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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steve Heinemann | Recalibrating Wealth | Fountain Valley | CFP, CPA | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Steven Clark | Clark Financial Planning Services LLC | Coconut Creek | CFP, EA, RICP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Steven Fox Next Gen founder now building AdviceOnly to help advisors give advice instead of sales pitches; takes occasional small hourly projects. | AdviceOnly | San Diego | CFP, EA, BFA, MS | Subscription, One-time planning fee |
| Steven Gilbert | Gilbert Wealth | Fort Wayne | CFP, RICP, APMA | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Tara Unverzagt | South Bay Financial Partners | Torrance | CFP, MBA | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| Thomas Venner | Not listed | Hamilton | CFP, CEA | Hourly, Percentage of assets |
| Tim Baker | YFP Wealth | New Albany | CFP, RICP, RLP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Todd Kephart | Retirement Income Solutions, Inc. | Ann Arbor | CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Tom Massie | Massie Financial Planning | Alexandria | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Tomas Geoghegan | Beacon Hill Private Wealth | Summit | CFP, CIMA, CPWA, MBA | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Tommy Blackburn | Mason & Associates | Newport News | CFP, CPA, PFS | Ongoing planning fee |
| Travis Ray | By Design Financial Planning | Greensboro | CFP | Ongoing planning fee, Percentage of assets |
| Trent Porter | Priority Financial Partners | Denver | CFP, CPA, MAcc | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Trevor Winter | New Heights Planning, LLC | Houston | CFP, CRPC | Ongoing planning fee |
| Vincent Renaut | Pier 42 Advisors | South Dennis | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| William Arnold | AVID Planning | Saint Petersburg | CFP | Flat fee or retainer |
| Zach Lopez | AnCap Financial | League City | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Zach Lundak Hourly planning for people who manage their own investments and want a professional to make sure nothing is missed. | Barrett FP | Gretna | CFA, CFP | Hourly |
| Zack Gutches | True Riches Financial Planning | Denver | CFP, CPA | Flat fee or retainer |
| Aaron Hector | Doherty & Bryant Financial Strategists | Calgary | CFP, RFP, TEP | Not listed |
| Alex Jankowski | Timeless Wealth, LLC | Phoenixville | CFP, CPA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ali Criss | Financial Insights | Tacoma | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Allison Vanaski | Arcadia Wealth Management | New York | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Amol Desai | Perceptive Wealth Advisors | Houston | CFA, CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Andrew Gerhartz | Bridge The Gap Retirement Planners LLC | Phoenix | CFP, MSPFP, MSFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Andrew McFadden | Panoramic Financial Advice | Fresno | CFP, MBA | Flat fee or retainer |
| Andrew Trammell | Trammell Wealth LLC | Wellington | CFP, EA, MSFP, RICP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Andy Baxley | Two Trails Financial Planning | Oak Park | CFP, MSFP | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| Ann Shubert | Equila Financial, LLC | Albuquerque | CFP, MBA | Flat fee or retainer, One-time planning fee |
| Anna Knight | Simplicity Financial | mississauga | CFP | One-time planning fee, Ongoing planning fee |
| Annie Kvick | Money Coaches Canada | North Vancouver | CFP, BEd | One-time planning fee, Ongoing planning fee |
| Barbara Knoblach | Money Coaches Canada | Edmonton | CFP, PhD | One-time planning fee, Ongoing planning fee |
| Benjamin Yeung | Seaborn Financial, LLC | Austin | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Bernard Kiely | Kiely Capital Management, Inc. | Morristown | BA, CFP, CPA, MBA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bob Burger | Disciplined Money | Phoenix | CFP | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| Bob Knode | Knode Wealth Management | Plano | CFP, EA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brad Smith | CapRock Wealth Management | Little Rock | CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brandy Branstetter | Beyond Wealth | Overland Park | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brendan O'Rourke | Greenway Financial Advisors LLC | Burlington | CFP, EA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brenna Baucum | Collective Wealth Planning, LLC | Salem | CFP | Hourly, Ongoing planning fee |
| Brenna Jensen-Baucum | Collective Wealth Planning | Salem | CFP | Hourly, Ongoing planning fee |
| Brent Hamilton | WBH Financial Services, LLC | Lake Oswego | CDFA, CFP, EA, MS | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| Brian Bickett | Iron Mountain Financial Planning, LLC | Rapid City | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Britton Gregory | Seaborn Financial, LLC | Austin | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Bryan Curry | Bridge The Gap Retirement Planners LLC | Phoenix | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| C Garrett Moore | C Garrett Moore, CFP® | Bradenton | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Cameron Folse | Folse Financial | Missouri City | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Cameron Penney | Penney Financial | Houston | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Charles Parker | Parker Financial Advisors, LLC | Houston | AEP, BBA, CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Cherise Berman | Bespoke Financial Consulting Inc. | Toronto | CA, CFP, RFP, TEP | Hourly, Ongoing planning fee |
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.