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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Huddleston | Early McClintic & McMillan | Stafford | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David Jaffe | Professional Advisory Services | Vero Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| David Kassir | Manna Wealth Management | Miami Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| David McGowan | James Investment | Xenia | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David Mott | Nexus One Financial Advisors | Plano | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| David Mulnix | Willamette Wealth Partners | Kalispell | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| David Pankiw | CUBIC Advisors | Wayne | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| David Poole | Verity Investment Partners | Beaufort | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| David Richmond | Richmond Brothers | Jackson | ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David Traff | Bisonwood Investments | Austin | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| David Williams | Multnomah Group | Port Orchard | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David Wilson | True North Retirement Advisors | Clackamas | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| David Wolf | BSW Wealth Partners | Boulder | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Davis Thompson | Thompson & Thompson Investment Advisors | Pasadena | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Davis Thompson | Thompson & Thompson Investment Advisors | Pasadena | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Dean Julian | Fischer Investment Strategies | Westlake Village | Not listed | Hourly, Flat fee or retainer |
| Dean Kohmann | Kohmann Bosshard | Akron | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Deanna KInney | William Mack & Associates | Troy | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Deanna Rens | Petros Family Wealth | Bloomington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Debra Hartsfield | DPH Financial | Pearland | ChFC | Hourly |
| Dennis Blodgett | Blodgett Wealth Advisors | Brentwood | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Dennis Jackson | Allred Jackson | North Logan | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Dennis Perdue | Westover Capital Advisors | Wilmington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Dennis Romney | Opportunus Wealth Management | Cottonwood Heights | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Derek Collins | Cogent Private Wealth | Orlando | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Derek Liberti | Wealth Effects | Boston | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Derek Pawlak | LRC Aviation Advisors | Milwaukee | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Derek Robertson | Integrated Investment Strategies | Carmel | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Derek Walker | Collegiate Capital Management | Raleigh | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Derrick Alexander | Greater Works Wealth | Tulsa | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Devin Jackson | Martel Wealth Advisors | Vancouver | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Diane Rose | James Investment | Xenia | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Dilish Dudhia | Aspen Financial Management | Arlington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Dimitri Poland | Braeburn Wealth Management | Muskegon | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Dione Ramos | Keen Wealth Advisors | Overland Park | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Dipit Gupta | Finomenon | Kirkland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Dirk Bernd | Leonard Rickey Investment Advisors | Yakima | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Hourly |
| Dmitry Popov | BSW Wealth Partners | Boulder | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Dominic Mirretti | Mirretti Perryman Wealth Strategies | Skokie | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Dominic Stilwell | Greenhill Financial Partners | Rutland | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| Don Morgan | Colmina | Spokane Valley | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Donald Carnaghi | Premier Estate Planners | Clinton Township | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Donald Daniels | Daniels D'Amelio Investment Management Group LLC. | Jupiter | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Donald Gross, Jr. | Gross & Hartman Investments | Leola | Not listed | Hourly |
| Donald Slone | Etch Financial | Pittsburgh | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Douglas Walters | Walters Strategic Advisors | Sarasota | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Douglas Yoakley | PYA Waltman Capital | Knoxville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Dragan Filipovic | Gold Coast Capital Management | Douglas | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Drake Wright | WebsterRogers Financial Advisors | Florence | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Drew Kittey | Fruth Investment Management | Houston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
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.