Do you meet in person near Chapel Hill?

Yes, at Fidelity Bank branches in the area and by video. The first conversation is a free 30-minute call.

Does North Carolina tax Social Security?

No. Social Security benefits included in federal adjusted gross income can be deducted on your North Carolina return.

What is the North Carolina income tax rate in 2026?

3.99 percent for tax years after 2025, down from 4.25 percent for 2025, according to the NC Department of Revenue.

Can we work together by video?

Yes. Many clients prefer video for follow-up meetings and come in person for the first one.

How do I choose a CFP® professional near Chapel Hill?

Confirm the certification with the CFP Board’s online verification tool and look up the advisor on FINRA BrokerCheck. Then ask how they are paid, what standard of care applies to each service you would use, what a written plan includes, and how often you will meet. You should know what working together costs before you commit to anything.

Do you offer retirement planning in Chapel Hill?

Yes. Most of my work is retirement income planning: when to claim Social Security, which accounts to draw from first, whether Roth conversions make sense before required distributions, and how to stay clear of Medicare IRMAA surcharges. It starts with a free 30-minute call.

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Financial advisor and retirement planner in Chapel Hill, NC

I’m James Ustby, a CFP® professional and wealth advisor with LPL Financial, located at Fidelity Bank. In Chapel Hill I work with people approaching retirement, retirees, and business owners who want a plan before they make the big decisions.

We can meet at a Fidelity Bank branch near Chapel Hill or by video.

Start with a free 30-minute call.

No cost, no obligation. Bring your questions and your latest statements if you have them.

Book a free call

Or call or text 919-226-4145.

Who I work with

Four kinds of people, one way of working.

University and health system employees. Pensions, 403(b), 401(k), and 457 accounts, and how to coordinate them with Social Security when you retire.
Retirees setting up income. A paycheck from savings with taxes planned year by year, including required minimum distributions and Medicare IRMAA thresholds.
Business owners and practice owners. Exit planning, owner retirement plans, and what a sale means for your household after taxes.
People with an old plan to move. Rolling over a former employer’s plan, and what each option costs.

Money in Chapel Hill

Long-tenured state and local government retirees in North Carolina should know about the Bailey exclusion. Retirees of the Teachers’ and State Employees’ Retirement System and certain other government plans who had five or more years of creditable service as of August 12, 1989 can exclude those retirement benefits from North Carolina income tax. If that might be you, it changes your retirement tax math.

North Carolina rules that change the math

North Carolina taxes most income at one flat rate: 4.25 percent for 2025 and 3.99 percent for tax years after 2025. Social Security is not taxed by the state; the taxable part on your federal return is deducted on your North Carolina return. IRA and 401(k) withdrawals generally are taxed, so the order you draw from accounts matters here as much as anywhere.

How working together starts

A free 30-minute call to hear what you want to solve. If it makes sense to go further, we gather your accounts and goals, I build a written plan, and we decide together what to do first. You can start learning before we talk with the free Retirement Reality Report or, for owners, the Exit Readiness Scorecard.

Free calculators

Questions people ask

Do you meet in person near Chapel Hill?: Yes, at Fidelity Bank branches in the area and by video. The first conversation is a free 30-minute call.
What is the Bailey exclusion?: A North Carolina rule that excludes certain government retirement benefits from state income tax for retirees who had five or more years of creditable service as of August 12, 1989, under systems such as the Teachers’ and State Employees’ Retirement System and the federal retirement systems.
Does North Carolina tax Social Security?: No. Social Security benefits included in federal adjusted gross income can be deducted on your North Carolina return.
What is the North Carolina income tax rate in 2026?: 3.99 percent for tax years after 2025, down from 4.25 percent for 2025, according to the NC Department of Revenue.
Can we work together by video?: Yes. Many clients prefer video for follow-up meetings and come in person for the first one.
How do I choose a CFP® professional near Chapel Hill?: Confirm the certification with the CFP Board’s online verification tool and look up the advisor on FINRA BrokerCheck. Then ask how they are paid, what standard of care applies to each service you would use, what a written plan includes, and how often you will meet. You should know what working together costs before you commit to anything.
Do you offer retirement planning in Chapel Hill?: Yes. Most of my work is retirement income planning: when to claim Social Security, which accounts to draw from first, whether Roth conversions make sense before required distributions, and how to stay clear of Medicare IRMAA surcharges. It starts with a free 30-minute call.

Sources

The Nest Egg: one money question every morning, with the math shown.

One email every morning: one money question, the math shown, the government page it came from. Free. Unsubscribe with one click.

Securities and advisory services are offered through LPL Financial (LPL), a registered investment advisor and broker-dealer (member FINRA/SIPC). Insurance products are offered through LPL or its licensed affiliates. Fidelity Bank and Fidelity Bank Wealth Management are not registered as a broker-dealer or investment advisor. Registered representatives of LPL offer products and services using Fidelity Bank Wealth Management, and may also be employees of Fidelity Bank. These products and services are being offered through LPL or its affiliates, which are separate entities from, and not affiliates of, Fidelity Bank or Fidelity Bank Wealth Management.

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May Lose Value

The LPL Financial registered representative associated with this site may discuss and transact securities business only with residents of the states in which they are properly registered or licensed. No offer may be made or accepted from any resident of any other state.

This material is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. Neither LPL Financial nor its representatives provide legal or tax advice; please consult your attorney or tax advisor regarding your specific situation. No strategy assures success or protects against loss. Examples are hypothetical and for illustration only.