You may have seen a flurry of activity in the old garage at the quick turn behind the former pawn shop. Bushes have been trimmed, repairs made and a fresh new face has been added. A financial planning firm is now serving clients in downtown Clarkesville.
Integrity Financial Advisors has opened a “full service financial service station” in a circa 1930s former automobile repair shop, located at 126 Grant Street. Jaime G. Huffman, a registered representative and investment advisor for INVEST Financial Corporation, is excited about being a part of the downtown business community once again. Huffman’s company, for the past eight years located in Baldwin, originally opened in Clarkesville in 2001, while she still owned the historic Burns-Sutton House.
“I’m primarily an independent financial advisor,” she said. Huffman, with 35 years experience in capital investments, financial analysis and wealth management, has been serving clients in Northeast Georgia for the past 15 years. “I’m thrilled to be back downtown,” Huffman said. The former garage building has been home to several businesses since its initial restoration several years ago, and Huffman’s intention was to upgrade the space while maintaining the retro look of the auto service station. “Downtown Clarkesville is going through a renaissance, and even in this old garage, folks that have come by have been blown away,” she said.
IFA is a comprehensive financial planning firm offering individual investment management, private business financial planning, retirement and estate planning. One advantage to selecting IFA is the personalized approach offered locally by Huffman. Helping clients achieve financial security is rewarding, Huffman said.
“The investment world is challenging for most people especially if they work in another area of expertise,” she said. “My goal is to work in collaboration with clients.” Approaching retirement can sometimes be a scary time for people, she added. “Their whole world has revolved around work,” she said. Executives and business owners have sometimes never thought about their retirement, she said “Working together, we come up with a plan they feel comfortable with…[we] figure out what they want to do – like that bucket list – and then develop a financial path for achieving their dreams.” Whether the individual wants to travel, start another business or create a charitable foundation, Huffman helps her clients achieve those goals.
She is also a CPA and insurance-licensed. “I’m always looking for a ways to minimize both income and estate taxes,” she said. “I understand both complex family and business financial situations. I can make suggestions to help minimize taxes and preserve a family’s net worth…that’s value-added.”
Leveraging the resources of INVEST Financial Corporation, she said, allows a high-tech, secure approach to comprehensive financial planning with sophisticated web-based tools. “Clients have secure access,” she said. “Once we start doing their financial plans, our software pulls in all investments from all institutions into one client site.”
Huffman has been involved in community organizations Habitat for Humanity of Northeast Georgia and the Soque River Watershed Association. She plans to rejoin the Clarkesville Business & Community Association and support the Clarkesville Main Street program. “There’s a revitalized spirit in downtown Clarkesville,” Huffman said, “and I am pleased to be a part of it.”
IFA is located at 126 Grant Street, just past the quick turn heading north on Historic Highway 441/Grant Street. Office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. For more information, visit integrityfinancialgroup.net, call Huffman at 706-778-0236, or email [email protected].
