Netflix is building a $1 billion studio campus at Fort Monmouth in Eatontown and Oceanport — minutes from our office in Monmouth Beach. When it opens, it will be Netflix's East Coast flagship: 12 soundstages, nearly 500,000 square feet of production space, and an estimated 1,400+ permanent jobs in the entertainment industry.
The professionals who fill those roles — executives, directors, producers, senior crew — will be high W2 earners relocating to one of New Jersey's most affluent counties. We're already here. Shore CPA & Financial Planning is a CPA and CFP-credentialed firm based in Monmouth Beach, and we've built our practice around exactly this profile: high W2 earners who need advanced tax reduction planning, not just compliance.
Netflix's Fort Monmouth studio opens in phases beginning 2027. Entertainment professionals relocating to Monmouth County will face New Jersey state income tax up to 10.75%, combined with federal rates as high as 37%. Standard advice — max your 401(k) — is a starting point, not a solution. Accredited investor strategies including oil and gas, solar, and charitable placements exist specifically for this profile. Joe Vecchio at Shore CPA holds both the CPA and CFP credentials required to deploy them.
As reported by NJ Biz, Netflix closed on the 292-acre Fort Monmouth mega parcel in December 2025 for $55 million, with an estimated total investment exceeding $900 million to build out the full campus. Phase 1A — four soundstages in Oceanport — targets opening in 2027. Phase 1B in Eatontown follows in 2028. According to NJ Family, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos estimated the project will create 1,500 permanent jobs. The NJEDA has designated Netflix as a Studio Partner, making it eligible for up to 40% in Film and Digital Media Tax Credits on qualifying NJ production expenses.
At income levels common among senior Netflix employees and entertainment executives, the accredited investor threshold is easily met. That opens the door to oil and gas working interests, commercial solar investment structures, donor-advised funds, and stock option exercise planning. Our post on tax planning vs. tax prep explains why proactive strategy — not year-end filing — is what moves the needle for high earners.
New Jersey's tax rules — its treatment of equity compensation, the nuances of its state income tax structure, and its interaction with federal strategies — require an advisor who works in this state regularly. A CPA in California or New York may know Netflix compensation well but may not know the specific NJ planning considerations.
Joe Vecchio is based in Monmouth Beach, serves clients throughout Long Branch, Red Bank, and Monmouth County, and holds both the CPA and CFP credentials needed to navigate the full picture for entertainment industry professionals. Start with a conversation here.