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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matt Williams | Williams Financial Group | Mobile | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Bitter | Phoenix Rising Wealth Management | St. Charles | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Eltringham | Benchmark Wealth | Cincinnati | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Matthew Erickson | Convergent Financial Group | Mount Pleasant | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Matthew Hekman | Waterfront | Advisors | Overland Park | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Hershey | Sensible Money | Scottsdale | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Matthew Mai | Price Financial Group | Portland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Marchand | Pacific Point Wealth Management | Carlsbad | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Matthew Myers | Stonebridge Financial Group | St. Louis | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Peck | Amicus Financial Advisors | Lubbock | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Pederson | MP3 Finance | Cameron Park | Not listed | Hourly, Subscription |
| Matthew Powers | Powers Advisory Group | Highland | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Matthew Shapiro | MWS Capital Consultants | Glenview | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Matthew Tarkington | WholeHuman Wealth Management | Lewisville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Maureen Maidlow | OverRidge Wealth Advisors | Fort Worth | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Maxwell Hulbert | LifeGoal Investments | Saratoga Springs | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Melanie Johnson | Beck Capital Management | Austin | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Meredith Nowell | Williams Financial Group | Mobile | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Bryant | First Perspective Capital | National Harbor | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Christians | Phoenix Rising Wealth Management | Frisco | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Dickey | IntelliVest Wealth Management | Boiling Springs | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Michael Jackson | The Investor Advisory Group | Charlotte | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Keller | Aspen Capital Management | Boise | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael Kennedy | Whitener Capital Management | Rocky Mount | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Laubinger | Stono River Wealth Management | Johns Island | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael Loveless | ABG Consultants | Cottonwood Heights | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Marchetti | Lakeview Financial Planning | Shirley | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Myers | Stonebridge Financial Group | St. Louis | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Robinson | Narus Financial Partners | Topock | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Smith | Emerald Advisors | Bellevue | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael Trekas | Meridian Business Group | River Grove | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Urpi | Emergent Financial Services | Charlottesville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Michael Vickerman | Vickerman Investment Advisors | Spokane | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Michelle Emmons | Southeast Financial Advisors | Greenville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mike Mers | Aspen Capital Management | Boise | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Mikela Rapattoni | Price Financial Group | Portland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mitchell Benefiel | Integrated Wealth Solutions | Tulsa | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mitchell Poirier | SMP Financial Planning | New York | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mitsuo Lockrow | Cambridge Wealth Management | Cambridge | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Molly Lazor | Chipser Wealth Management | Destin | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Monte Grissom | Waterfront | Advisors | Overland Park | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Nancy Wakefield | Serene Point Advisors | Lake Oswego | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Naomi Roberts | Yarger Wealth Strategies | Westerville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Nathan Bauer | Pace Financial Advisors | Hillsboro | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Nathan Burman | Aspen Capital Management | Boise | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Neil Scott | American Family Legacy Group | Temple Terrace | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Neil Vanzandt | OverRidge Wealth Advisors | Fort Worth | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Nelson Barragan | Intuitivo PR | Guaynabo | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Nelson Gonzalez | Amicus Financial Advisors | Rosharon | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Nicholas Drew | Drew Wealth Management | Portsmouth | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
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.