Find a Financial Advisor in Delaware County

Delaware County at a glance: where the paychecks come from

Delaware County sits southwest of Philadelphia, between the city line and the Delaware state border, and its economy is a mix of hospitals, colleges, shipping, aviation and the offices of companies that chose the suburbs over downtown. Villanova University and Haverford College sit in the northern townships, Swarthmore College and Widener University are further south, and Wawa keeps its headquarters in the western part of the county. Boeing builds helicopters in Ridley Park, and the Delaware River waterfront in Chester has long carried ports, power plants and heavy industry. Many residents also commute into Philadelphia by SEPTA rail and trolley, so a good share of household income arrives from city employers while the tax bill lands in the county.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, about 580,937 people live in the county, the median household income is $89,546 and the median home value is $332,200. The median age is 39.1, about 17.4% of residents are 65 or older, and 41.9% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher. About 69.6% of homes are owner occupied.

Wealth management in Delaware County

Wealth management here tends to fit three kinds of households. The first is the hospital, university and corporate professional whose pay includes bonuses, stock awards or deferred compensation and who needs help deciding when to sell, when to exercise and how to cover the tax. The second is the owner of a contracting firm, medical practice, restaurant or family business in towns such as Media, Springfield or Newtown Square, where the business may be worth more than the portfolio and a sale or handoff is the real retirement plan. The third is the family that has just received an inheritance, often a house in an older township plus a modest investment account, and is trying to decide what to keep.

A wealth manager coordinates investments, taxes, insurance and estate documents so these pieces do not pull against each other. In practice that can mean lining up a stock sale with a low-income year, moving a concentrated holding into a diversified mix over several years, or checking that the beneficiary forms on old accounts still match a current will. Ask any firm whether wealth management is a flat annual fee, a percentage of assets or a mix, and what the minimum account size is. Some firms only take households with several hundred thousand dollars to invest, while others work with younger clients on a planning fee.

Estate work deserves its own mention. Estate planning in Pennsylvania has one quirk that surprises people: the state has no estate tax but does have an inheritance tax, and the rate depends on who receives the money. Transfers to a spouse are exempt, while children and other heirs pay different rates. A wealth manager and an estate attorney can work together to make sure the people you name inherit as you intended.

Investment advisors in Delaware County

An investment advisor focuses on the portfolio: which funds to hold, how much risk fits your timeline, and when to rebalance. Delaware County households often arrive with a mix of a workplace 401(k), an old rollover from a former employer, a brokerage account and sometimes a pension. The first job is to see everything on one page. A couple in their early fifties in Havertown, for example, might discover three small retirement accounts invested in very different ways, with total stock exposure far higher than either spouse meant.

Registered investment advisors are held to a fiduciary standard, which means they must put the client’s interests first. Brokers who sell products may be held to a different standard, so ask directly how the person is paid and whether they act as a fiduciary at all times. You can look up any advisor on the SEC Investment Adviser Public Disclosure site and on FINRA BrokerCheck. A short read of our investing guide helps you ask sharper questions before a first meeting.

Portfolio fees add up quietly. An advisory fee of one percent a year on a $500,000 portfolio is $5,000, taken whether the market rises or falls. That can be worth paying when the advisor also handles taxes and planning, and it can be poor value when the service is only a model portfolio. Ask for the full cost in writing, including fund expenses.

Pennsylvania rules that matter in Delaware County

Pennsylvania taxes income at a single flat rate, with no brackets. It also does not tax Social Security benefits, and retirement income taken from a qualified plan after reaching retirement age is generally exempt from state income tax. That makes Pennsylvania friendlier to retirees than many neighboring states, but only part of the story, because local taxes still apply. Most municipalities and school districts levy an earned income tax on wages, and some add a local services tax. Where you live inside the county can change what you pay on the same salary.

Property tax is the other large bill. Delaware County homeowners pay county, municipal and school district taxes, and school district rates differ widely from one township to the next. Pennsylvania also has a realty transfer tax shared between the state and the municipality when a home is sold, which matters to anyone planning to downsize. Confirm current rules and rates with the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, your township and a tax professional, since these change.

Retirement accounts have their own wrinkle. Withdrawals from an IRA before retirement age, or lump sums that fail to meet plan rules, can be taxed differently by the state than they are federally. A planner who knows Pennsylvania can help you sequence withdrawals so you do not stumble into an avoidable state or local tax.

Retirement planning in Delaware County

Retirement planning here often begins with a pension question. Public school teachers and many county and municipal employees participate in Pennsylvania public pension systems, and union workers in the trades may have multiemployer plans. Each has its own rules for payout options, survivor benefits and health coverage, and a choice made at retirement is often permanent. A planner can compare a larger monthly check with a smaller one that continues to a spouse, and show the effect on a household budget in plain numbers.

Next comes Social Security. Claiming at 62 gives a smaller check for life, while waiting until 67 or 70 raises it. The right answer depends on health, the spouse’s record and other income. Our retirement planning guide walks through the basics, and an advisor can run your own figures.

Health care is the third piece. Someone retiring at 60 in Springfield has five years before Medicare begins and must pay for coverage through a spouse, COBRA or the marketplace in the meantime. After 65 there are Medicare premiums, supplement plans and prescription coverage to price. Many Delaware County retirees also face a choice about the family home. Staying in an older Drexel Hill colonial may cost less than moving, yet roof, boiler and tax costs keep arriving, so the plan should include a repair budget.

Planning to retire in the next ten years?

Share your timeline and an advisor who serves the Delaware County area, by phone or video, can walk through pension, Social Security and health costs with you.

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Life insurance in Delaware County

Life insurance protects people who depend on your income. A young family in Ridley Park with a new mortgage and two small children usually needs a large amount of term coverage for twenty or thirty years. A couple whose children are grown may need far less, perhaps enough to pay off the house and cover final expenses. Business owners often add coverage so a partner can buy out a share, and families who expect to owe inheritance tax sometimes use permanent insurance to provide cash for heirs.

Term insurance is simple and costs less. Whole life and universal life cost more and build cash value, which helps in some estate plans and is a poor fit for many budgets. Be careful with any policy sold as an investment, and ask what happens to the cost if returns fall short. Our life insurance guide explains the differences, and an independent agent can quote several companies side by side.

Check coverage you already have. Many employers in the county, including hospitals and colleges, offer group life insurance worth one or two years of pay. That is a starting point, but it usually ends when you leave the job, so a separate policy often makes sense.

Floods and storms along the creeks

Delaware County is crossed by Darby Creek, Crum Creek, Ridley Creek and several smaller streams, and low areas near them can flood in heavy rain. Remnants of Hurricane Ida in 2021 sent water into streets and basements in parts of the county, and the Delaware River tidal waterfront has its own flood exposure. Standard homeowner policies exclude flood damage, so a separate flood policy through the National Flood Insurance Program or a private insurer is worth pricing, even for homes outside the mapped high-risk zones.

Older housing brings other costs. Many homes in Upper Darby, Lansdowne and Collingdale are brick twins and rowhouses built nearly a century ago, with original plumbing, wiring and basements that take on water. A sound financial plan sets aside money for these repairs and reviews coverage for sewer backup, which is a common claim after storms and is often an optional add-on.

Financial planners in Delaware County

A financial planner writes the whole plan: cash flow, debt, savings, insurance, taxes, retirement and estate wishes. Planning suits households that want direction rather than ongoing portfolio management. A typical engagement might begin with a few meetings, produce a written plan with specific steps, and then check in once or twice a year.

Look for a planner who holds the CFP designation, which requires coursework, an exam, experience and an ethics standard, though a designation is not a substitute for asking how the planner is paid. Fee-only planners charge directly to the client by the hour, a flat fee or a retainer, and do not earn commissions on products. Other planners are paid commissions or a mix. Neither model is wrong, but you should know which one you are buying. Our budgeting and saving guide is a useful warm-up if you are earlier in your savings journey.

A couple in Newtown Square with a high income and rising college costs might use a planner to decide how much to give toward tuition at Villanova or elsewhere and how that affects retirement. A single parent in Chester might focus on emergency savings, life insurance and an employer match. Both are real planning work.

Financial advisors in Delaware County: costs and fees

Advisors are paid in a handful of ways. Assets under management fees are a percentage of the portfolio, usually charged quarterly. Hourly and flat fees pay for a specific project. Commissions come from products such as insurance or annuities. Retainers cover ongoing planning for a monthly or annual price.

Our service is a free matching call, not a fee. After the call you decide whether to speak with an advisor who serves your area, and any fees are agreed directly between you and the advisor.

How to choose a financial advisor in Delaware County

Start with what you need: investment help, a full plan, insurance, or someone to coordinate it all. Then check credentials and registration, compare how each candidate is paid, and read the firm’s disclosure form. Ask how many clients like you the advisor serves, who looks after your account when they are away, and how often you will meet. Choose someone who explains things in plain language and puts the answers in writing. Speak with two or three before you commit, and do not feel pressure to decide on the first call. Advisors who serve the Delaware County area work by phone or video, so you can compare people without driving around.

Moving in, moving out: Delaware County households in transition

Many people come to Delaware County from Philadelphia when they buy a first home, trading city wage tax for a suburban earned income tax and a larger lawn. Others move out after retirement to the Jersey Shore, Delaware or Florida. Each move changes tax residence and often triggers questions about the old state’s rules, the sale of a house and the timing of income. Selling a home held for many years can produce a gain that is partly excluded from federal tax, so records of improvements are worth keeping. Anyone leaving Pennsylvania should check the destination state’s treatment of pensions and retirement withdrawals before signing a contract.

Areas we serve in Delaware County

We connect residents with advisors who serve the whole county by phone or video, including Chester, Media, Upper Darby, Springfield, Radnor, Haverford, Swarthmore, Ridley Park, Newtown Square, Drexel Hill, Havertown, Lansdowne and the surrounding townships and boroughs. Advisors who serve the Delaware County area meet clients by phone or video, and documents are shared securely online.

Frequently asked questions