What this article covers
This guide helps Mount Vernon, Illinois residents find and compare local financial advisors, including client ratings and reviews. It also covers local planning factors such as careers at Continental Tire and SSM Health, Illinois’s exemption for retirement income and earthquake coverage in southern Illinois, along with the area’s largest employers and tips for hiring the right advisor.
Financial Advisor Directory for Mount Vernon, Illinois
📍 Map: Financial Advisors with their Primary Office Location in Mount Vernon
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Key Takeaways
You can compare Mount Vernon financial advisors by credentials, specialty and verified client reviews before you contact anyone.
The map shows advisors whose primary office is in Mount Vernon. Profiles include Certified Advisor Reviews™, designations such as the CFP® and the services each advisor offers.
Continental Tire, SSM Health and a tax-friendly retirement shape the planning help many Mount Vernon residents need.
Continental’s tire plant and SSM Health Good Samaritan Hospital are Mount Vernon’s two largest employers, so many households are weighing 401(k) or 403(b) savings, shift pay and benefits choices. Illinois lets residents subtract most retirement income from state tax, and the 2008 Wabash Valley earthquake is a reminder that earthquake damage needs separate coverage.
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 Mount Vernon Residents
Every city has its own financial landscape. Here are a few local factors worth discussing with a Mount Vernon financial advisor.
Continental Tire and the manufacturing and distribution workforce
Continental’s Mount Vernon plant, which opened in 1974 and is the company’s largest tire plant in the U.S., employs more than 3,500 people, and in May 2026 Continental announced a $76 million automated warehouse at the site, with operations expected to start in 2027. The Walgreens distribution center, National Railway Equipment and Walmart add to a local job base built on manufacturing and logistics. Shift and overtime pay can vary from year to year, so raising 401(k) contributions and building cash reserves in strong years helps. See our Walmart employee Q&A.
SSM Health Good Samaritan and local health care jobs
SSM Health Good Samaritan Hospital is Mount Vernon’s second-largest employer with 2,138 workers, and Deaconess Illinois Crossroads employs another 290, according to the city’s fiscal 2025 financial report. Nurses, therapists and hospital staff typically save through a 403(b), and some employers also offer a 457(b), which has different withdrawal rules. Clinicians early in their careers often weigh student loan repayment against retirement saving, and disability insurance deserves a close look, since a long career depends on being able to work.
Retiring in Mount Vernon with Illinois’s retirement income exemption
Illinois taxes wages at a flat 4.95%, but residents can subtract federally taxed retirement income, including Social Security, 401(k) and IRA distributions, and government pensions. For retiring plant and hospital workers, that can make staying in Jefferson County more tax-friendly than the paycheck rate suggests. Property taxes still apply in full, so homeowners 65 and older should ask the county about senior exemptions and the Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze, which is for households with income of $75,000 or less and must be filed every year.
Earthquake coverage in southern Illinois
On April 18, 2008, a magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck near Mt. Carmel in the Wabash Valley seismic zone of southeastern Illinois and southwestern Indiana, according to the USGS. Standard homeowners policies generally don’t cover earthquake damage, so coverage usually comes through a separate endorsement or policy. Illinois law requires insurers to tell homeowners applicants in the state’s New Madrid Seismic Zone area about earthquake coverage. Homeowners can ask their agent whether an earthquake endorsement is available and what its deductible would be.
The Benefits of Hiring a Financial Advisor in Mount Vernon
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 resident of Mount Vernon, 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 the Mount Vernon area?
These are the City of Mt. Vernon’s principal employers as reported in its annual comprehensive financial report for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025. Highlighted companies link to Q&As with advice from financial advisors who work with their employees.
- Continental Tire the Americas 3,500 employees
- SSM Health Good Samaritan Hospital 2,138 employees
- Walgreens Distribution Center 1,484 employees
- WalmartRead advisor Q&A →380 employees
- National Railway Equipment Company 376 employees
- Mt. Vernon Township High School 300 employees
- Deaconess Illinois Crossroads 290 employees
- Mt. Vernon City Schools District 80 283 employees
- Spero Family Services 197 employees
- City of Mt. Vernon 152 employees
Work for one of these companies or another large employer? Explore our employer Q&As for advice on making the most of your benefits.
Source: City of Mt. Vernon, Annual Comprehensive Financial Report FY2025, Principal Employers (fiscal year ended April 2025). Counts are for employers in Mount Vernon and may include some workers who live elsewhere in the region.
Do you work for one of the largest employers in Mount Vernon? 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 Mount Vernon 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 Mount Vernon Financial Advisors
Wealthtender Voice of the Client Awards™ recognize financial advisors and firms that consistently earn exceptional client feedback. Below are Mount Vernon-area advisors and firms that have met the criteria for Highly Rated recognition.
| Firm/Advisor | Firm | City | State | Voice of the Client Award | 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 a Mount Vernon Financial Advisor
Before hiring a financial advisor in Mount Vernon, 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