Find a Financial Advisor in Burlington County

Commuters, cranberry bogs and a big military base: the Burlington County economy

Burlington County runs from the Delaware River towns of Burlington, Riverton and Palmyra, through the suburbs of Mount Laurel, Moorestown and Evesham, and deep into the Pinelands, where blueberry and cranberry farms and quiet forest roads are common. The county seat is Mount Holly. Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, a major military installation, employs service members, federal civilians and contractors. A large share of working residents commute across the river to Philadelphia or to office parks along Route 73 and the Turnpike, while health care, education, retail and logistics fill many local jobs. Rowan College at Burlington County in Mount Laurel is a local college option.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, Burlington County has about 481,439 residents. The median age is 41.7, the median household income is $108,111 and the median home value is $354,000. About 76.1% of homes are owner occupied, 18.3% of residents are 65 or older, and 42.5% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher. The unemployment rate in that survey was 5.3%.

That adds up to a settled, well educated county of homeowners, many of whom are in their peak earning and saving years. The questions tend to be about balance: how to save for retirement and college at the same time, how to handle property taxes, and how to line up two incomes, a pension and perhaps a military benefit.

New Jersey tax rules and the Philadelphia commute

New Jersey taxes wages and most investment income, and it has some of the highest property taxes in the country. It does not tax Social Security benefits, and it offers a pension and retirement income exclusion for people under certain income levels. It also exempts military retirement pay from state income tax. These rules have caps and limits, so confirm current figures with the New Jersey Division of Taxation or a tax professional.

For people who live in Burlington County and work in Philadelphia, New Jersey and Pennsylvania have a reciprocal agreement for wages, which means you generally file in your home state rather than pay tax to both. Philadelphia has its own city wage tax, and the rules for it can differ from the state agreement, so ask a tax professional how it applies to your paycheck. Remote and hybrid work add more questions about where income is taxed.

When someone dies, New Jersey has no estate tax, but it does charge an inheritance tax depending on who receives the property. Spouses and children generally pass free of it, while siblings and friends can face rates. Our guide to estate planning explains how beneficiary forms and wills work together, and a New Jersey attorney can advise on the details.

Retirement planning in Burlington County

Retirement here may include an employer pension, a 401(k), Social Security, the sale of a house and in some cases a military or federal benefit. The challenge is to line these up so income is steady and taxes are managed. Our overview of retirement planning covers the building blocks.

Imagine a couple in Medford, both 60, who work as a school administrator and a nurse. They have a state pension for one, a 403(b) for the other, a paid off house and one adult child still at home. They might wonder when each should retire, how to bridge the gap before Medicare at 65, and what to do about the property tax bill if they stay. Many New Jersey retirees weigh staying near family against moving to a state with lower taxes, and the answer depends on numbers, not slogans.

For military retirees and federal civilians near the joint base, there are extra pieces: a pension or Thrift Savings Plan, retiree health coverage and possible survivor benefit choices. A planner can compare the choices and show how each one changes lifetime income.

Life insurance in Burlington County

With so many homeowners in their thirties and forties, life insurance is a core part of the plan. A parent with two children and a mortgage might need coverage that pays off the house and replaces income until the youngest finishes college. Term insurance is the usual starting point because it is affordable for a set period. Our guide to life insurance explains how much to consider.

Military families may have Servicemembers Group Life Insurance while serving, and that coverage often ends or changes after separation, so check what the replacement options are. Federal and state employees may also have group coverage that does not follow them if they leave. Business owners in Moorestown or Mount Laurel can use policies for buy sell agreements or key person coverage. Always compare costs from more than one company and make sure the beneficiary forms match your current wishes.

Wealth management in Burlington County

Households with larger accounts here often have equity compensation from a Philadelphia area employer, a family business, rental property or an inheritance. Wealth management brings these together with tax planning, insurance and estate documents. The aim is a single set of decisions rather than a pile of unrelated accounts.

Farmland and Pinelands property add their own wrinkles. New Jersey has a farmland assessment program that lowers the property tax on qualifying farmland, and families who hold such land should understand what happens if it is sold or changes use. Trusts, buy sell plans and gifting strategies can help, and each needs a lawyer. A wealth manager coordinates the plan and keeps the investments steady while those decisions are made.

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Financial planners in Burlington County

A financial planner writes down the roadmap: monthly cash flow, emergency savings, debt, insurance, college and retirement. In a county where income is good but housing and tax costs are high, the plan often starts with where the money actually goes. Our guide to budgeting and saving helps you gather the numbers.

College is a big topic. New Jersey families can look at the state 529 plan as well as plans from other states, and local options such as Rowan College at Burlington County can lower the cost of the first two years. Our guide to college savings explains accounts and aid basics. A planner can help you balance saving for a child’s tuition with your own retirement, since there are loans for college but not for retirement.

Investment advisors in Burlington County

An investment advisor chooses and monitors the stocks, bonds and funds in your accounts. Many Burlington County residents already hold a company 401(k) and perhaps a pension, so the advisor’s job is often to fit new money around what you already have. Ask how the advisor is paid, how the portfolio will be rebalanced and how taxes are managed. Our guide to investing explains index funds and long term thinking.

Be wary of anyone who promises results. No advisor can control the market, and the right portfolio depends on your timeline and comfort with swings.

Financial advisors in Burlington County: what you will pay

Advisors may charge a percentage of assets, a flat annual fee, an hourly rate or commissions. Ask for the yearly cost in dollars and whether the advisor must act in your interest when giving advice. Our guide to finding a financial advisor lists useful questions.

Floods, storms and old housing: risks for Burlington County homeowners

The Rancocas Creek and its branches run through Mount Holly, Lumberton, Medford and other towns, and heavy rain has caused serious flooding in the past, including in 2004. Storms such as Hurricane Irene in 2011 and the remnants of Hurricane Ida in 2021 also tested drainage and basements around New Jersey. Standard homeowners policies exclude flood, so owners near creeks and rivers should check flood maps and ask about separate coverage. Many houses in the older river towns are decades old and may need roof, electrical or heating updates, so an annual maintenance reserve is smart.

The Pinelands bring a different risk: wildfire. Forest fires have burned in the Pine Barrens in dry periods, and homeowners in wooded areas should ask their insurer about coverage and take basic steps to protect the property. A planner can fold these costs into a plan.

Property taxes, school districts and the cost of staying

Property taxes in New Jersey are often the largest household bill after the mortgage, and they vary from town to town and with school district. Moving from one municipality to another within the county can change the tax bill by thousands of dollars, even for similar homes. New Jersey offers some property tax relief programs for seniors and certain homeowners, and eligibility depends on income and age, so check with the state each year.

Before you buy in Evesham, Medford or Cinnaminson, ask for the last few years of tax bills and look for any reassessment news. For retirees, a tax bill that was manageable on two incomes can strain a fixed income, and some decide to downsize to a smaller home in the same county. A planner can compare the true cost of staying with the cost of moving.

How to choose a financial advisor in Burlington County

Start with what you need most, such as retirement income, college funding, a military benefit decision or investments. Look for credentials like CFP, search the SEC Investment Adviser Public Disclosure site and FINRA BrokerCheck, and ask about experience with people in your situation. Because meetings are by phone or video, you can compare advisors from across the Philadelphia region without a long drive. Avoid anyone who pushes a single product.

Areas we serve in Burlington County

Advisors we connect you with serve households across Burlington County, including Mount Laurel, Moorestown, Evesham, Medford, Willingboro, Burlington, Mount Holly, Cinnaminson, Delran, Bordentown, Pemberton and the Pinelands communities. Meetings are by phone or video, so you can connect from home.

Service members and federal staff near the joint base

Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst reaches into Burlington County, and it brings a steady group of active duty members, reservists, civilian employees and contractors. Their money questions are specific. A service member may be moving every few years, keeping a home in New Jersey while renting elsewhere, or deciding whether to keep a house as a rental. Reservists can have pay that changes with orders. The Thrift Savings Plan, the Blended Retirement System and the Survivor Benefit Plan each carry choices that are hard to reverse.

Federal civilians have a different set of benefits, with a pension formula, the TSP and retiree health options that need to be chosen at the right time. An advisor does not replace your base benefits office, but can show how those benefits fit with Social Security, savings and a spouse’s job. If you leave service at 40 or 45, the plan for a second career, health coverage and the first years of retirement pay needs as much attention as the pension itself.

The Pinelands, farms and small businesses

East of the river towns, much of the county is protected Pinelands land, with limits on development that help keep the forest and farms intact. Blueberry and cranberry growers, nurseries, horse farms and roadside stands are part of the local economy, along with contractors, restaurants and shops in towns like Medford, Vincentown and Pemberton. Small business owners face the same planning questions anywhere: how to pay themselves, how to save for retirement through a SEP IRA or solo 401(k), and what happens to the business if the owner is sick or dies.

Land use rules in the Pinelands can limit what a buyer may do with a property, which affects value. A family with land should work with a local attorney and an accountant on any sale, and an advisor can plan the investments that follow. Written succession plans and buy sell agreements prevent the most common family disputes.

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