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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lauren Urbanski | N10° Wealth | Greenwich | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Laurence Pike | Client Priority Financial Advisors | Plymouth | CFA | Hourly |
| Leonardo Guillen | Guerra Wealth Advisors | Miami | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Leslie Ann Gutierrez | Clifford Swan | Pasadena | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Leslie Campora | BCM Advisors | Lafayette | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Lettie Sihota | Capstone RIA | Sumas | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Lily Hsieh | HC Advisors | Sandy Springs | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Lincoln West | Altura Private Wealth | Centerville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Linda Gardner | Blue Heron Capital | Englewood | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Lindsey Simek | Capstone Investment Financial Group | Webster | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Lisa Chacon | Chacon Diaz & Di Virgilio Wealth Management | Gainesville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Lisa Shive | RBG Wealth Advisors | Memphis | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Lisa Spradling | Fischer Investment Strategies | Westlake Village | Not listed | Hourly, Flat fee or retainer |
| Lloyd Caudle | Martel Wealth Advisors | Vancouver | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Logan Metcalf | Braeburn Wealth Management | Muskegon | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Lorin Wagler | Great Falls Wealth Management | Pinehurst | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Louis Iovannone | Malvern Capital Management | Malvern | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Louis Wheless | Tar River Wealth Planning | Louisburg | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Louise Gibbs | Westview Investment Advisors | Burlington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Lucas Nulsen | S.E.E.D. Planning Group | Knoxville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Luis Delrio | Guerra Wealth Advisors | Miami | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Luke Dandar | Keen Wealth Advisors | Overland Park | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Luke Podbury | Canter Wealth | La Jolla | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Luke Smith | DT Investment Partners | Chadds Ford | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Lyle Meek | Cerro Pacific Wealth Advisors | San Luis Obispo | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Macy Strickland | KOM Wealth Management | Appleton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Maggie Hartness | Legacy Wealth Management | Ridgeland | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Margaret Dunn | Steadmont Advisors | Birmingham | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Maria Garyfallos | Tepp Wealth Management | Westfield | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mariafearlene Brown | Paul Winkler | Mt. Juliet | ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mark Bucholtz | Cornerstone Advisors | Topeka | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Mark Castonguay | American Financial Planning | Yorktown | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, One-time planning fee |
| Mark Hideriotis | Financial Management Associates | Windham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mark Michna | Sightline Wealth Advisors | Groton | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Mark Tekamp | Heritage Wealth Management Group | Norfolk | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Mark Zaifman | Spiritus Financial Planning | Windsor | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Marmar Binley | KM Capital Management | Roanoke | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Mary Price | CJM Wealth Advisers | Falls Church | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Mason Ning | BirdRock Wealth Management | Austin | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Mateo Alzate | Guerra Wealth Advisors | Miami | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mathew Park | Craner Capital | Bountiful | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mathew Wynn | Jamison Hanson | Salem | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Babson | Good Harbor Advisors | Gloucester | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Beardwood | Westover Capital Advisors | Wilmington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Choplin | Innovest Strategies | Raleigh | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Matthew Edgar | Edgar Investment Management | Houston | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Matthew Eisenhower | Blue Anchor Wealth Advisors | Ketchikan | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Granizo | Talisman Wealth Advisors | Mountainside | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Matthew Hargreaves | Leonard Rickey Investment Advisors | Yakima | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Hourly |
| Matthew Jeter | Gilliland Jeter Wealth Management | Little Rock | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
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.