Retirement planning
Retirement planning covers the transition from accumulation to distribution: income strategy, withdrawal order, Social Security timing, bridge income before Medicare, Roth conversion runway, sequence-of-returns risk, long-term-care planning, and the tax coordination that determines whether a retirement plan actually survives 30+ years of drawdown.
By the numbers
The Wellspent public graph lists 7,304 fee-only financial advisors focused on retirement planning at 3,218 firms, most in Houston, San Diego and Austin. 46% hold the CFP certification. Of the 7281 with fees on file, 87% charge percentage of assets.
- Advisors listed
- 7,304
- Firms
- 3,218
- Cities
- 1,467
- Hold the CFP
- 46%
- Other credentials: CFA 8% · CPA 2% · EA 2%
- How they charge (of 7281 with fees on file): percentage of assets 87% · fixed fees 47% · hourly 45% · ongoing planning fee 15%
Source: Wellspent public graph, data as of . Shares are of advisors listed here; an advisor can hold several credentials or fee types. Methodology
Advisors with depth in retirement planning
| Advisor | Firm | City | Credentials | Fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Glaudel | Verus Capital Partners | Scottsdale | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| John Hayman | Capital Advantage | Walnut Creek | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| John Henek | Quantum Capital Investments | River Forest | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| John Hofman | Hofman Wealth Management | Chesterfield | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| John Mahshie | MPM Advisors Group | Liverpool | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| John Ring | Moldenhauer & Associates | Orchard Park | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| John Sanderson | Sanderson Wealth Management | Buffalo | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| John Stachnick | Kaizen Financial Strategies | Pleasanton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| John Wills | Kocen Financial Group | Rancho Mirage | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| John Woodard | Woodard & Company Asset Management Group | Bermuda Run | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| John Woodard | Woodard & Company Asset Management Group | Bermuda Run | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| John Youngman | Osprey Private Wealth | New York | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Johnny Jones | Atlatl Advisers | Chicago | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Johnny Medina | RidgeOak Wealth | Arlington | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Jonathan Arnold | RidgeOak Wealth | Tomball | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Jonathan Garlow | StrongBox Wealth | Lee'S Summit | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jonathan McKinney | Audible Wealth Management | Silver Spring | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jonathan Monroe | New Wave Financial | Collegeville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Jonathan Nadler | Oxler Private Wealth | Rye Brook | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jonathan Potter | PracticeCFO | Saratoga Springs | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jonathan Stump | Capstone Wealth Management | Lakeland | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jonathan Weatherly | Caveness Wealth Advisory | Abingdon | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jonathon Hughes | Linden Financial Consultants | Rochester | Not listed | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| Jordan Mathews | Ascension Capital Advisors | Houston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jose Colmenarez | Elevate Wealth Advisory | Athens | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joseph Barrios | Heritage Financial Counselors | Oyster Bay | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Joseph Hardeman | Elevate Wealth Advisory | Athens | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joseph Migdol | Total Wealth Services | Westlake Village | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Joseph Schwartz | Markle Financial | Fort Collins | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joseph Warner | Allvet Financial | Plano | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee, Percentage of assets |
| Joshua Betancourt | Quantum Capital Investments | Elmwood Park | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Joshua Chandler | Magnolia Wealth | Spring | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Joshua Guevin | ARX Private Wealth | Lancaster | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joshua Mclain | Sunset Retire | Las Vegas | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joshua Oder | Oder Investment Management | Woodland Hills | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Joshua Ortiz | Amicus Financial Advisors | Lubbock | ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joshua Zins | Plandeavor | Arlington | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| Joyce Walker | Gryphon Wealth | Jacksonville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Juan Dager Vancampenhoud | TitanRex | Arlington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Juliana Guerra | Dean Roland Russell Family Wealth Management | San Diego | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Julie Dant | Nearside Advisors | Indianapolis | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Julie Hebert | Ascension Capital Advisors | Liberty | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Julie Jason | Jackson, Grant | Stamford | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Julie Sellers | Pittenger & Anderson | Lincoln | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Julie Waitman | Verus Financial Partners | Richmond | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Justin Lopez | Caveness Wealth Advisory | Abingdon | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Justin Read | PracticeCFO | San Diego | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Justin Wai | Three Oaks Partners Investment Counsel | Lithia | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Justin Warfel | Wagner Wealth Management | Conyngham | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Kade Kretzschmar | Seaside Wealth Management | Carlsbad | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
Guides
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Downsizing in retirement: the tax and money decisions
Up to $250,000 of gain on your main home is tax-free, or $500,000 for a married couple filing jointly, if you've owned and lived in it for two of the last five years. The bigger questions are how much the move really frees up, and what the sale does to your taxes and Medicare premiums.
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Planning an early retirement (FIRE)
The hard part of retiring early is the gap before 59½ and 65: reaching your savings without the 10% additional tax, paying for health insurance, and spending in low tax brackets. A one-time plan from a fee-only planner has a median of $2,000.
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Financial advisor for retirement: what to look for
A retirement advisor's real job is the income plan: when to claim Social Security, which accounts to draw first, and how to keep the tax bill down for 30 years. Fee-only planners charge a median $4,500 a year.
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How much can I withdraw in retirement?
About 4% of your starting balance, raised each year for inflation, is the historical baseline for a 30-year retirement: $40,000 on $1 million. Fees, taxes, a longer horizon and a rigid spending rule all push it lower; a willingness to cut back after bad years pushes it higher.
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HSA investing strategy: your HSA as a retirement account
For 2026 you can put $4,400 (self-only) or $8,750 (family) into an HSA, plus $1,000 at 55. Invested and left alone, it's the only account that's tax-free going in, growing and coming out for medical costs.
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Military retirement and transition planning
The choices with the most money in them come in your last year of service: the Survivor Benefit Plan, the Blended Retirement System lump sum, your TSP and your VA claim. A one-time plan from a fee-only planner has a median of $2,000.