Holding Company
Table of Contents
What is a Holding Company
A holding company owns controlling interests in one or more subsidiaries. It typically does not sell products or services itself—instead it centralizes ownership, cash, and risk management. Founders use it to separate operating risk from assets, simplify capital allocation, and plan succession or exits.
This page includes a simple calculator to estimate annual administrative costs and potential benefits like tax deferral and liability shielding. Always consult legal and tax professionals for specific jurisdictions.
How the Structure Works
- Top-level HoldCo owns shares of operating companies (OpCos)
- Dividends and excess cash flow move to HoldCo for allocation
- Assets (IP, real estate) can sit in HoldCo and be licensed to OpCos
- Liability is ring‑fenced at the subsidiary level (subject to piercing tests)
- Consolidated reporting simplifies investor relations and exits
Holding Company Calculator
Worked Example
Three subsidiaries with $500k combined revenue. Annual filing $400 and insurance $600 per entity. Expected tax deferral 1.5% via dividend timing and asset protection focus.
Admin cost = 3 × ($400 + $600) = $3,000. Potential deferral = $500,000 × 1.5% = $7,500. Net = +$4,500 plus liability shielding (score ~6.5/10).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a holding company legal/tax advice?
Not here—use this as an educational model. Tax treatment and entity rules vary widely by country/state. Always consult counsel.
When does a holding company make sense?
Multiple subsidiaries, asset ring‑fencing, or centralized capital allocation. If admin costs exceed benefits, keep it simple.
What are common pitfalls?
Commingling funds, inadequate capitalization, poor documentation—these can pierce the corporate veil. Maintain clean books and formalities.