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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matthew Mohning | MSM Financial | Minneapolis | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Murawski | Murawski Wealth Management | Los Angeles | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Matthew Pence | Fluent Financial | Dallas | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Pickett | Colmina | Seattle | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Samek | BSW Wealth Partners | Boulder | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Samson | ILS Financial | Omaha | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Stohlman | Poinciana Advisors Group | Palm Beach Gardens | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Matthew Sullivan | RBG Wealth Advisors | Memphis | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Matthew Sumnicht | Bowline Financial | Grosse Pointe Woods | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Matthew Ward | New Century Investments | Fort Worth | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Matthew Woodlief | Private Wealth Management of NC | Henderson | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Max Paez | Guerra Wealth Advisors | Miami | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Maximillian Morgan | Lookahead Wealth | West Linn | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Meghan Baum | Atwater Malick | Lancaster | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mehak Thukral | Lionshead Wealth Management | New York | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Meredith Murphy | Financial Well-Being Advisors | Wellesley | CFA | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| Micah Weiss | Tandem Financial Planning | Springfield | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Michael Abbood | Veritas Wealth Management | North Kingstown | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Absher | Absher Wealth Management | Raleigh | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Alimo | USA Financial and Tax Services | Farmington | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Michael Alimo | USA Financial and Tax Services | Farmington | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Michael Bronson | MB Financial Planning | Richmond | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Brown | Foresee Wealth Advisors | Bellevue | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Cornell | Infinite Wealth Advisors | Mooresville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Czajka | Malvern Capital Management | Malvern | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael D'Addario | Cadinha & Co | Honolulu | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Distasio | Valor Advisers | Chicago | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Ebeling | Mendota Financial Group | Madison | CFA | One-time planning fee |
| Michael Fredericks | RiskBridge Advisors | Norwalk | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Fusco | Infinite Wealth Advisors | Mooresville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Handy | Handy & Company Financial Advisors | Lake Oswego | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Hart | Wallace Hart Capital Management | Lexington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Performance-based fees |
| Michael Hibbs | Third Stanza Group | Cave Creek | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Michael Kostelnik | Family Life Financial Planning | Mentor | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Kwiatkowski | WHTG Wealth Management | Landenberg | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Michael Martinez | The Pension Group | Dublin | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael McIntyre | Glassy Mountain Advisors | Bethesda | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Michael Milinovich | Milinovich & Company | Waynesburg | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Michael Poland | Braeburn Wealth Management | Muskegon | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Shea | 8th Street Investments | Alexandria | CFA | Hourly, Flat fee or retainer |
| Michael Tanney | Pereon Wealth | New York | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael Tull | RFG Wealth Advisory | Argyle | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael Willitzer | Blue Jay Financial Group | Defiance | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Michael Zimmerman | Fouts Law Group | Manchester | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michele Madasz | Martel Wealth Advisors | Vancouver | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Michele Tellstone | Minich MacGregor Wealth Management | Saratoga Springs | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michelle Halpin | Grand Central Investment Group | Tampa | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michelle Higgins | California Financial Advisors | San Ramon | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Miguel Castaneda | Guerra Wealth Advisors | Miami | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Miguel Rodriguez | Guerra Wealth Advisors | Miami | 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.