptable financial planning: The most effective financial planning is not a static, one-time project. To have an impact, it should be an ever-changing, ongoing project that adjusts to the transitions of a client’s life. This proactive perspective is the kind of planning that we offer.
3. Ensemble approach: Not only will you work with a lead advisor, but you will also receive the benefit of a team of
advisors’ expertise. Each of our advisors will take part in the creation, management, and adjustment of your
financial plan, so that the full breadth of your needs and goals are addressed.
4. Transparency: We are committed to transparency in everything we do on your behalf. Our fee-only structure
means you will always know what you are paying for, and our technology will provide you a real-time picture of your
finances whenever and wherever you want it.
5. Accountability: We have developed processes so that you have the comfort of knowing that your next action
items and next meeting are always on the calendar. When your financial plan requires you to complete certain
steps, we will remain in contact with you to help ensure follow-through.
6. Tax planning: We will draw on our in-house expertise to integrate tax strategies with your overall financial
plan, such as retirement account distribution strategies, tax loss harvesting, maximizing of deductions, and Roth
conversions. We will also work with your CPA to discuss strategies and provide up-to-date information they need
to complete your tax returns.
7. Planning for the long term: We have attained leading industry credentials to stay current on changes to laws,
rules, and trends so that we can better serve you. Those designations include the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™
and Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor(SM) certifications. In addition, we have structured our firm so
that our team will be here for you in the long term.
Fee-Only, Fiduciary, Independent: Three Important Criteria to Consider When Choosing a Financial Advisor.
Specialties
- Comprehensive Financial Planning
- Retirement Income Planning
- Investment Management
- College Education Planning
- Tax Planning
Ideal Clients
- Retirees and Near Retirees
- Federal Government Employees
- Business Owners and Executives
- Mid-Career Professionals
Working Together
- In-Office Meetings
- Virtual Meetings
- Clearly Defined Fees
- No Product Sales
- Complimentary Initial Consultation
Professional Designations & Affiliations
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Karly Holland is a NAPFA-Registered Financial Advisor
The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) is a leading professional association of Fee-Only financial advisors—highly trained professionals who are committed to working in the best interests of those they serve.
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Karly Holland is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional - Click for Verification
CFP® professionals are held to strict ethical standards to ensure financial planning recommendations are in your best interest. What’s more, a CFP® professional must acquire several years of experience related to delivering financial planning services to clients and pass the comprehensive CFP® Certification Exam before they can use the CFP® designation.
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Karly Holland is a member of The Financial Planning Association® (FPA®)
FPA® is the largest membership organization for CFP® professionals in the U.S. and supports high standards of professional competence, ethical conduct, and clear, complete disclosure when serving clients.
Contact Karly Holland
Office Locations:
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Lawrenceville, GA 30046