Getting started

Goodstead Co. is an independent registered investment advisor. We believe everyone should be able to work toward financial independence with a smart, simple, sustainable approach to saving and investing.

How we invest

• Don’t try to beat the market — we favor passive, diversified strategies over costly market-timing
• Manage your risk — portfolios balance safer and riskier asset classes so diversification works for you
• Give tax its due — when it makes sense, we help you use account types and structures that support tax efficiency
• Reduce fees — we emphasize low-cost funds and avoid unnecessary churn

What you can do in the app

• Open an Investment account or a Retirement (IRA) account
• Answer a short questionnaire and receive a recommended portfolio
• Connect your bank and deposit funds so your money can be invested
• Track activity, deposits, and brokerage operations from your dashboard

Brokerage accounts are held with Interactive Brokers. Goodstead advises on your portfolio and manages rebalancing; IBKR provides custody and trade execution.

To get started with Goodstead you generally need:

• To be at least 18 years old
• To be a resident of the United States
• A valid Social Security Number (SSN)
• A working email address and mobile phone number for verification
• A U.S. bank account you can link for deposits and withdrawals

During brokerage onboarding you will also provide personal, address, employment, and financial information required by Interactive Brokers.

Goodstead is designed for U.S. residents who can complete Interactive Brokers onboarding, including U.S. tax residency requirements (such as providing an SSN and completing W-9 certification).

If you live outside the U.S., you will not be able to complete account opening through Goodstead at this time.

After you create your Goodstead login:

1. Open the confirmation email we sent and confirm your email address if you have not already.
2. Sign in and complete phone verification when prompted — a verified phone is required before you can open the brokerage application.
3. From Home, complete and submit the Interactive Brokers application.
4. Once the application is submitted and any pending tasks are cleared, create your Investment or Retirement plan and choose a portfolio.
5. Deposits become available after your brokerage account is open.

If you do not see the confirmation email, check spam/junk, wait a few minutes, and use the resend option from the confirmation screen.

To open an Investment account:

1. Finish your Goodstead registration and email confirmation.
2. Complete the Interactive Brokers application from Home (identity, address, employment, financial profile, and agreements).
3. After submission, open Accounts and create an Investment plan.
4. Answer the risk and goals questions, review the recommended portfolio, and confirm your selection.
5. Connect your bank account and make your first deposit when funding is available.

You can follow pending tasks and brokerage status from Home and Operations.

If a verification code does not arrive:

• Confirm the phone number or email on your account is correct
• Wait a moment, then request another code if the first one does not arrive
• For email codes, check spam, promotions, and filtered folders
• For SMS codes, make sure your phone has signal and is not blocking short codes

If you still cannot verify, contact Goodstead support with the email on your account so we can help you regain access securely.