What this article covers
Find financial advisors across Illinois on one statewide map, then open a city guide for Chicago, Peoria, Champaign and other communities. This guide also covers statewide planning factors such as Illinois’s exemption for retirement income and its $4 million estate tax threshold, the state’s largest employers, top-rated advisors, and tips for hiring the right advisor for your needs.
Financial Advisor Directory for Illinois
📍 Illinois city guides
Find a financial advisor in your Illinois city
Choose a city to see local advisors on a map, along with planning considerations, major employers and hiring tips for that community.
Don’t see your city? The statewide map below includes every Illinois advisor featured on Wealthtender, or search for financial advisors near you.
📍 Map: Financial Advisors with their Primary Office Location in Illinois
Double-click (or pinch the map on mobile devices) to zoom in and expand the details for financial advisors whose primary office location is in Illinois.
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Key Takeaways
You can compare Illinois financial advisors by credentials, specialty and verified client reviews before you contact anyone.
The map shows advisors whose primary office is in Illinois. Profiles include Certified Advisor Reviews™, designations such as the CFP® and the services each advisor offers.
Illinois’s flat tax, retirement income exemption, property tax exemptions and state estate tax shape many planning decisions.
Illinois taxes income at a flat 4.95% but lets residents subtract Social Security, 401(k), IRA and pension income. Homestead exemptions can trim high property tax bills, the state estate tax applies to estates above $4 million, and University of Illinois staff in SURS face an irrevocable plan choice.
Interview more than one advisor and confirm how each one is paid.
Ask about services, fees and whether the advisor acts as a fiduciary, then check their background for free on the SEC’s Investment Adviser Public Disclosure website before you hire.
Financial Planning Considerations for Illinois Residents
Every state has its own financial landscape. Here are a few statewide factors worth discussing with an Illinois financial advisor.
A flat 4.95% tax, with most retirement income exempt
Illinois taxes individual income at a flat 4.95%, but residents can subtract federally taxed retirement income, including Social Security, 401(k) and IRA distributions, and government pensions. That can make Roth conversions and the timing of retirement look different here than in many states. Illinois has reciprocal agreements with Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan and Wisconsin, according to the Illinois Department of Revenue, but not with Indiana, so Northwest Indiana commuters deal with taxes in both states.
Property tax exemptions are worth claiming
Property taxes are often an Illinois homeowner’s largest tax bill. The General Homestead Exemption reduces a home’s equalized assessed value by up to $6,000 in most counties and $8,000 in the counties next to Cook, while Cook County’s Homeowner Exemption takes off $10,000. Owners 65 and older can add a senior exemption, $8,000 in Cook County, and seniors with household income of $75,000 or less may qualify for the Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze, which must be filed every year.
Illinois has its own estate tax at $4 million
Illinois is one of the few states with its own estate tax, and its exclusion amount is $4,000,000, far below the federal exemption. Federal portability, which lets a surviving spouse use a deceased spouse’s unused exemption, doesn’t apply to the Illinois tax. Because a paid-off home, retirement accounts and life insurance can push an estate past $4 million, couples may want to review how assets are titled and whether trust planning makes sense.
Health systems, Caterpillar and university pensions
Advocate Health, Northwestern Memorial HealthCare and Endeavor Health are among the Chicago area’s largest employers, OSF HealthCare and Carle anchor central Illinois, and Caterpillar still employs about 10,500 people around Peoria. Most University of Illinois staff earn a SURS pension instead of Social Security, and new employees have six months to choose a plan, a choice that is irrevocable. AbbVie is headquartered in North Chicago. See our Q&As for Advocate Aurora Health, AbbVie and Amazon employees.
The Benefits of Hiring a Financial Advisor in Illinois
Hiring a financial advisor can be a great move to help you build a long-term investing strategy. Advisors can help you build an investment portfolio to meet your financial goals and help you plan appropriately for retirement.
As a Illinois resident, hiring a financial advisor who lives nearby and understands the local economy, cost of living, and regional employers can be quite valuable, especially if your individual circumstances are deeply tied to such factors.
Who are the largest employers in Illinois?
Illinois doesn’t publish a single statewide ranking of employers by headcount, so this list combines the largest private employers in the Chicago area with the largest employers in Peoria and Champaign. Highlighted companies link to Q&As with advice from financial advisors who work with their employees.
- Advocate HealthRead advisor Q&A →33,247 in the Chicago area
- AmazonRead advisor Q&A →30,751 in the Chicago area
- Northwestern Memorial HealthCare 29,434 in the Chicago area
- University of Chicago 22,287 in the Chicago area
- Endeavor Health 21,134 in the Chicago area
- WalmartRead advisor Q&A →18,000 in the Chicago area
- United Airlines 17,400 in the Chicago area
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 16,446 full-time equivalents, Champaign-Urbana
- Walgreens 14,714 in the Chicago area
- JPMorgan Chase 14,675 in the Chicago area
- Health Care Service Corp. 13,500 in the Chicago area
- OSF Saint Francis Medical Center 12,000 in the Peoria area
- Caterpillar 10,500 in the Peoria area
- Carle Clinic and Carle Foundation Hospital 8,189 in Champaign
Work for one of these companies or another large employer? Explore our employer Q&As for advice on making the most of your benefits.
Sources: City of Chicago, 2024 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, reprinting Crain's Chicago Business (February 2024 data), City of Peoria, FY2024 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (July 2025) and Champaign Park District, FY2025 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (October 2025). Counts are regional, not statewide totals. The Chicago list covers private employers only. Advocate Health was formerly Advocate Aurora Health, and Walgreens was taken private in 2025.
Do you work for one of the largest employers in Illinois? If so, there’s a good chance the local financial advisor you hire will also have other clients who work there. This knowledge could prove valuable if they are already familiar with your employee benefits, such as a 401(k) plan, Health Savings Accounts, and other components of your total compensation package.
When you reach out to financial advisors you’re considering hiring, let them know where you work and ask if they are familiar with your employer’s unique benefits and compensation structure.
Types of Financial Advisors You’ll Find on Wealthtender
Thousands of people visit Wealthtender each month to find and compare financial advisors based on their location, education, experience, areas of specialization and online reviews. Wealthtender’s Certified Advisor Reviews™ help consumers make informed hiring decisions with important details about the relationship between reviewers and advisors always displayed to ensure you gain the transparency you deserve when your life savings could be at stake.
On Wealthtender, you can explore a diverse range of financial advisors and wealth management firms that include:
- Fiduciary advisors committed to acting in clients’ best interests
- CFP® professionals with advanced financial planning credentials
- Fee-only advisors compensated solely by clients
- Advisors for growing families, people nearing retirement, and business owners
- Specialists across multiple categories (e.g., life stage, occupation, ethnicity, lifestyle, religion)
- Highly-rated advisors with positive client reviews
- Firms of varying sizes with advisors who can meet with you in person or online
- Fee-based advisors who offer access to insurance and alternative investments
How to use this directory: Compare financial advisors in the Illinois area based on what matters most to you. Use the directory to:
- View advisor profiles to evaluate credentials, services, and areas of specialization
- Read Certified Advisor Reviews™ to learn what clients value most
- Identify advisors recognized with Wealthtender Voice of the Client Awards™
- Contact advisors and schedule free introductory video calls
Wealthtender Voice of the Client Awards™: Top Rated Illinois Financial Advisors
Wealthtender Voice of the Client Awards™ recognize financial advisors and firms that consistently earn exceptional client feedback. Below are Illinois-area advisors and firms that have met the criteria for Highly Rated recognition.
| Firm/Advisor | Firm | City | State | Voice of the Client Award | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rob Castanares, EA | Hagen Advisory | Oak Brook | Illinois | 2026 Highly Rated Advisor | Website |
| Tim Doehrmann, CFP® | Eagle Ridge Wealth Advisors | Morton | Illinois | 2025 Highly Rated Advisor | Website |
To qualify for a Highly Rated award, advisors and firms must achieve an average client review rating of 4.75 or higher (on a scale of 1 to 5) based on a minimum number of eligible client reviews published on Wealthtender within a defined timeframe for each particular award (Timeframe for 2025 Award: 1/1/24 – 12/31/25; Timeframe for Subsequent Year Awards: July 1 of the preceding year through December 31 of the Award Year (e.g., Timeframe for 2026 Award 7/1/25 – 12/31/26). Eligible reviews are limited to clients (as of the review submission date) that advisors/firms must self-attest have no material conflicts of interest and received no compensation in exchange for their reviews. ↗️ View full award methodology & FAQs
Although financial advisors and wealth management firms compensate Wealthtender for marketing services (including eligibility to be considered for awards), Wealthtender’s award criteria is objective and not influenced by compensation. Wealthtender Voice of the Client Awards are not a guarantee of future performance or success and client reviews may not be representative of the experience of all past or future clients.
Quick Tips For Hiring an Illinois Financial Advisor
Before hiring a financial advisor in Illinois, here are a few quick tips to help you find the best advisor for you.
Decide Which Services You Need
Before hiring an advisor, determine what services you need from them. Whether it’s full-service investment management or a plan focused on a specific area of your finances, put together a list of what you’d like help with before contacting an advisor.
Though most people use a financial planner simply to invest for retirement, this is only a small part of what many advisors offer. Here’s a quick rundown of potential services a financial advisor may offer you:
- Budgeting and money management
- Debt management
- Insurance planning
- Retirement planning
- Other investment planning
- Inheritance planning
- Estate planning
- Tax planning
As you can see, financial advisors can help you with your entire financial picture, not just investing. As you start to plan for life’s bigger milestones, you should consider finding a financial advisor who specializes in those areas.
Finding the right advisor can help you minimize risk, maximize gains and take advantage of tax breaks while investing for your future. They can also help you protect your assets with the right kinds of insurance and help you pass on your financial legacy with a proper estate plan.
Consider Your Budget and Payment Preferences
Once you have a list of services you would like, review the fee structures financial advisors offer. Finding a balance between the services you need and the cost of those services will help narrow down the field of advisors you may want to work with.
If you are looking for a full-service advisor to manage all of your investments, consider searching among fee-based financial advisors. If you want to manage your money yourself, consider the flat fee and monthly subscription advisors for ongoing support.
Interview Multiple Financial Advisors
Once you have chosen the services and fee structure you prefer, it’s time to contact a few advisors and interview them. Here are questions to ask financial advisors:
- What services do you provide?
- What are all the ways you get paid? (fee transparency)
- What is your investment strategy?
- How do you measure investment performance?
- How do we communicate about my plan?
Interview multiple advisors to get a feel for who you want to work with. A combination of fees, services, and customer service will help you determine the best fit for your financial advice.
Review Financial Advisor Credentials
Once you find an advisor (or two) you feel comfortable with, it’s always a good practice to check their credentials and the firm’s details. You can do this at the Investment Adviser Public Disclosure (IAPD) website.
You can check both the individual and the firm to view their background and experience details, as well as any disciplinary action taken against them or their firm.
As licensed financial professionals, there is oversight into how financial advisors conduct business, so running a quick (free) check on them is recommended.
For additional information about advisor credentials, read our article to learn the most popular designations held by financial advisors, as well as specialized credentials which may be important to consider if you have unique financial planning needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Financial advisors and wealth management firms that consistently receive superior client reviews can also qualify for Wealthtender’s Voice of the Client Awards™ designed to recognize America’s most trusted advisors. Learn More About Wealthtender Voice of the Client Awards™
Clients and other individuals can submit reviews for financial advisors and wealth management firms that have turned on the reviews feature. Before each review is publicly displayed, financial advisors agree to disclose important information about their relationship with the reviewer to ensure consumers gain the transparency they deserve when their life savings could be at stake. These disclosures also help financial advisors satisfy compliance with industry regulations.
After financial advisors provide the required disclosures, Wealthtender publishes the review with the Certified Advisor Review™ mark. Learn More About Certified Advisor Reviews™
For example, financial advisors who have earned their Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation are fiduciaries. To hold themselves out as a CFP, these credential holders must acknowledge they will adhere to the CFP Board’s Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct and act as a fiduciary when providing financial advice to their clients. Learn More About Fiduciary Financial Advisors
When viewing financial advisor profiles on Wealthtender, look for the Compensation Methods section that shows ways each financial advisor can be paid for their services, including if they offer fee-only financial planning services. Learn More About Fee-Only Financial Advisors
Please note: Wealthtender may be compensated by financial advisors featured on our site and within this guide. Learn more about how we operate with integrity to earn your trust.
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About the author
Founder & CEO and Editor-in-Chief, Wealthtender
Brian Thorp is the founder and CEO of Wealthtender and its Editor-in-Chief. With more than 25 years in the financial services industry, he is applying his experience and passion at Wealthtender to help more people enjoy life with less money stress.
Brian and his wife live in Austin, Texas.
Wealthtender is a trusted, independent financial directory and educational resource governed by our strict Editorial Policy, Integrity Standards, and Terms of Use. While we receive compensation from featured professionals (a natural conflict of interest), we always operate with integrity and transparency to earn your trust. Wealthtender is not a client of these providers. ➡️ Find a Local Advisor | 🎯 Find a Specialist Advisor