Retirement
Turning what you've saved into income, with Social Security, taxes, and timing decided together.
Sullivan County · TN
Financial Advisor in Bristol, TN
Plenty of Bristol households have built more than anyone would guess. They deserve advice that respects how they got there, from someone from here. David was born and raised in Bristol, and his family has been here for a hundred years.
Fit
Who this page is for
Bristol families who saved well and kept it quiet. People close to retirement, and business owners who want to deal with someone they actually know.
Best-fit situations
- You've handled your money fine on your own. The decisions are just getting bigger, and it wouldn't hurt to have somebody good on your side of the table.
- Bristol families who have built real savings without making a show of it. Folks close to retirement, business owners, and households on either side of the line.
Local context
David grew up in Bristol and graduated from Virginia High.
If the question is mainly retirement or business ownership, use the situation-specific path below instead of treating location as the whole answer.
Why people reach out
You did the saving. The next part is different.
Most of the folks we help around Bristol did it themselves. Steady careers, a business, land, savings that grew because they didn't touch it. Nobody handed it to them, and most people in their life have no idea.
The next stretch brings different decisions. Retirement timing, Social Security, taxes, and eventually what happens to all of it. Those are bigger calls, and they're easier to get right with someone careful on your side of the table.
Local, for real
If it matters to you that your advisor is somebody you can look in the eye and shake hands with, good. We work best with people who see it that way.
Read public reviewsChoose a starting point
Choose by the decision, not by a perfect label.
Someone can be a Bristol household, a business owner, and close to retirement at the same time. The right starting point is the issue that needs a decision next.
Retirement is the main question Start here if retirement timing, income, taxes, Social Security, healthcare, or withdrawals are the main concern. Start here The business is driving the complexity Start here if the company, tax return, cash flow, retirement plan, or eventual exit is driving the question. Start here
I'm both, not sure, or something else Use Who We Help if neither of those describes the whole situation cleanly. The Virginia-side question
"Should we move to the Tennessee side when we retire?" If you live on the Virginia side, it can be worth running the real numbers. Sometimes it matters, sometimes it doesn't.
Business owners
Owner pay, taxes, reserves, and building wealth outside the business, without overcomplicating it.
Decision depth
What working together looks like
No pressure and no pitch. A conversation about where things stand, and whether it's worth going deeper.
Everything in one place
Retirement, taxes, investments, and estate details looked at together instead of piecemeal.
Plain answers
You'll hear what we'd do and why, in regular English. If something doesn't make sense, that's on us to explain better.
Local and reachable
The office is in Johnson City, a short drive up the road, and you deal with people, not a call center.
What we coordinate
Use the local page to find the planning work that fits.
- Cross-state tax planning for TN/VA residents
- Virginia income tax strategies for Bristol VA families
- Retirement planning for hospitality and regional entertainment professionals
- Investment management with a fiduciary standard
- Business planning for downtown Bristol entrepreneurs
- Estate planning coordination across state lines
Representative situation
A Bristol VA Family Considering a Move Across State Street
Situation
A dual-income family living in Bristol, VA is considering moving to Bristol, TN to eliminate their Virginia state income tax. One spouse works in healthcare and the other runs a small business with clients in both states. They want to understand the real financial impact before making the move.
Approach
We might start by calculating their current Virginia tax liability and comparing it to Tennessee's tax structure. From there, we'd evaluate the small business implications — such as whether the business would still owe Virginia taxes on VA-sourced income — and factor in property tax differences, potential changes in home value, and any impact on their children's schooling. The goal would be a clear side-by-side comparison so they could make a decision based on numbers, not assumptions.
This representative situation is hypothetical and for educational purposes only. It is not based on, and should not be understood as referencing, any specific client or client experience.
Local proof
Where we are
Talley Wealth is based in Johnson City and works with families across the Tri-Cities, in person and virtually.
- Office: 203 Broyles Drive, Suite 301, Johnson City, TN 37601.
- Serving Johnson City, Kingsport, Bristol, and nearby communities.
- Reviews mentioned on this site are public Google reviews, not a promise of results.
Related next steps
Choose the page that fits the question.
Retirement planning here
Go deeper on retirement timing, income, taxes, healthcare, and withdrawal decisions in this market.
Learn moreBusiness-owner planning here
Go deeper on owner pay, tax strategy, business cash flow, retirement plans, and personal wealth.
Learn moreMoving to the Tennessee side
If you live on the Virginia side, this page walks through what actually changes if you retire across State Street, with the real numbers run first.
Learn moreRetiring to Northeast Tennessee
For families thinking about moving to the region for retirement: taxes, healthcare, cost of living, and what life here is actually like.
Learn moreQuestions to ask any advisor
Plain answers on what a fiduciary is, how advisors get paid, and what a first meeting should cover.
Learn moreKingsport financial advisor
For Kingsport households built around long careers and major-employer benefits.
Learn moreAbingdon financial advisor
Washington County, Virginia planning, including how the Virginia income tax fits the picture.
Learn moreJohnson City financial advisor
The home-market page for Johnson City families, professionals, and business owners.
Learn moreCommon questions
Local questions worth asking before you choose an advisor.
How does living on the TN/VA state line affect my taxes?
If you live in Virginia and work in Tennessee, you may owe Virginia state income tax on your wages even though Tennessee doesn't tax them. Conversely, Tennessee residents who work in Virginia may have Virginia taxes withheld. The cross-state dynamic creates both complexity and potential planning opportunities that a local advisor can help you navigate.
Should I move from Bristol VA to Bristol TN to save on taxes?
Tennessee's lack of a state income tax can be appealing, but the decision involves more than taxes — property values, school districts, commute, and long-term goals all play a role. We can model the actual tax difference for your specific income so you can make an informed decision rather than guessing.
Do you serve clients on both sides of State Street?
Yes. We work with families in both Bristol, TN and Bristol, VA, as well as surrounding communities in Sullivan County and Washington County, VA. Cross-state planning is one of our specialties.
Can you handle Virginia state tax returns?
As an Enrolled Agent, David Talley is federally authorized to represent taxpayers before the IRS and can prepare returns for any state. We routinely prepare both Tennessee and Virginia tax filings for our cross-state clients.
Start with the real decisions in Bristol.
Bring the question that is on your mind. We will use the call to see whether the full Keystone process is useful.