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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scott Dynan | Round Rock Advisors | Wilton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Scott Holder | Verus Capital Partners | Ventura | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Scott Schaeffer | MN Wealth Advisors | Overland Park | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Scott Schwinger | Ascension Capital Advisors | Houston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Scott Womack | Womack Wealth and Business Management | Manhattan Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Selene Sullivan | Pacific Crest Wealth Management | Eugene | PFS | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Selma Hackett | Capital Advantage | Walnut Creek | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Seth Maier | Heritage Oak Wealth Advisors | Santa Rosa Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Shafaq Kazi | ShariaPortfolio | Lake Mary | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Shafran Shurid | ShariaPortfolio | Lake Mary | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Shaina Englund | Ceva Advisors | Woodinville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Shane Bilski | Magnolia Wealth | Spring | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Shannon Castaneda | Gryphon Wealth | Jacksonville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Shannon Markle | Markle Financial | Laramie | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Shaobo Li | Dominguez Wealth Management Solutions | Williamsburg | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Shaun Scott | Old Forge Wealth Management | Warwick | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Shaunak Tripathi | Gryphon Wealth | Jacksonville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Shawn Kennedy | Pendulum Partners | Itasca | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Shawn Miller | Sovereign Financial Services | Phoenix | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Sherry Karlsson | Rssic | San Francisco | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Shummi Jindal | Rose Capital Advisors | Plandome | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Simone Liu | AIRE Advisors | Beverly Hills | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Sinon Bennett | Wavvest | Chicago | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Soojin Hwang | Grange Capital | Beaverton | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Soumyadeep Sinha | Friedenthal Financial | Marlton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Spencer Lademan | Kroon & Mitchell | Grand Rapids | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Spencer Rhode | Corvus Wealth Advisors | San Luis Obispo | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Stacy Anderson | Kooman & Associates | Altoona | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Stephanie Kemp | Corvus Wealth Advisors | Templeton | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Stephanie Lum | CLS Financial Advisors | Lake Oswego | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Stephen Chen | Boldin | Mill Valley | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Stephen Kylander | Pallas Capital Advisors | Warren | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Stephen Miles | Sutro Advisors | San Francisco | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee, Percentage of assets |
| Stephen Reeves | HeadInvest | Portland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Steven Deangelis | Verus Capital Partners | Gilbert | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Steven O'Mara | Brown Financial Planning | Bay City | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Steven Reed | Reed Financial | Urbandale | ChFC | Percentage of assets |
| Steven Rosenberg | The Aranda Group | Jenkintown | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Steven Zorn | Oder Investment Management | Woodland Hills | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Susanna Robinson | Peak Planning Group | Raleigh | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Tamara Surratt | Legacy Family Office | Bonita Springs | Not listed | Fixed fees |
| Tariq Dennison | GFM Asset Management | Weinfelden, Switzerland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Taylor Chamness | Wela Financial Advisory | San Antonio | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Teresa Farmer - Clemens | Vega Financial | Plano | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Terry Edwards | Womack Wealth and Business Management | Albuquerque | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Terry Rogers | Verus Capital Partners | Huntsville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Terry Sapp | Live Oak Private Wealth | Wilmington | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Theodore Hellman | Hofman Wealth Management | Chesterfield | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Theodore Palfini | Cavalot Capital | Redding | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Thierry Hasse | Elevage Partners | Springfield | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
Guides
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.