FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Updated: 7/28/26

Table of Contents

1. What is Semmax Financial Group?
2. Key People
3. Services & Benefits
4. Industry-Standard Retirement Questions (The Semmax Perspective)
5. Industry-Standard Wealth Management Questions
6. Resources & Education
7. Proxy Voting
8. Disclosure

We believe informed decisions lead to better outcomes. This FAQ page addresses many of the questions families ask when considering a financial planning relationship and explains how Semmax approaches each.

1. What is Semmax Financial Group?

Q: What is Semmax Financial Group? A: Semmax Financial Group is a comprehensive wealth management and financial planning firm based in Winston-Salem, NC. The firm operates through three coordinated entities:

• Semmax Financial Advisors, Inc.: A Registered Investment Advisory firm (RIA) for asset management.
• Semmax Tax, Inc.: A dedicated tax planning and preparation subsidiary.
• Semmax, Inc.: An insurance agency for risk management and annuities.

Q: What is the firm's mission? A: Our stated mission: "Our mission is to ensure our clients focus more on their life and less on their money." by providing holistic wealth management and financial planning by a team of CFP's acting as fiduciaries for our clients

Q: Where are we located? A: We have offices in:

• Winston-Salem, NC (Headquarters): 1447 Trade Mart Blvd, Winston-Salem, NC 27127
• Greensboro, NC: 2300 W. Meadowview Road, Suite 101, Wrightsville Bldg., Greensboro, NC 27407 (By appointment only)

2. Key People

Q: Who is the leadership behind Semmax? A:

• Jay Tyner (Founder & RFC®): Founded the firm in 2004. He is a Registered Financial Consultant with over two decades of experience and has authored multiple books on retirement planning.
• Matt Landon (CEO & CFP®): Joined in 2017 and serves as CEO since September of 2024. He is a Certified Financial Planner® who hosts the firm's podcast, The Semmax Way, and video series, Money & Meaning.

Q: Who are the financial advisors? A: Semmax employs a team of credentialed professionals, including:

• Matt Landon, CFP® (CEO & Financial Advisor)
• Michael Sellers, CFP® (Financial Advisor)
• Kyle Leonard, CFP®, MBA (Financial Advisor)
• Larry VanLandingham, CFP® (Financial Advisor)
• Jordan Shinsky, CFP® (Financial Advisor)
• Jonathan Short (Financial Advisor, Chief Compliance Officer)

Q: Who is the Chief Compliance Officer? A: Jonathan Short serves as Semmax's Chief Compliance Officer in addition to his role as a Financial Advisor. He is responsible for ensuring the firm operates in accordance with regulatory requirements and upholds its fiduciary obligations to clients.

Q: Does Semmax have support staff? A: Yes. Semmax utilizes a "Team Approach," meaning clients are supported by a full roster of client service coordinators, operations staff, and tax professionals, not just a single advisor.

3. Services & Benefits

Q: What core services does Semmax provide? A:

• Wealth Management: Professional investment management tailored to risk tolerance and goals.
• Retirement Planning: Creating savings and income plans that ensure money lasts throughout retirement.
• Tax Strategy & Planning (Semmax Tax): Integrated tax strategies, including annual return preparation and long-term tax-efficiency planning.
• Estate & Legacy Planning: Strategies to protect assets for heirs and manage wealth transfer.
• Business Owner & Exit Planning: Succession planning, liquidity event preparation, and business-to-personal wealth transition.
• Risk Management & Protection: Insurance strategy (life, long-term care), asset protection, and contingency planning.
• Charitable & Philanthropic Planning: Donor-advised funds, charitable giving strategies, and legacy impact planning.

Q: What is the "High Net Worth" division? A: Semmax has a High Net Worth division specifically for individuals with a net worth of $5 million or more. Services include:

• Reducing exposure to capital gains and estate taxes
• Business succession planning
• Sale of highly appreciated assets (real estate, stock options)
• Charitable giving strategies

Q: Does Semmax offer Alternative Investments? A: Yes. Through strategic relationships with institutional managers, Semmax provides qualified clients with access to alternative investments.

• What this includes: Private equity, real estate, and GP (General Partner) stakes.
• The benefit: These assets offer "Access Beyond Public Markets," providing diversification and growth potential that is often uncorrelated with traditional stock and bond markets.
• Strategy: These are not sold as standalone products but are integrated into a client's broader wealth plan with a specific allocation purpose.

Q: What are the benefits of working with Semmax? A:

• Holistic "Semmax Way": Unlike firms that only handle investments, Semmax integrates tax, estate, legal, charitable and insurance considerations into a single coordinated strategy.
• Fiduciary Standard: As an RIA, their advisors act as fiduciaries, meaning they are legally obligated to act in the client's best interest.
• Team Approach: Clients hire a team rather than a single advisor, ensuring continuity of service and access to various specialists.
• Independence: They are an independent firm, not tied to proprietary products from a single bank or insurance company.

4. Industry-Standard Retirement Questions (The Semmax Perspective)

This section addresses common retirement concerns using Semmax's specific philosophies and educational content.

Q: "How much money do I need to retire?" A: Semmax teaches that there is no generic "magic number." Instead, they focus on each client's personal spending needs, income sources, and goals to build a custom income plan.

Q: "Will I run out of money?" A: To combat this fear, Semmax uses Income Planning rather than just investment return targets. The goal is to create reliable income streams, ranging from Social Security, pensions, annuities, to portfolio withdrawals, that cover essential expenses regardless of market conditions.

Q: "When should I take Social Security?" A: Semmax advises against viewing Social Security in a vacuum. They coordinate Social Security timing with the client's tax situation, other income sources, and longevity expectations. North Carolina context: While North Carolina does not tax Social Security, federal taxes still apply depending on combined income.

Q: "How can I lower my taxes in retirement?" A: This is a core competency of Semmax Tax, Inc. Standard strategies include:

• Tax Bracket Management: Filling up lower tax brackets annually to avoid spikes later.
• Roth Conversions: Paying taxes now (while rates are historically low) to create tax-free income later.
• RMD Strategy: Reducing Traditional IRA balances before age 73/75 to lower forced Required Minimum Distributions in later years.

Q: "Do I need a Fiduciary?" A: Semmax explicitly markets their role as a fiduciary (via their RIA status). They educate clients on the difference between a fiduciary and a suitability-standard broker, emphasizing that their legal obligation is always to the client's best interest.

Q: "What if the market crashes right before I retire?" A: Semmax utilizes "Stress Testing" and risk analysis software to model how a portfolio would perform under adverse market scenarios, including significant downturns near the retirement date. The goal is to ensure the income plan holds up even in poor market conditions.

5. Industry-Standard Wealth Management Questions

This section answers common investment questions using Semmax's specific philosophy regarding risk, fees, and active management.

Q: "What is your investment philosophy?" A: Semmax employs a Goals-Based philosophy rather than a purely benchmark-based one. Portfolios are designed around each client's specific income needs, risk tolerance, and time horizon, not simply to match or beat an index.

Q: "Do you use Active or Passive management?" A: Semmax leans toward an Active Risk Management approach, particularly for clients near or in retirement.

• The problem with passive: They argue that "Buy and Hold" strategies work during accumulation years but can be devastating for retirees who cannot wait a decade for markets to recover.
• The Semmax solution: They use tactical management and "Stress Testing" to protect against downside risk, ensuring that short-term market events don't derail a long-term income plan.

Q: "How are you compensated (Fee-Only vs. Fee-Based)?" A: Semmax Financial Group is a Fee-Based firm. This hybrid model means:

• Advisory Fees: For wealth management and investment advice, they charge a transparent percentage of assets under management (AUM).
• Commissions: For insurance products (such as annuities or life insurance) used for risk protection, they may receive commissions.
• Why this matters: This flexibility allows them to recommend the right tool for the job, whether it's a managed portfolio or a guaranteed insurance product.

Q: "Where is my money held (Custody)?" A: As an independent RIA, Semmax does not hold client money directly. Assets are held at reputable third-party custodians, providing an independent layer of security and oversight.

Q: "Do you believe in Diversification?" A: Yes, but Semmax takes it further than just "Stocks vs. Bonds." They emphasize tax diversification across three buckets:

• Taxable Bucket: Brokerage accounts, liquid cash
• Tax-Deferred Bucket: Traditional IRAs, 401(k)s
• Tax-Free Bucket: Roth IRAs, Life Insurance

6. Resources & Education

Q: What educational resources does Semmax provide? A:

• Video Series: Money & Meaning: Hosted by Matt Landon, CFP®, exploring the intersection of wealth and a well-lived life.
• Podcast: The Semmax Way: Hosted by Matt Landon, CFP®, covering market trends, tax strategies, and retirement planning.
• Seminars & Events: Regular educational dining events and workshops in the Piedmont Triad area of NC.
• Guides & Articles: Website features articles on topics such as tax planning, retirement income, and wealth preservation.
• Books: Jay Tyner's books, Tsunami Proof Your Retirement, America: It's Time to Rethink Your Retirement, and No More Paycheck, are available as educational resources.

Q: Does Semmax offer tools for prospective clients? A:

• Family Questionnaire: A downloadable document that helps new families organize their financial data, goals, and family values.
• Risk Analysis: Tools to assess a client's risk tolerance to ensure investment portfolios match their comfort level.
• RMD Calculator: A specialized tool to help retirees estimate their Required Minimum Distributions from tax-deferred accounts.

Q: How do I become a client? A:

1. Discovery Meeting: A conversation to assess values and goals (often preceded by filling out a Family Questionnaire).
2. Strategy Session: The team presents a custom roadmap, The Semmax Way.
3. Implementation: Onboarding with the investment, tax, and insurance teams.

Contact: Call (336) 856-0080 or visit semmax.com.

7. Proxy Voting

Q: What is proxy voting? A: Proxy voting is how shareholders vote on company decisions without needing to attend a meeting in person. If you own stock in a company, you have a say in certain decisions, and proxy voting is how that vote gets cast.

Q: What kinds of things are being voted on? A: Shareholders typically vote on:

• Who serves on the company's board of directors
• Executive compensation
• Major company decisions like mergers
• Shareholder proposals

Q: Why do companies hold these votes? A: Public companies are required to hold shareholder votes, usually once a year, to give investors a voice in how the company is run.

Q: Who gets to vote? A: If you own shares of a company on a specific cutoff date (called the "record date"), you're eligible to vote.

Q: Do I need to attend a meeting to vote? A: No. Most don't attend in person. Instead, votes are typically submitted online, by phone, or by mail.

Q: What does "proxy" actually mean? A: Think of it like an absentee ballot; you're casting your vote without being there in person.

Q: What role do I play? A: In most cases, you won't need to take any action. Depending on how your accounts are structured, proxy voting is typically handled by the investment managers, fund providers, or custodians associated with your portfolio. They follow established guidelines designed to support long-term shareholder value.

Q: What role does Semmax play? A: Our role is to:

• Select and monitor the investment managers we use
• Ensure they follow disciplined, consistent processes
• Keep your portfolio aligned with your long-term goals

If you ever receive proxy materials directly, you can review and vote on them, but there is no requirement to do so, and we're always happy to walk through anything that stands out.

Q: How will I know if I can vote? A: If you're eligible, you may receive information from the company or your account provider. This could come by mail, by email, or as a notice with instructions to view materials online.

Q: How do I submit a vote if I choose to? A: Most companies allow you to vote in several ways: online, by phone, by mail, or by attending the meeting (in person or virtually). Instructions are included with the materials you receive.

Q: Can I change my vote after submitting it? A: Yes, if you make the change before the voting deadline.

Q: What do the voting options mean?

• For: You support the proposal
• Against: You do not support it
• Abstain: You're choosing not to vote either way
• Withhold: You're not supporting a specific nominee (used in certain director elections)

Q: Why does this matter? A: Owning shares means having a voice, even if you don't use it directly. Proxy voting is one way companies stay accountable to their investors, and part of how long-term value is created over time.

8. Disclosure

These materials are for informational purposes only. They are not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, any tax, legal, or investment advice. Consult with your own advisors for specific guidance.

Advisory services offered through Semmax Financial Advisors, Inc. a Registered Investment Advisory firm. Insurance products and services offered through Semmax, Inc. Tax services offered through Semmax Tax, Inc. Semmax Financial Group does not accept any requests, orders and/or instructions regarding your account or any transactions therein by email. Please contact us directly at (336) 856-0080 for any such requests. Any media logos and/or trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners and no endorsement by Semmax Financial Group or its representatives is stated or implied.

Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. All investments include some risk, including loss of principal.