Holistic Planning Builds AI OS, Moves $450M to Altruist

A Texas-based RIA built its own operating system and is moving nearly half a billion dollars to a new custodian. The move shows how real-time data access is changing advisor tech.

Holistic Planning, a Nacogdoches, Texas, RIA founded in 2023 by former Edward Jones advisors, created HolisticOS. The firm will shift about $450 million to Altruist, roughly 36% of its $1.25 billion in client assets. Jason Barber, founder and CEO, said the partnership with Altruist made the unified platform possible. Altruist's real-time APIs let the RIA integrate custodial infrastructure directly into its software.

“When I hear the word integration, I’m like, ‘No, I don’t want that anymore.’ Integration is like duct tape,” Barber said.

The in-house system handles account opening, CRM, portfolio analysis, messaging, compliance, money movement, e-signature, tax and estate planning, and marketing. It connects only with Altruist, Microsoft, and Zoom. The firm still uses Schwab for some custody. Barber and his team built the rest of the functionality using Claude, Anthropic's AI tool.

HolisticOS has its own AI agent, separate from Altruist's Hazel. Barber said the tech stack concept is dead. At Edward Jones, he could do everything in one system. In the independent space, he found himself juggling a dozen logins. “My honest opinion is that when you net it all out, I thought that it was actually a downgrade technology-wise moving from Edward Jones to the independent space,” he said.

Real-time data was a key pain point. Pulling a data feed from the custodian meant getting previous day's values. Sending money, updating beneficiaries, or changing an address required a separate login to the custodian. Altruist's real-time APIs solve that. “With our software, we’re going to have real-time APIs into our software where we’re able to send money, move money, place trades, update beneficiaries, open accounts, all inside our software without ever logging into Altruist,” Barber said. “That’s like the holy grail.”

Holistic Planning will make HolisticOS available to its own advisors, Uptick Partners, and outside RIAs. The official launch is set for the Future Proof Festival in September.

Barber also pointed to Altruist's alternative investments marketplace as a draw. The transfer process is fully digital. He recently moved a client from Schwab to Altruist in about 90 seconds.

The $450 million migration represents a meaningful vote of confidence in Altruist's technology. For other RIAs evaluating their own stacks, the ease of moving assets and the elimination of multi-login workflows are tangible benefits. Microsoft, whose tools are integrated into HolisticOS, has an Alpha Score of 57, reflecting neutral positioning in the current market. The broader MSFT stock page shows the stock up 2.31% at $399.76 today.