Find a Financial Advisor in Florida

Financial planning in Florida at a glance

Florida is the third most populous state, with roughly 23.4 million residents, and it has been one of the fastest growing states in recent years. Its regions have distinct economies. South Florida, stretching from Miami-Dade through Broward and Palm Beach counties, is a hub for trade with Latin America, finance, real estate and tourism, and has attracted investment firms relocating from the Northeast. Tampa Bay mixes healthcare, financial services and MacDill Air Force Base. Orlando and Central Florida revolve around theme parks and hospitality, with a growing simulation and defense technology sector. The Space Coast has revived around commercial launches at Cape Canaveral. Jacksonville anchors the northeast with Navy bases and logistics, Tallahassee and Gainesville are government and university towns, the Panhandle leans on military installations and beaches, and Southwest Florida, from Sarasota to Naples, is home to some of the country’s largest retiree populations.

Those differences show up in planning. A portfolio manager who moved to Palm Beach may be focused on establishing Florida domicile. A Navy officer in Pensacola may be comparing military retirement options. A hotel manager in Kissimmee may be building savings on a variable income. A retired couple in The Villages may be weighing long-term care. A Fort Myers homeowner still recovering from past storms may be rethinking insurance and whether to stay. Florida’s rules frame each of these decisions.

Financial advisors in Florida: services and pricing

A financial advisor helps you clarify goals, organize accounts and make better decisions about investments, taxes, insurance and retirement income. Florida has one of the deepest advisor markets in the country. National firms maintain large teams in Miami, Boca Raton, Tampa and Naples; independent registered investment advisers operate in nearly every county; insurance-led practices are common in smaller communities; and fee-only planners serve clients statewide over video. Many advisors here specialize in retirees and people relocating from other states.

Advisor pricing in Florida follows national patterns.

Wealth management in Florida

Wealth management blends investment management with tax strategy, estate and trust planning, philanthropy and business succession. Florida has one of the largest concentrations of affluent retirees and newly relocated high earners in the country, and its wealth managers regularly handle situations like these:

• Changing domicile. People moving from high-tax states often need to prove they have truly left, using steps such as filing a declaration of domicile with the county clerk, claiming the homestead exemption, and moving driver’s licenses, voter registration and key relationships to Florida.
• Selling a business. Owners who sell after becoming Florida residents avoid state income tax on the gain, but the timing and documentation of the move matter if the old state looks closely.
• Trusts and generational planning. Florida’s trust laws and its lack of an estate tax make it a common base for family trusts, though federal estate tax still applies to the largest estates.
• Waterfront and vacation property. Coastal homes and rentals concentrate wealth in places exposed to storms, which makes insurance, liquidity and succession planning essential.

Ask about minimums and fee schedules early, since some wealth managers serve only households above a certain asset level.

Financial planners in Florida

A financial planner builds a written roadmap covering budgeting, saving, debt, insurance, investing, taxes and estate basics. Certified Financial Planner professionals complete education, examination and experience requirements and must act as fiduciaries when giving financial advice.

Florida families often bring planners questions like these:

• Whether to use Florida Prepaid College Plans, which lock in future tuition and fees, or the Florida 529 Savings Plan, which invests for any qualified expense. With no state income tax there is no deduction either way, but qualified withdrawals avoid federal tax. Our college savings guide explains the tradeoffs.
• How large an emergency fund to hold when a hurricane deductible can equal a percentage of the home’s insured value. Citizens Property Insurance, the state-created insurer of last resort, has also been phasing in a requirement that its homeowners policyholders carry separate flood coverage.
• How to manage high-interest debt while still saving for the future. Our debt management guide walks through options.
• How to budget for seasonal income in tourism, hospitality and construction.

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A Florida financial planner can review your budget, reserves and insurance with you. It is free, with no obligation.

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Retirement planning in Florida

Florida is the classic retirement state, and taxes are a big reason. Its constitution prohibits a personal income tax, so Social Security benefits, pensions, 401(k) and IRA withdrawals, annuity income and investment gains are not taxed by the state. Retirees who arrive from states with income tax often find this is the right moment for Roth conversions or larger withdrawals, since only federal tax applies. Our tax planning guide explains how federal brackets shape those choices.

Property tax rules reward staying in a primary home:

• Homestead exemption. Owners who make a Florida home their permanent residence by January 1 can apply with the county property appraiser for an exemption that lowers its taxable value.
• Save Our Homes. After the first year, the assessed value of a homestead can rise by no more than 3 percent a year or the change in the Consumer Price Index, whichever is lower, even when market values jump.
• Portability. When you sell one Florida homestead and establish another within the allowed time, you can generally transfer much of your accumulated Save Our Homes benefit to the new home.
• Senior and veteran relief. Many counties and cities offer an additional exemption for lower-income homeowners 65 and older, and there are separate exemptions for disabled veterans, surviving spouses and people with disabilities.

Amounts and income limits change, so confirm current figures with your county property appraiser or the Florida Department of Revenue.

Florida’s homestead also carries strong creditor protection under the state constitution, along with restrictions on how the home can be left by will when an owner is survived by a spouse or minor child. Those rules surprise many newcomers, so review your deed and estate plan with a Florida attorney.

Public employees, including teachers, state workers, university staff and many county and city employees, participate in the Florida Retirement System. Members choose between a traditional pension plan and an investment plan that works like a 401(k), and that choice, along with deferred retirement options, can shape lifetime income. Our retirement planning guide covers the broader steps.

A Florida retirement plan should address:

1. A budget that includes insurance premiums, HOA or condo fees, healthcare and Medicare costs.
2. Social Security timing coordinated with any pension and with a spouse.
3. An order for drawing on taxable, tax-deferred and Roth accounts.
4. Long-term care options and an updated will, durable power of attorney and health care surrogate designation.

Life insurance in Florida

Life insurance provides money for your family or business when you die, covering lost income, debts, final expenses or estate costs. Term life is the most affordable way to get substantial coverage for a fixed period. Permanent life, such as whole or universal life, costs more but can last a lifetime and build cash value. Our life insurance guide explains how much coverage to consider.

Florida-specific considerations include:

• Creditor protection. Florida law generally shields life insurance cash values and annuity contracts from creditors, a meaningful benefit for doctors, business owners and others with liability exposure.
• Second marriages and blended families. Retirees who remarry in Florida often use life insurance to provide for children from earlier marriages.
• Estate liquidity. For owners of waterfront property or businesses, a policy can provide cash so heirs do not have to sell quickly.

The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation oversees insurers, and the Department of Financial Services licenses agents and runs a consumer helpline for insurance questions and complaints. A fee-only advisor can review an existing policy without a sales incentive.

Investment advisors in Florida

Investment advisers paid for advice register with the Florida Office of Financial Regulation or, for larger firms, with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Registered investment advisers owe their clients a fiduciary duty. Brokers are regulated by FINRA, and many professionals are registered as both.

Check any advisor on SEC Investment Adviser Public Disclosure and FINRA BrokerCheck, and ask for the Form ADV Part 2 brochure describing services, fees and conflicts. Topics to discuss with a Florida investment advisor:

• Retirement income design. Balancing growth, cash reserves and steady income can protect against market declines early in retirement.
• Annuity scrutiny. Florida residents are frequent targets for annuity sales, so make sure any contract fits your needs and its surrender charges are clear.
• Diversification after relocation. Newcomers often arrive with concentrated stock or old employer plans worth consolidating. Our investing basics guide covers the fundamentals.

How to choose a financial advisor in Florida

1. Decide what you need: a one-time plan, investment management, retirement income, insurance advice or full wealth management.
2. Ask whether the advisor is always a fiduciary and request that statement in writing.
3. Find out how the advisor is paid and request an annual cost estimate.
4. Look up the advisor on SEC and FINRA tools and verify state registration with the Office of Financial Regulation when it applies.
5. Ask about experience with clients like you, such as FRS members, military families, relocating retirees or business owners.
6. Interview two or three advisors before you choose.

From Key West to Pensacola, many Floridians now work with their advisor entirely by phone or video.

Cities and counties we serve in Florida

Cities

Counties

Florida financial planning guides

Each topic has its own page with Florida rules and costs:

Frequently asked questions