invest with clarity
retire with confidence
protect your legacy
all of the guidance and none of the pressure, conveniently located near Big Canoe, GA
You deserve to know that your money is working for you, growing, and will live longer than you do! With Goodwin Investment Advisory, we guide you along the way to make sure that you’re investing smart and building a legacy.
financial planner near Big Canoe, GA
Our financial planning services are built on our values of integrity, honesty, trust, responsibility, innovation and learning. Our team is carefully committed to your goals, hopes, and dreams. You will find that our financial advisors truly care about you and your family. We are not just financial advisors. We are your guide, your coach, your accountability partner, and your advocate. We want nothing more than for you to achieve your financial goals!
comfortable retirement
Only about 1 in 5 workers feel very confident they will have enough money to live comfortably throughout retirement. We want to help change that by creating a financial plan designed to give you greater clarity and confidence and help you retire earlier than you may think is possible.
*2026 Retirement Confidence Survey, Employee Benefit Research Institute and Greenwald Research
peace-of-mind
Your peace-of-mind for both retirement and your short-term financial goals is very important to us. We want you to live with freedom to pursue a life full of purpose and meaning and to become the hero of your own financial story. As you are looking for a financial advisor, check out our right-fit guide to help you ask the right questions so that you find the advisor that is right for you.
we make the road to great financial confidence easy
STEP 1
schedule free intro call
Reach out to us to schedule a complimentary introductory call. On this 15 minute call, we’ll discuss your financial needs and goals.
STEP 3
grow your wealth and your peace-of-mind
Have confidence in knowing that together we will work to achieve your goals.
we aren’t just financial advisors
we’re parents, community leaders, & entrepreneurs
We understand your goals because we share them too. This is why we don’t invest your money into something we do not personally invest in ourselves. We have worked with singles and families across Georgia to develop plans to reach their financial life goals and make significant financial decisions with certitude. Our custom planning process layered with full-access support from our advisors empowers our clients to live life intentionally and financially free.
Tucked away in the foothills of the North Georgia Appalachian Mountains, Big Canoe is a private residential community that offers a perfect mix of relaxation and adventure. Just an hour north of Atlanta, this scenic retreat is ideal for weekend getaways, summer vacations, and cozy fall escapes. Whether you’re looking to enjoy mountain air, unwind lakeside, or take on outdoor activities, Big Canoe has something for everyone.
With a year-round population made up of about 60% full-time residents, many of who commute to Atlanta, Big Canoe is more than just a vacation spot—it’s a thriving community. The median listing price for homes here sits around $549,900, with a median sold price of $475,000. The area’s average income is approximately $66,082 per person, making it one of North Georgia’s most sought-after places to live.
Outdoor lovers will have plenty to explore, with over 20 miles of hiking trails and three stunning waterfalls to discover. Lake Petit is a favorite for boating and fishing, offering peaceful waters and all the gear you need at the Marina Shack. For a day of lakeside fun, The Beach Club at Lake Disharoon has a zero-entry pool, paddle boats, kayaks, and a designated swimming area. If you’re up for a thrill, don’t miss the 200-foot rock slide!
Golfers can hit the links on Big Canoe’s 27-hole championship course, while racquet sports enthusiasts will find both indoor and outdoor courts for tennis, pickleball, and racquetball. With more than 50 community clubs, there’s always something happening, whether it’s social gatherings, outdoor excursions, or fitness activities.
Big Canoe is more than just a place to visit—it’s a place where families, retirees, and weekend adventurers come to make lasting memories in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
FAQs
All five of our financial advisors hold the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® certification. Earning this credential requires meeting rigorous education, examination, experience, and ethics requirements, along with ongoing continuing education.
GIA has been serving clients since 2004. Your advisor is also supported by our investment committee, planning professionals, and client service team.
Learn more: Meet our team | What is a CFP® professional?
We help coordinate the different parts of your financial life, including:
- Investment management.
- Retirement planning and income strategies.
- Social Security decisions.
- Tax planning, including Roth conversion strategies.
- Estate and legacy planning coordination.
- Charitable giving.
- Guidance through changes such as retirement, an inheritance, divorce, or the loss of a spouse.
We provide tax planning and coordinate with your CPA and attorney as needed for tax and legal advice.
Explore: Our services and client benefits
Your investments should support your goals, your timeline, and the level of risk you can reasonably take.
Our approach combines diversification, disciplined investment selection, attention to costs, and tax awareness. We use a dynamic approach to asset allocation, which means we may adjust the mix of investments as economic conditions change. Your advisor considers your income needs, financial resources, and comfort with risk when recommending a portfolio.
All investing involves risk, and returns are not guaranteed.
Learn more: Our investment management approach
Our approach brings together:
- CFP® expertise: All five financial advisors hold CFP® certification.
- A fiduciary commitment: Recommendations must put your best interests first.
- Coordinated planning: We consider how investments, retirement income, taxes, and family goals work together.
- An ongoing relationship: You have access to your advisor team as questions arise and life changes.
- A personal mission: We want to help you experience financial peace, independence, and generosity.
We want to understand what your money needs to do for you and help you make decisions that support that life.
Explore: How to work with us
GIA is a fee-only registered investment advisor. For ongoing investment management, our advisory fee is based on the assets we manage for you. The effective percentage decreases as the amount managed increases.
Fees are typically deducted from your investment accounts quarterly, with a published minimum of $1,875 per quarter. Financial planning is included for households with at least $500,000 under management. Underlying investment expenses and certain other account costs may apply separately.
Your advisor can explain the fee for your specific accounts, what it covers, and any additional expenses before you decide to move forward.
Review: Our fee schedule | Firm disclosures and relationship summary
Our team monitors your investments and reviews accounts as financial circumstances and market conditions change.
Fidelity is our preferred custodian. Its website and app provide account balances, performance information, statements, and tools for comparing returns with benchmarks. Investment management clients receive holdings and performance statements from Fidelity at least quarterly.
We also use gMoney, our collaborative financial planning tool, to bring together your broader financial picture, project income and expenses, and track progress toward your goals.
Learn more: Client tools and communication
Your advisor would start with the retirement you want: your preferred retirement date, expected spending, travel plans, healthcare needs, and other priorities.
Then, together, you would review:
- Retirement accounts, other investments, savings, and debt.
- Social Security, pensions, and other income.
- How much your investments would need to provide after taxes.
- How your plan could support a longer-than-expected retirement.
- What adjustments may help if your circumstances or assumptions change.
Using planning projections and different scenarios, your advisor can help assess whether your resources support your desired retirement and what changes could improve your outlook. These projections are estimates, rather than guarantees.
Timing: We can begin discussing these questions at your first advisor meeting. A personalized analysis depends on receiving your financial information and understanding the complexity of your situation. Your advisor can outline the steps and expected completion date. If you mean how many more years you may need to work, that is one of the questions the analysis would help answer.
Explore: Retirement planning | Free financial guides
Your advisor would evaluate both accounts as part of your overall retirement income and tax plan.
- Traditional 401(k): Withdrawals of pretax contributions and earnings generally count as taxable income.
- Roth 401(k): Qualified withdrawals are generally tax-free. For a typical retirement withdrawal, this means meeting the five-tax-year requirement and being at least age 59½.
There is no single withdrawal order that works for everyone. Your advisor would consider your spending needs, tax bracket, Social Security, Medicare premiums, required minimum distributions, and goals for your family.
For example, taking some traditional withdrawals during lower-income years may make sense. In another year, qualified Roth withdrawals might help cover a larger expense without adding taxable income. Sometimes a combination is appropriate.
Your CFP® professional would compare the options and coordinate with your CPA to recommend a strategy for your circumstances, with attention to taxes throughout retirement.
Learn more: Our tax planning approach
