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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Scott | Sanders & Scott Chartered Financial Consultants | Watkinsville | ChFC | Percentage of assets |
| Robert Seid | Blue Summit Wealth Management | San Diego | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Robert Wagler | Great Falls Wealth Management | Pinehurst | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Robert Williams | Poinciana Advisors Group | Palm Beach Gardens | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Robin Sterneck | Sterneck Capital Management | Kansas City | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Robyn Macy | Cadinha & Co | Honolulu | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Roleen De Ono | Paul Winkler | Cookeville | ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Rolfe Spiegel | Three Waters Financial | Ignacio | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Ronald Rough | FSA Wealth Partners | Rockville | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ross Smyth | Glassy Mountain Advisors | Brevard | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Roy Fairman | Fairman Financial | Chesterbrook | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Roy Hyde | Strategic Advisory Partners | Greensboro | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Rusti Pitts | Bonner & Smith | Lubbock | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Ryan Bolanos | RiskBridge Advisors | Norwalk | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ryan Cass | Beacon Financial Partners | Cleveland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ryan Craner | Craner Capital | Bountiful | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ryan Dennehy | California Financial Advisors | San Ramon | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Ryan Hulsebos | Regency Wealth Management | Ramsey | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Ryan Knight | Family Wealth Partners | Matthews | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ryan Moledor | Parrish Capital | Kennesaw | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Ryan Omensetter | DT Investment Partners | Chadds Ford | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Ryan Post | James Investment | Xenia | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ryan Redfern | Shadowridge Asset Management | Austin | ChFC | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| Ryan Retcher | Access Wealth Group | Dublin | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ryan Schroer | RFG Wealth Advisory | Argyle | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Ryan Stephen | RBS Wealth Management | Alto | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ryan Troup | Econ Wealth Management | Harrisburg | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Ryan Turbyfill | Capstone Investment Financial Group | Webster | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ryan Tuttle | Signet Financial Management of Southwest Florida | Parsippany | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Sam Curmaci | SAC Investment Management | Ft. Lauderdale | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Sam Namiri | Ridgewood Investments | Beverly Hills | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Samantha Lavrich | Fairman Financial | Chesterbrook | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Samuel Mullen | Fairman Financial | Chesterbrook | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Samuel Shelton | Shelton Wealth Management | Fort Worth | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Samuel Vance | True Wave Financial Planners | Sacramento | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Samuel Wisneski | TrueWealth Financial Partners San Diego | Bellevue | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Sara Daly | Beck Bode | Dedham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Sarah Ivanovic | Guerra Wealth Advisors | Miami | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Sarah Kovalakides | Tepp Wealth Management | Westfield | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Sarah Lee | Holcombe Financial | Atlanta | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Scott Angell | Angell Capital Management | Centralia | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Scott Cameron | Multnomah Group | Portland | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Scott Drown | Regency Wealth Management | Ramsey | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Scott Jensen | G&S Capital | Denver | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Scott Leabman | Harbor Asset Planning | Belmont | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Scott Shelton | Shelton Wealth Management | Fort Worth | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Scott Wardrop | SCW Wealth Management | Carolina Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Sean Maloon | California Financial Advisors | San Ramon | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Sean McNutt | KEB – Kerber, Eck & Braeckel | Fenton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Sebastian Guerra | 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.