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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Gorgol | Brightstone Advisors | Fishers | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| William Harrigan | Polaris Financial Partners | Westerville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| William Hazlett | WH Financial | Stuart | ChFC | Fixed fees |
| William Kauffman | Paramount Investments | Lutherville | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| William Keen | Keen Wealth Advisors | Overland Park | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| William Liberti | Wealth Effects | Boston | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| William Lynn | ARQ Wealth Advisors | Scottsdale | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| William Miles | WebsterRogers Financial Advisors | Columbia | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| William Nelson | Financial Gravity Asset Management | Austin | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| William Newman | Newman's Financial Planning | Queen Creek | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| William Shaheen | Whitney & Company | Rochester | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| William Shaheen | Whitney & Company | Rochester | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| William Verity | Verity Investment Partners | Beaufort | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Zachariah Wood | ENZI Wealth | Austin | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Zachary Azra | Early McClintic & McMillan | Stafford | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Zachary Hamm-Phipps | Aurdan Capital Management | Wayne | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Zachary Levine | HWC Financial | Manchester Center | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Zachary Roberts | Blue Heron Capital | Englewood | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Zakariya Wahdan | Absher Wealth Management | Raleigh | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Adam Easley | Live Oak Private Wealth | Wilmington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Adam McLaughlin | River Raisin Investment Partners | Monroe | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Adam Schneiberg | Shepherd Street Advisors | Larkspur | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Adam Wachob | Pace Financial Advisors | Hillsboro | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Adrian Guzman Pena | Nexus Strategic Wealth | Tualatin | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Alan Birsinger | Wealth Management Group | Houston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Alan Rubin | Targeted Financial Services | Seminole | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Alex Zubak | Sikorski Wealth Management | San Diego | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Alexander Cooke | Optimist Capital | Palm Beach Gardens | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Alexander Skabry | Harvest Capital Assets | Sanborn | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Alexander Strauss | RDM Capital | Red Bank | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Alexander Urpi | Emergent Financial Services | Charlottesville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Alexandra Leon Guerrero | ALG Financial | Hagåtña | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Alison Davis | Quantum Leap Capital | South Burlington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Allen Montgomery | Capstone Wealth Management | Lakeland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Amanda Miars | Live Oak Private Wealth | Wilmington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Amanda Wray | Next Up Wealth Advisors | Scottsdale | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Anastasiya Sembay | Cornerstone Wealth Management | Westlake | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Andrea Whitmire | Pacific Crest Wealth Management | Eugene | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Andrew Heinz | OverRidge Wealth Advisors | Fort Worth | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Andrew Jensen | Zermatt Wealth Advisors | San Diego | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Andrew Kotyuk | Alpha Wealth Management | Hemet | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Andrew Krafft | Luminary Wealth | Charlotte | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Andrew Swanson | Howland Capital | Boston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Anne Maclean | Heritage Investment Group | Pompano Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Anthony Visintin | Federmann Financial Advisors | Tampa | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Anthony Walther | Pace Financial Advisors | Hillsboro | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Arabelle Rachel Restauro | Spiegelman Wealth Management | Walnut Creek | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Ashley Ramirez Quiles | CAF Investments | Guaynabo | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ashley White | Federmann Financial Advisors | Rocky Point | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Augustine Matheson | Cornerstone Wealth Management | Westlake | 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.