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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anthony Mitrano | Beck Bode | Dedham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| April Horace | G&S Capital | Denver | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ari Nadler | Nadler Financial Group | Deerfield | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Arne Morris | Townsend Asset Management | Raleigh | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Arthur Doglione | Alpha Fiduciary Wealth Management | Phoenix | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Arturo Lumpkin | Tar River Wealth Planning | Louisburg | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Ashley Micciche | True North Retirement Advisors | Clackamas | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Ashley Vann | Cogent Private Wealth | Orlando | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Athena Stone | Attentive Investments | Stockton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Audrey Soza | Custos Family Office | Austin | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Austin Koplan | PYA Waltman Capital | Knoxville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Autumn Armbruster | MSP Wealth Management | Klamath Falls | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bao Ly | Opal Advisors | Bellevue | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Performance-based fees |
| Barrett Haus | Haus Financial Solutions | Orlando | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ben Sedillo | Sonoma Allocations | Santa Rosa | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Benjamin Atwater | Atwater Malick | Lancaster | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Benjamin Kebbekus | LRC Aviation Advisors | Milwaukee | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Benjamin Lies | Delphi Advisers | Vancouver | Not listed | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Benjamin Newell | Miller Financial Group | Portland | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Bernard Campbell | Etch Financial | Pittsburgh | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bernard Katz | Wealth Effects | Boynton Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Bertrand Roberge | FIA Services | Navarre | PFS | Percentage of assets |
| Beth Conklin | Paces Ferry Wealth Advisors | Atlanta | ChFC | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Beth Price | Beck Bode | Traverse City | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Billie Paveglio | Northern Edge Wealth Management | Marquette | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Percentage of assets |
| Billy Yeh | Clifford Swan | Pasadena | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bradley Eaton | S.E.E.D. Planning Group | Binghamton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bradley Helms | PYA Waltman Capital | Knoxville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bradley Sorenson | Diversified Portfolios | Bloomfield Hills | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Bradley Totherow | Cadinha & Co | Honolulu | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bradley Turlington | White Oak Wealth Partners | Raleigh | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Brae Beggs | OLIO Financial Planning | Mclean | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Brandie Giffin | Sterneck Capital Management | Kansas City | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Brandon Smith | Wallace Hart Capital Management | Lexington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Performance-based fees |
| BreAnn Weaver | Gragg Financial | Shelby | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Breland Booth | Booth Financial Planning | Birmingham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Brent Schneider | LRC Aviation Advisors | Milwaukee | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Brett Herron | HFM Investment Advisors | Glassboro | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Brian Burkhart | Wealth Effects | Boston | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Brian Carter | Pierson Wealth Management | Atlanta | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Brian Flanagan | Tim Looney Investments | Longwood | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| Brian Hawthorne-Codato | Glassy Mountain Advisors | Bethesda | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Brian Hellmer | Mendota Financial Group | Madison | CFA | One-time planning fee |
| Brian Jankowski | River Wealth Advisors | Camp Hill | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brian Koski | JMR Financial Group | Superior | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Brian Luts | LGG Financial | Bethesda | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Brian Shelton | Shelton Wealth Management | Fort Worth | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brian Wickett | Beck Bode | Dedham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Bridget Wiltse | Petros Family Wealth | Bloomington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Brook Soebbing | KEB – Kerber, Eck & Braeckel | Springfield | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
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.