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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frank Sterneck | Sterneck Capital Management | Park City | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Gabriel Uruburo | Prudent Investor Advisors | Folsom | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Gabriela Morales Blanco | Guerra Wealth Advisors | Miami | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Gabriella Puaa | Cadinha & Co | Honolulu | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Gabriella Stamps | California Financial Advisors | San Ramon | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Garrett Burgess | Cote Financial Management | Wenham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Garrett Van Nostrand | Van Nostrand Wealth Management | San Diego | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer |
| Gary Allen | Prudent Investor Advisors | Folsom | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Geoffrey Sirhal | CharMarLine Wealth Management | Lynchburg | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| George Daimler | Glass Lakes Capital Management | Overland Park | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| George Greer | Sheeley & Partners Wealth Management | Providence | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| George Holland | BCM Advisors | Lafayette | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Gerard Downey | Linden Wealth Management | Oak Park | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Gerardo Palacios | Guerra Wealth Advisors | Miami | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Gerrin Degroot | MSP Wealth Management | Klamath Falls | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Gianfranco Rastelli | B1 Financial | Aventura | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Gil Berman | Gil Berman Financial Adviser | Boulder | Not listed | Hourly |
| Giovanni Jimenez | Guerra Wealth Advisors | Miami | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Giulia King | Align WMGMT | Tucson | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Glen McLaughlin | Buoyant Financial | Charlotte | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Glenn Rossman | TrueWealth Financial Partners San Diego | Phoenix | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Grace Choi | Wills Financial Group | Richmond | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Grady Kozak | BlueDoor Private Wealth | Beverly | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Grant Finter | Axiom Wealth Strategies | Bend | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Grant Van Nostrand | Van Nostrand Wealth Management | Boise | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer |
| Grayson Shaw | Christian Values Investing | Statesboro | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Gregory Peterson | Statherós Financial Solutions | Hailey | PFS | Percentage of assets |
| Gregory Watson | Cedarwood Wealth | Highlands Ranch | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Gretchen Straczewski | Tred Avon Family Wealth | Easton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Guillermo Diaz | Chacon Diaz & Di Virgilio Wealth Management | Gainesville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Gunnar Harrison | Leonard Rickey Investment Advisors | Yakima | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Hourly |
| Guy Chadwick | Third Stanza Group | Cave Creek | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Gwen Gepfert | OakTree Financial Planning and Consulting | Basking Ridge | Not listed | Hourly |
| Haley Herr | Rosemeyer Management Group | Sterling | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Haley Tonge | CORE Wealth Advisors | Lakeland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Hannah Burchell | S.E.E.D. Planning Group | Binghamton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Hannah Vickery | AssetBuilder | Allen | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Harlan Cadinha | Cadinha & Co | Honolulu | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Harlan Cadinha | Cadinha & Co | Honolulu | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Harold Classick | Denver Private Wealth Management | Denver | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Harold Davidson | Harold Davidson & Associates | Los Angeles | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Harold Sawyer, Jr. | Westover Capital Advisors | Wilmington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Harvis Astorga | Guerra Wealth Advisors | Miami | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Hayden Hawkey | Beck Bode | Parker | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Hayden LaBelle | Minich MacGregor Wealth Management | Saratoga Springs | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Hayden Wilson | Revolution Partners | Columbia | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Hayley Brown | Hello Wealth Financial Advisors | Athens | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Heath Clevenger | CORE Wealth Advisors | Lakeland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Heather Dean | Custos Family Office | Austin | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Heather McGolerick | Meritis Wealth Management | Potomac | 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.