Insider Guide
July 2026
Celebrating milestones – come ring the bell
One of the best parts of what we do is celebrating with you when you reach meaningful financial milestones – in this case, retirement!
We loved celebrating Brian and Danel Lins as they rang the bell in our office to mark their retirement – and the start of an exciting new chapter in their lives! Ray Brown and Coby Sullivan were honored to share the moment with them and celebrate the years of planning, preparation, and hard work that helped make this day possible.
We love helping you plan for retirement with clarity and confidence, and when the day finally comes, we believe it is worth celebrating. Because retirement is more than a date on the calendar. It is a milestone, a transition, and the beginning of a new season.
You’re invited to Justin Pitcock’s book launch party
The Tax-Wise Wealth Blueprint
Happy Hour & Book signing with Justin Pitcock
@ the Reeves House in downtown Woodstock
5-7 pm
Friday August 14th
Charcuterie and drinks will be available to enjoy
*Each client family will receive 1 free copy of his book, plus 1 copy to share with a friend
Tax Planning
Trump Accounts Are Now Available
We give back: Never Alone
Never Alone helps fight hunger by providing food assistance to families and individuals facing hardship in Cherokee and surrounding counties. Pictured above is some of our staff at the Never Alone Gala this year.
Never alone is focused on meeting practical needs with compassion, which is one of the most meaningful ways we can care for our neighbors.
The Real Secret to Living Longer
Almost everyone we talk to says some version of the same thing:
“I feel like I’m behind.”
- behind on retirement
- behind compared to friends
- behind compared to what they thought life would look like by now
But here’s what we’ve learned after years of walking alongside people with very real, very responsible financial lives: most people aren’t actually behind. They’re just measuring themselves by the wrong scoreboard.
And when you’re keeping score in the wrong game, even doing “well” can feel exhausting.
Financial Freedom Reimagined- Happy 250th USA
In this special Fourth of July edition of The Money Pig Podcast, hosts Tim Goodwin and Joe Beckford tackle one of the biggest questions in personal finance: what does financial freedom actually mean, and how close are you to achieving it? Instead of vague buzzwords, they break freedom down into practical terms like peace, independence, generosity, and control over your time, revealing why true wealth isn’t just about your net worth, it’s about having the option to choose how you live and work. Their message is simple but powerful: if more money wouldn’t change your lifestyle choices, you may already be richer than you think.
The episode also dives into the fascinating evolution of investing in America – from the Buttonwood Agreement of 1792 to modern tools like 401(k)s, IRAs, Roth accounts, and zero-commission trading apps – showing how financial opportunity has expanded dramatically over the last 250 years. Tim and Joe explain how today’s investors have more access, flexibility, and education than ever before, yet many people still miss out simply because they never start. Their takeaway? The barriers to building wealth are lower than ever if you’re willing to take the first step.
Most importantly, the hosts challenge listeners to rethink retirement itself. Instead of being “put out of service,” financial freedom means working because you want to, not because you have to. Whether you’re early in your career or approaching retirement, they emphasize it’s never too late to build a strategy that lets you travel more, serve others, pursue meaningful work, and live life on your terms. If you’ve ever wondered when you can retire, how to invest smarter, or what freedom with money really looks like, this episode delivers an eye-opening perspective you won’t want to miss.
Nourish to flourish
by Tara Bruce
Freedom isn’t something you find. It’s something you practice.
When you hear the word *freedom*, what comes to mind?
Perhaps it’s retirement. A paid-off home. Enough money to travel wherever your heart desires. Maybe it’s a calendar with fewer obligations, the ability to spend more time with your grandchildren, or the peace of knowing that work has become a choice rather than a necessity.
Those are all beautiful expressions of freedom, and they matter. They are often the very goals we work toward for years. But lately, I’ve been wondering if freedom begins long before we ever reach those milestones.
What if freedom is also something we practice now in the day-to-day?
The freedom to breathe deeply instead of rushing through another day. The freedom to say “no” without carrying guilt. The freedom to laugh loudly, rest without feeling lazy, change your mind, forgive yourself, or become someone new. What if freedom comes from letting go of having to be right or controlling the outcome? Freedom might even come from unlearning habits that have kept us stuck.
Sometimes we spend so much of our lives preparing to live that we forget life is already happening.
We wait for the right moment.
The right season.
The right amount in our savings account.
The right circumstances.
Yet so many of life’s richest moments are available to us today.
Freedom can look like taking a walk without checking your phone. Sitting on the porch to watch the sunset. Calling someone you’ve been meaning to thank. Sharing a meal slowly with people you love. Choosing gratitude instead of worry. Choosing presence instead of hurry. Choosing generosity instead of scarcity. These small decisions may seem ordinary, but they can change how we experience our lives.
At Goodwin Investment Advisory, we believe financial planning is about far more than preparing for retirement. It’s about creating the freedom to live with intention, not just one day in the future, but right now. Financial peace allows you to make decisions that align with your values, spend more time doing what matters most, care for the people you love, and give generously along the way.
As we celebrated Independence Day earlier this month, perhaps it’s worth asking a different kind of question.
**What would it look like to live a little more freely today?**
Maybe the answer isn’t found only in reaching the next financial milestone. Maybe it’s found in choosing to fully inhabit this moment, appreciating the life you’ve already been given while continuing to wisely prepare for the future. Because flourishing isn’t something we postpone until everything is perfect. It’s something we choose, one beautiful, ordinary day at a time. And, somehow, that is what makes life EXTRAordinary!
Disclosure – All investment carries risk, and we cannot guarantee performance or results. Past performance does not guarantee future results. The comments regarding taxes and tax planning, market insights, podcast, blogs, guides, self improvement thoughts, activities and food & drink ideas are based on our perspectives and experience, and may not apply to your unique situation or be appropriate for your wellness. Justin Pitcock is an employee of GIA, and while GIA supports the general concepts outlined in the book, we are not responsible for any unintentional typos, errors or omissions. Furthermore, the specific strategies and concepts described in the book are not applicable in every person’s unique situation, and you should consult with your tax and legal professionals and your investment advisor to determine what is applicable in your specific situation. While GIA does not earn any direct compensation from sales of the book, GIA will have financial benefit when readers or other individuals become clients of GIA.
Please contact us for any questions relating to the content above, or to discuss how we can support you in your specific situation and help you to reach your financial and personal goals.
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