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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shabrish Menon | Finomenon | Kirkland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Shaun Brookman | The Mass Group | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Shawn Walker | Cornerstone Advisors | Topeka | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Skyler Eubank | Perspective Wealth Partners | Boise | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Skyler Keate | Cadinha & Co | Park City | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Spencer Schneider | Schneider Wealth Management | Omaha | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Stacey Beverley | Compass Financial Group | Deerfield Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Stephanie Boeke | BirdRock Wealth Management | Austin | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Stephanie Chow | Harold Davidson & Associates | Los Angeles | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Stephen Allen | Blackburn Financial | Cashmere | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Stephen Bierker | Asset One | Bridgeville | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Stephen Casey | Signet Financial Management of Southwest Florida | Estero | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Stephen Hammond | Christian Values Investing | Statesboro | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Stephen Levy | BirdRock Wealth Management | Austin | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Stephen Schmidt | Innova Wealth Partners | Newtown | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Stephen Sustrick | Honu Wealth | Sunnyvale | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Stephen Tuttle | Signet Financial Management of Southwest Florida | Parsippany | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Stephenie Scelfo | BCM Advisors | Lafayette | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Steven Morneau | Greenhill Financial Partners | Rutland | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| Steven Singer | Retirement Solutions | Los Angeles | Not listed | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Stuart Brisgel | B1 Financial | Aventura | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Susan Riser Whitlock | Infinite Wealth Advisors | Mooresville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Susan Shackelford | KEB – Kerber, Eck & Braeckel | Springfield | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Susan Van Tress | Leonard Rickey Investment Advisors | Yakima | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Hourly |
| Tammy Stoerkel | Beck Bode | Dedham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Tanner Carriere | Northern Edge Wealth Management | Marquette | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Percentage of assets |
| Tara Newton | Perspective Wealth Partners | Boise | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Tayeb Ayat | Fenul Wealth Management | Los Angeles | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Teagan Parker | Rosemeyer Management Group | Great Falls | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Ted Taplett | Strategic Finance | Clackamas | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Teresa Coleman | Creekside Partners | Petaluma | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Teresa Hughes | Integrity Wealth Management | Eugene | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Terrance McGuire | Ridgewood Investments | Springfield | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Terrence Scroggin | MSP Wealth Management | Klamath Falls | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Terry Backmann | Jordan Financial Services | Kenosha | ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Terry Bussard | Nexus One Financial Advisors | Plano | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Thad Ackerman | Silver Maple Financial | Kittery | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Thad King | Cedarwood Wealth | Atlanta | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Thomas Abbood | Veritas Wealth Management | North Kingstown | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Thomas Brown | Fouts Law Group | Manchester | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Thomas Craner | Craner Capital | Bountiful | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Thomas Dettre | True North Financial Planning | South Burlington | Not listed | Hourly, Fixed fees |
| Thomas Jenkins | Petros Family Wealth | Bloomington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Thomas Koch | Hall Capital Management | Pasadena | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Thomas Mazza | Premier Estate Planners | Clinton Township | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Thomas Shepherd | BlueDoor Private Wealth | Beverly | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Thomas Staerker | Saxon Financial Group | Houston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Thomas Thornhill | Saxon Financial Group | Houston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Tiffani Clarke | Meritas Wealth Management | San Rafael | Not listed | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Tigran Navasardian | Anchor Capital Advisors | Boston | CFA | 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.