Find a Financial Advisor in Travis County

A county view of Travis County, beyond the city limits

Most people think of Austin when they hear Travis County, and the city does hold the majority of residents. The county is wider than that. It stretches from Lake Travis and the Hill Country in the west to the flat farmland and new subdivisions of the east, and it includes Pflugerville in the north and small cities such as Lakeway, Bee Cave, Manor and Lago Vista. This page looks at the whole county, so it speaks to people in the suburbs and rural edges as well as downtown.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, Travis County has a median household income of $99,611 and a per capita income of $62,607, one of the higher figures in Texas. The median home value is $523,000, the median age is 35.6, and 56.6 percent of adults hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Only 52.1 percent of homes are owner occupied, so nearly half of households rent. About 11.0 percent of residents are 65 or older, and unemployment is 4.6 percent. The first conversation with an advisor who serves the Travis County area is free and held by phone or video.

Wealth management in Travis County

Wealth management combines investments, tax planning, insurance, retirement income and estate planning under one coordinated relationship. In Travis County it often appeals to early employees of technology companies, physicians, founders who sold a business, and families who bought land or a lake house years ago and watched the value climb.

Consider a founder in her forties who sold a software company and now holds cash, a concentrated stock position and a house in West Lake Hills. A wealth manager helps decide how much to spread across investments, how to manage the capital gains bill, and how to protect the family with the right insurance and trusts. Texas has no income tax, so the planning work is mostly federal. Fees usually run as a percentage of assets, often with an entry minimum, so convert the percentage into a dollar figure.

Paid in stock: equity compensation and the tech economy

The region grew around technology. Large manufacturers such as Samsung and Tesla have major operations in the county, a long list of software and hardware companies sit in and around Austin, and startups are everywhere. A big share of pay here arrives as stock options, restricted stock units or an employee stock purchase plan layered on top of a base salary.

That creates specific problems. Incentive stock options can trigger the alternative minimum tax. Restricted stock units are taxed as income when they vest, and the company may withhold less than you owe. A stock that has risen sharply can grow into most of a household net worth, which is risky if the company stumbles. A planner who works with equity pay can build a schedule for exercising, selling and diversifying, and can set aside cash for the tax bill. If you have never made this kind of plan, read the guide on investing first.

Financial planners in Travis County

A financial planner puts your whole situation on paper: savings, debts, goals, insurance and the order of the steps to take. Planners charge a flat fee, an hourly rate, a monthly retainer or a percentage of assets, so ask early.

High housing costs shape many first plans in the county. A couple in Pflugerville in their early thirties, earning a combined $150,000 between a school job and a tech role, may be deciding whether a $450,000 house fits alongside daycare and student loans. A planner can test the numbers, show what happens if one income pauses, and set a savings rate. A better understanding of budgeting and saving helps in that first meeting.

State government, the university and public employers

Austin is the state capital, and the Capitol complex, state agencies and The University of Texas at Austin employ a large number of people. Many state employees take part in the Employees Retirement System of Texas, and university faculty and staff may have the Teacher Retirement System or an optional retirement program. Each system has its own rules about vesting, early retirement and survivor choices, and some workers also have a 457 or 403(b) account on top.

People who spend a career in public service and then retire here often have a pension that covers part of their spending and a savings plan that covers the rest. That mix calls for a plan that decides when to claim Social Security, how to use the savings and how to handle health insurance for retirees. Public service workers who move to private jobs mid-career should also ask what happens to their service credit.

Retirement planning in Travis County

Cost, far more than tax, drives retirement choices in this county. The state levies nothing on retirement paychecks, yet housing prices and appraisal-based tax bills are steep. Someone who bought a bungalow in East Austin decades ago may now own an asset worth many times what they paid, which can be a source of cash if they sell and a source of tax pressure if they stay.

Seniors and disabled owners can qualify for a school tax ceiling on a primary residence. The benefit arrives only after an application to the Travis Central Appraisal District, so verify your file and the rules in force. Many retirees in the county ask whether to stay close to the city, move to a smaller home or leave for a lower-cost area, and a planner can compare those paths with real numbers. The overview of retirement planning is a useful companion.

Life insurance in Travis County

Life insurance pays money to the people who depend on you if you die. Young families with a mortgage usually start with term coverage sized to the years until the children are grown. With home prices above $500,000, the amount needed to keep a family in its house can be large, and an employer group policy of one or two times salary rarely meets it.

Self-employed workers, contractors and gig workers in the music, film and tech scenes often have no group coverage at all, so an individual policy is the only protection. Income earned during a Texas marriage is generally shared, so think about each spouse’s earnings and beneficiaries. See the guide to life insurance and get more than one quote.

Investment advisors in Travis County

An investment advisor manages a portfolio and is paid by a fee, usually a percentage of assets under management. Before signing, find out whether the firm owes you fiduciary duty on every account, how billing works, and the annual dollar amount. A plain index fund is a fair yardstick.

For people with a lot of stock from one employer, a good investment advisor spends as much time on selling and tax timing as on picking funds. A small investor with a 401(k) and a Roth IRA may need only a clear allocation and a yearly rebalancing rule, not an ongoing management fee.

Financial advisors in Travis County: finding the right fit

A financial advisor may be a planner, a portfolio manager, an insurance agent or a broker, and many carry more than one hat. Begin by naming what you need. If it is a plan for the next decade, start with a planner. If it is managing a portfolio, an investment advisor. If it is coverage for your family, a life insurance specialist. Many people begin with a single general call to sort it out, and the free consultation exists for that purpose.

The county is large enough that quality varies. Some advisors specialize in equity pay, others in public employees, others in retirees or small business owners. Choose someone whose clients look like you.

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Housing costs and the property tax bill

The median home value of $523,000 is well above the national picture, and property tax is the main annual cost of ownership in a state without an income tax. Rates are set by the county, the city, school districts and special districts, so bills vary a lot between neighborhoods. Many suburban subdivisions also carry municipal utility district or public improvement district charges.

Owners can protest an appraisal each year with the Travis Central Appraisal District, and a successful protest lowers the bill for as long as the value holds. Renters, who make up close to half the county, feel property tax through their rent. A renter saving for a first house should plan for the down payment, closing costs, insurance and a tax bill that may be higher than expected.

Heat, flood, wildfire and ice

Travis County sits on the edge of the Hill Country, and weather risks come in several forms. Summer heat raises cooling bills. Flash floods can hit creeks and low-water crossings after heavy rain. Dry brush on the western edge of the county raises wildfire concerns, and the February 2021 winter storm showed how an ice event can break pipes and knock out power for days. A standard homeowners policy may not cover flood, and some policies limit wind and hail claims with a separate deductible. Review your coverage each year and keep an emergency fund large enough for a deductible.

How to choose a financial advisor in Travis County

Do some homework before the first call. Public databases run by the SEC and FINRA show an advisor’s registration, work history and any disciplinary record, while the Texas State Securities Board and the Texas Department of Insurance handle state licenses. Then ask how the advisor earns money and whether commissions are involved.

Then decide if the person listens. A strong advisor asks about your pay structure, your employer, your housing plan and your family before proposing anything. If someone leads with a single product or pushes you to move quickly, keep looking.

Areas we serve in Travis County

Households in Austin, Pflugerville and the lake, suburban and rural communities around them can meet an advisor by phone or video, often after work hours.

College savings for a county full of students

Between The University of Texas at Austin, Austin Community College and a young workforce, education plays a large part in local finances. Texas offers a 529 plan and a prepaid tuition option, and graduate students and career changers often carry loans. The guide on college savings explains how to choose an account.

Commuting and growth on the edges of the county

Travis County has grown fastest along its northern and eastern sides, where Pflugerville, Manor and the communities around Highway 130 have added thousands of homes. Many of those households drive into central Austin or to large employers on the east side, and some have one partner who works from home most days. Commute time and fuel cost belong in the budget, as does the question of whether a second car is needed. A planner can add those lines to a cash flow review and show how a move farther out changes housing costs against driving costs.

Families who relocated here from another state often arrive with a retirement account at a former employer, a house they sold and a new mortgage. Rolling over old accounts, setting a new emergency fund and updating beneficiaries are simple tasks that get skipped during a move, so schedule them in the first year.

Frequently asked questions