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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Gorski | Pacific Point Wealth Management | Carlsbad | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Ryan Hartung | MWS Capital Consultants | Chicago | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Ryan Hoskins | Benchmark Wealth | Cincinnati | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Ryan Kelly | Spectrum Asset Management | Newport Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ryan Knabusch | Old Mission Investment | Traverse City | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ryan Knebel | ABG Consultants | Collinsville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ryan Peschka | Berkeley Capital Management | Ellsworth | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Ryley Cowan | Welch Financial Planning | Boulder | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Samuel Benson | Martin Wealth Solutions | Christiansburg | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Samuel Harris | Patina Wealth | Crozet | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Samuel Taylor | Heritage Investment Group | Pompano Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Sangam Dahal | Worcester Advisors | Worcester | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Sapphira Santibanez | Del Mar Wealth Management | Del Mar | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Sarah Leimenstoll | Bell Investment Advisors | Orinda | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Scott Burns | River Raisin Investment Partners | Monroe | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Scott Neubauer | Wisdom Investments | Lake In The Hills | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Scott Walton | Walton Financial | Birmingham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Scott Warner | Aspen Capital Management | Boise | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Sean Miller | Blue Bell Private Wealth Management | Blue Bell | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Sebastian Lopez-Hafen | Dash Investments | Plano | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Seema Jain | Axiom Paragon Services | Tampa | Not listed | Not listed |
| Seth Swenson | Orchid Wealth Management | Portland | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Shubham Acharya | Ninja Wealth Advisors | Federal Way | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Stacee Love-Malcolm | Nexus Strategic Wealth | Tualatin | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Stacy Bliss | Heritage Investment Group | Pompano Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Stanley Edgell | Strategic Planning | Columbus | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Stephen Catton | Catton Capital Partners | San Francisco | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Stephen Galvin | Galvin, Gaustad & Stein | Scottsdale | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Stephen Gaustad | Galvin, Gaustad & Stein | Sewickley | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Stephen Guss | Sound Investment Strategies | Langley | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Steven Post | Pathway Financial Advisers | Auburn | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Steven Wiggins | Indelible Wealth Group | Berthoud | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Susan Arnold | Roffman Miller Wealth Management | Philadelphia | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Tabitha Garreffa | ABG Consultants | Arlington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Tanner Dallas | Phoenix Rising Wealth Management | St. Charles | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Taylor Thomas | South Shore Capital Advisors | Boston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Temitayo Ilori | Hyvorian Financial | Garland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Theresa Martin | Martin Wealth Solutions | Christiansburg | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Thomas Carter | Retirement Plan Fiduciaries | Austin | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Thomas Francescon | Stone Bridge Asset Management | Chattanooga | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Thomas Greb | Olivar & Greb Capital Management | Maitland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Thomas Isgrig | Isgrig Capital Asset Management | Cincinnati | Not listed | Hourly, Fixed fees |
| Thomas Ludwig | Stockbridge Private Wealth Management | Sun Prairie | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Thomas Smith | ABG Consultants | Westfield | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Thomas Woodward | Woodward Diversified Capital | Bakersfield | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Tiffany Blaho | Bell Investment Advisors | Orinda | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Timothy Brinkman | Integrity Investing | Daleville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Timothy Nenninger | Stonebridge Financial Group | St. Louis | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Timothy Scholten | Yarger Wealth Strategies | Westerville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Timothy Slattery | Heritage Investment Group | Pompano Beach | 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.