Find a Financial Advisor in DeKalb County

DeKalb County at a glance

DeKalb County is metro Atlanta’s east side, and it holds more variety than a single name suggests. Decatur has a walkable square and a college town feel. Dunwoody and Brookhaven sit near the Perimeter business district. Tucker, Chamblee and Doraville blend older neighborhoods with new development. South DeKalb, including Stonecrest and Lithonia, is a large and growing area with its own history and character. This page covers the Georgia county as a whole, which is separate from Fulton, Gwinnett and Cobb counties around it.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, the county had about 765,351 residents and a median age of 36.4. Median household income is $80,644, per capita income is $46,998 and the median home value is $357,800. The median gross rent is $1,692 a month, and the median owner cost with a mortgage is $1,979. About 58.8 percent of households own their home, 13.8 percent of residents are 65 or older, and 47.4 percent of adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher. The unemployment rate in the survey was 6.4 percent.

Those numbers point to a well-educated county where renting is common and a lot of households are working out how to buy a home, build savings and protect what they have.

Who works here: universities, hospitals, public health and government

A large share of DeKalb employment comes from institutions rather than a single company. Emory University and Emory Healthcare are major employers, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has its headquarters campus on the Atlanta side of the county line near Emory. Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, other hospitals, DeKalb County government and the county school system add thousands of jobs. Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Oglethorpe University in Brookhaven and Georgia Perimeter-area college campuses bring faculty and staff. Corporate offices around Perimeter Center draw commuters from across the metro.

Institutional jobs create planning questions that private-sector jobs often do not:

• 403(b) and 457 plans. Hospital and university staff often have several accounts with different investment menus and fees. An advisor can review which options make sense.
• Pensions and federal benefits. A federal employee has a different retirement system, health plan and survivor rules than a county or school employee. Confirm current rules with the plan administrator.
• Grant-funded and contract work. Researchers on grants face uncertain funding and need a larger cash reserve.
• Public service loan forgiveness. Nurses, teachers and nonprofit workers may qualify, and a mistake in the paperwork can cost years. A planner can help you track it.

How to choose a financial advisor in DeKalb County

Begin with the single decision you most want help with, whether that is buying a first home, consolidating old retirement accounts or planning a sale of a business. Then compare people on a few points.

1. Ask how they are paid, then ask for the total annual cost in dollars on a sample account of your size.
2. Request a written statement of whether they act as a fiduciary. Our financial advisors guide explains what the word does and does not promise.
3. Verify registration on the SEC adviser database and FINRA BrokerCheck. Georgia also regulates advisors through the Secretary of State securities division.
4. Look for someone who has worked with households like yours, such as first-time buyers, public employees, physicians or retirees.
5. Meet with two or three. Choose the person who asks good questions before offering a product.

Housing, renting and the road to ownership

With 58.8 percent of households owning, DeKalb has a larger renting population than most suburban counties. A median gross rent of $1,692 against a median owner cost with a mortgage of $1,979 means the monthly gap between renting and buying is smaller than many people expect, though buying also brings taxes, insurance and repairs.

A financial planner can walk a renter through the steps. A couple in Doraville paying 1,700 dollars in rent might target a down payment, check mortgage programs offered through Georgia housing agencies, and then compare the true monthly cost of a house in Tucker against their present budget. Mortgage rules and program limits change, so confirm current terms with a lender.

Homeowners in older neighborhoods such as Druid Hills, Oakhurst and Kirkwood face a different question: how to pay for roof, plumbing and energy upgrades on houses that are decades old. Setting aside one to two percent of a home’s value each year for repairs is a common rule of thumb.

Wealth management in DeKalb County

Wealth management brings investments, taxes, insurance and estate planning together. It usually fits households with significant assets, business interests or complicated pay. In DeKalb, that group includes physicians and researchers, executives who work near Perimeter, owners of small firms in Chamblee and Tucker, and families who have built equity in intown neighborhoods over decades.

Ask about minimums, because many firms have them. Also ask whether the firm works with people whose wealth is in a house and a retirement plan rather than a large brokerage account.

Georgia taxes and homestead relief

Georgia taxes wages and most retirement withdrawals at a flat state income tax rate, and the rate has been lowered in recent years, so check the current figure. Residents who are older generally qualify for a retirement income exclusion, with limits that depend on age and the type of income. Social Security benefits are not taxed by Georgia. Confirm current rules with the Georgia Department of Revenue or a tax professional.

Property tax planning is especially important in DeKalb. The county has a local sales tax program that is applied as a credit against homestead property taxes, and there are homestead exemptions available to qualifying owners, including some for seniors. These benefits are usually not automatic. You apply, and deadlines matter. A homeowner who skips the application can pay hundreds of dollars more each year.

Georgia also has no state estate tax, but federal rules apply, and a will or trust is still worth having. See our guide to estate planning for the basics.

Retirement planning in DeKalb County

Retirement here splits into a few groups. Public employees often count on a pension and want to know how much to supplement. Hospital and university staff rely on 403(b) accounts. People who built careers at corporations near Perimeter may have a 401(k) and stock. Others are self-employed and must build their own plan.

A good retirement plan for DeKalb residents answers some specific questions. When should you claim Social Security? How much should you hold in cash versus investments as you near retirement? What will health coverage cost between leaving a job and Medicare? Where do you want to live, and would moving to a lower-cost part of Georgia help? Our retirement planning guide covers the basics.

Many DeKalb residents want to stay close to Emory-area medical care, so health access can influence where retirees settle. A planner can compare staying in a current home with downsizing within the county.

Financial planners in DeKalb County

A financial planner builds the written roadmap: current position, goals and the steps between. Planning usually covers budgeting, debt, saving, insurance, investing, taxes and estate documents. Some planners hold the CFP designation, which requires education, an exam, experience and ethics standards. Others do not, so ask which credentials a person actually holds.

Typical needs include:

• Paying down student loans while starting a retirement account.
• Setting up a savings system for a partner who works in the film or restaurant industry and has uneven pay.
• Planning for a parent who needs care, which is common among households in their forties and fifties.
• Saving for college. Georgia has a 529 plan, and our college savings guide explains the options.

Life insurance in DeKalb County

Life insurance pays a death benefit to protect people who rely on your income. For a young family with a mortgage, term coverage is common because it is affordable and lasts through the years of highest need. Permanent insurance can have a place in estate or business planning, but the cost is higher and the reason should be specific.

Check what coverage you already have through work. Many employers provide a small amount, often a multiple of salary, which may disappear if you change jobs. Employer coverage is rarely enough alone. Our life insurance guide shows how to size a policy. Single parents, couples who share a mortgage and anyone who supports a relative should review coverage every few years.

Investment advisors in DeKalb County

An investment advisor guides or manages a portfolio. Common fee models are a percentage of assets, a flat yearly amount or an hourly rate. Ask for the total cost, including fund expenses, and ask how the advisor chooses investments. If you hold a 403(b) with limited options, a good advisor will explain how to build around them. Our investing guide is a place to start.

Storms, ice and insurance in DeKalb

DeKalb’s weather risks are different from coastal Georgia. The biggest threats are severe thunderstorms, tornado watches, falling trees onto homes and cars, and occasional ice storms that cause long power outages. Heavy rain can also flood low-lying areas near creeks, including parts of the Peachtree Creek and South River watersheds.

Steps worth taking:

• Read your homeowners policy for wind and hail deductibles, which may be a percentage of the home value.
• Price flood insurance if you are near a creek, because standard policies exclude it.
• Document your home and belongings with photos.
• Keep an emergency fund large enough to cover a deductible and a stay away from home.

Commuting, MARTA and the cost of getting around

DeKalb has more transit options than most Georgia counties. MARTA rail stations in Decatur, Doraville, Chamblee, Brookhaven and Kensington serve parts of the county, and many residents work downtown, at Emory or at Perimeter. Households that use transit can sometimes manage with one car instead of two, which saves thousands a year in payments, insurance and fuel. Others depend on I-285 and I-85 and spend significant time and money on the road.

When you weigh a house against an apartment, add the commute. A cheaper home farther out may cost more once you count a second car and daily time lost.

Areas we serve in DeKalb County

Advisors who serve DeKalb County work with households in Brookhaven, Chamblee, Dunwoody, Stonecrest and Tucker, along with Decatur, Doraville, Lithonia, Clarkston, Stone Mountain, Avondale Estates and unincorporated communities such as Druid Hills, Candler-McAfee and Panthersville. Each has its own character and local government, but an advisor can serve any of them by phone or video.

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Budgeting and building a cushion

In a county with a high share of renters and rising housing costs, a written budget is the first tool. Track fixed costs such as rent, transportation, insurance and loan payments, then decide how much goes to savings before spending begins. A reserve equal to three to six months of expenses protects against job loss, especially for those in grant-funded roles. Our budgeting and saving guide shows a simple method.

What to bring to a first call

Bring recent statements for retirement and investment accounts, your most recent tax return, a list of debts, details on any pension or employer benefit, and a short note on your goals. If you share finances with a partner, invite them. Complete information lets the advisor give advice that fits you.

Frequently asked questions