Find a Financial Advisor in Washington County

Washington County at a glance: one valley, one freeway

Most of Washington County’s people live along a short stretch of Interstate 15 in the St. George valley. From the lava-rock ridges on the north side of town to the Arizona line below it is only a few minutes by car, and the same is true of the hop east to Washington City and Hurricane. Farther up the highway sit Leeds and Toquerville, while Springdale, the gateway to Zion National Park, lies off the main corridor to the east. Summer afternoons are hot, winters are mild, and that climate is why so many people from colder places end up here.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, the county has a median age of 39.1, a median household income of $80,632 and a median home value of $510,700. About 71.6 percent of homes are owner occupied and 22.3 percent of residents are 65 or older. Roughly 35.2 percent of adults hold a bachelor’s degree or higher.

That mix shapes the questions advisors hear. A couple in Ivins who sold a house in Orange County may have six figures in cash to place. A nurse in Hurricane who commutes into St. George may want to know whether to buy a rental. A Springdale shop owner has income that swings with the park season. One valley, very different needs.

Financial advisors in Washington County: what they cost and what you get

The phrase covers a wide range of people. Some advisors charge a flat fee for a plan, some bill hourly, and some take a yearly percentage of the money they manage. Others are paid commissions for selling insurance or annuities. None of these models is wrong, but you should know which one you are looking at before the first meeting.

For a household with $400,000 invested, a one percent annual fee comes to $4,000 a year, and that figure keeps climbing as the account grows. A flat fee of a few thousand dollars for a single plan can cost less over a decade, though it buys less ongoing attention. Ask for the total in dollars, including fund expenses, in writing. Our financial advisors guide walks through the common fee models side by side.

Investment advisors in Washington County: managing the money you moved here with

People arriving from higher-priced markets often hold stock in a former employer, a brokerage account from an old sale of a business, or a pile of cash earning little. An investment advisor builds the portfolio, rebalances it, and watches taxes on the sales. Registered advisors owe clients a duty to act in the client’s interest, and you can look up any firm on the SEC adviser database before you hire it.

Two local twists come up. First, selling appreciated stock to fund a down payment in the St. George valley can trigger a capital gains bill, so the timing of sales matters. Second, retirees who live off a portfolio need a plan for which pot to draw from in a market drop. Read our investing guide for the basics before you interview anyone.

Financial planners in Washington County: a plan for the whole household

A financial planner looks at the full picture: cash flow, debt, insurance, taxes, savings, college, and what happens if one spouse dies first. The product is usually a written plan with a short list of next steps and dates.

Here is a plausible example. A couple, ages 58 and 56, plan to leave a Salt Lake area career in four years and settle in Santa Clara. They own a paid-off townhome and have about $900,000 across a 401(k), IRAs and a brokerage account. A planner would test whether the sale of their home plus savings can cover a purchase here and still leave income for a thirty-year retirement, and would flag the health insurance gap before Medicare. Use our budgeting guide to get your spending numbers ready.

Wealth management in Washington County: when the sale of a house, a business or a lifetime of work changes the math

Wealth management bundles investing, tax planning, estate work and sometimes insurance under one coordinator. It tends to fit households with a seven-figure net worth, a business to sell, or a family property to pass down. The county has several such groups: owners of construction and trades firms that grew with the valley, tourism and hospitality operators, and retirees who sold a larger home elsewhere.

A good wealth manager coordinates with your CPA and estate attorney instead of replacing them. If you own a small company, ask who will value it, how a sale would be taxed, and how proceeds would be invested afterward. Our estate planning guide covers wills, trusts and beneficiary forms, which matter most when property sits in more than one state.

Life insurance in Washington County: protecting income, a mortgage and a business

Life insurance pays a lump sum when someone dies. Term policies cover a set number of years at a lower price, while permanent policies last for life and build cash value at a higher cost. Younger families buying homes in Hurricane or Washington City often need term coverage large enough to clear a mortgage and replace several years of pay. Business partners may use a policy to fund a buyout, and older couples sometimes use permanent coverage to leave an inheritance or help with estate taxes on a larger estate.

Before buying, add up what would need to be paid or replaced, then compare quotes from more than one company. If your employer offers group coverage, check whether it ends when you leave the job. Our life insurance guide explains the types in plain terms.

Retirement planning in Washington County: income for the years in the sun

With nearly one in four residents 65 or older, retirement is the county’s central money topic. Many people are here for golf, hiking, pickleball and a slower pace, and they want a plan that lets them enjoy it without running short at 85.

A retirement plan lines up Social Security, any pension, IRA withdrawals and rental income into a monthly paycheck. It also picks the order of withdrawals to hold down taxes, decides whether Roth conversions make sense in the low-income years after you stop working, and plans for Medicare enrollment at 65. Retirees who move from a state with no income tax or a different tax structure should check how Utah treats their income. Our retirement planning guide lays out the steps in order.

Thinking about retiring to southwest Utah?

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Taxes and paperwork for Washington County households

Utah taxes personal income at a flat rate, and it offers a credit that can reduce state tax for some retirees with Social Security income. Sales tax applies to most purchases, and property tax is based on a lower assessed value for primary residences than for second homes. Rules and amounts change, so confirm current rules with the Utah State Tax Commission or a tax professional.

New residents should update a driver license, voter registration and vehicle registration, change their domicile if they are leaving another state, and file part-year returns when needed. Keep a folder with closing documents from the old home sale, since the cost basis will matter at tax time. Beneficiary forms on retirement accounts and life policies should be checked after any move.

Second homes, rentals and the red-rock economy

Tourism around Zion, Snow Canyon State Park and Sand Hollow State Park supports lodging, restaurants, outfitters and vacation rentals. Some owners run a nightly rental in Springdale or the St. George valley, others use a home a few months a year. Rental income brings depreciation, passive loss rules and occupancy taxes. A second-home owner who lives elsewhere most of the year should also think about which state’s estate rules apply and whether property should sit in a trust.

An owner of an outdoor tour company, for example, might earn most of the year’s income between spring and fall. That calls for a cash reserve to cover slow months, quarterly estimated tax payments, and a retirement plan such as a solo 401(k) or SEP IRA.

Heat, fire, floods and water

Southwest Utah is desert country. Summer highs regularly top 100 degrees, and cooling costs are a real line in a retiree’s budget. Wildfire smoke and brush fires are a concern at the edges of town and in the surrounding hills, and flash floods in washes and canyons can arrive after storms far upstream. Homeowners should read their policy for fire, water damage and flood exclusions, which are usually sold separately. Water supply is another long-run topic, and a plan should leave room for rising utility bills.

Areas we serve in Washington County

Advisors who serve the area, by phone or video, work with households in St. George, Washington, Hurricane, Ivins, Santa Clara, La Verkin, Leeds, Toquerville and Springdale, plus rural communities such as Gunlock, Veyo and Enterprise. Utah Tech University in St. George also gives the area a base of faculty and staff with their own retirement plans.

How to choose a financial advisor in Washington County

Start with what you want help with: a retirement paycheck, a portfolio, a business sale, or an insurance review. Then ask each candidate how they are paid, what they would charge in dollars, and whether they have conflicts. Look them up on the SEC adviser site or FINRA BrokerCheck, and ask for a sample plan. Pick someone who explains things so you could repeat them to your spouse.

It also helps to talk with two or three people. Phone and video meetings make that easy even when an advisor is not in St. George, and the comparison shows you who listens.

Questions to settle before you hire

Write down your three biggest money questions, and bring recent statements and last year’s tax return to the first call. That is usually enough to tell whether the advisor can help.

Frequently asked questions