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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Timothy Tuinstra | Calder Financial Group | Winona | Not listed | One-time planning fee |
| Tony Jung | Spectrum Asset Management | Newport Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Trevor Hotmer | Aspen Capital Management | Boise | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Ty Neubauer | Spectrum Asset Management | Newport Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Victoria Kizma | Financial Independence Advisors | Deland | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Wayne Casey | Casey Wealth Management | Orland Park | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Wayne Fernow | American Family Legacy Group | Tampa | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Weld Butler | Harbor Advisory | Portsmouth | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Will Oliver | Founders Capital Management | Houston | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| William Abolghassem | Firethorn Wealth Partners | Augusta | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| William Alt | MWS Capital Consultants | Chicago | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| William Collier | Live Oak Private Wealth | Rocky Mount | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| William Gregory | Beck Capital Management | Austin | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| William Kelleher | Lee-Kelleher-Klein Wealth Management | Ellicott City | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| William Messner | Bill Messner Contrarian Investment Advisory | New Castle | Not listed | Hourly, Ongoing planning fee |
| William Thomas | Ascension Wealth Advisors | Mt. Pleasant | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| William Tiedt | A to Z Financial Planning | Oak Creek | Not listed | One-time planning fee, Ongoing planning fee |
| Xavier Urpi | Emergent Financial Services | Charlottesville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Yen Trac | Northern California Fiduciary Advisors | Berkeley | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Zachariah Kline | Capstone Wealth Management | San Jose | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Zachary Moore | Pace Financial Advisors | Hillsboro | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Zain Griffith | Dash Investments | Miami | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Aaron Chow | The Pacific Financial Group | Nashville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Aaron Fagan | Fagan Associates | Troy | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Aaron Muhs | Catalyst Financial NW | Gresham | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Aaron Pugh | Driven Investments | Lehi | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Aaron Salter | Retirement Planning Blueprint | Charlotte | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Abigail Kotarski | BCR Wealth Strategies | Vestavia | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Abigail Rycraw | WhiteRock Wealth Design | Fayetteville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Adam Gagas | Rockbridge Investment Management | Syracuse | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Adam Hruby | InTrust Advisors | Tampa | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Hourly |
| Adam Parrie | Four Rivers Financial | Columbia | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Adriaan van Wyk | Richmond Brothers | Jackson | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Alex Hidalgo | The Pacific Financial Group | Nashville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Alexander Newman | Grape | Temecula | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Alexandria Adamchak | Capital Investment Counsel | Denver | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Allan Pickle | Milestone Investments Columbus | Ridgeland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Amity Raia | AdviceOne | Nampa | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Amy Butrymowicz | John F. Suby Wealth Management | Madison | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ana McKinley | Jordan Financial Services | Kenosha | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Andrew Albano | Mariner Financial Group | Newtown | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Andrew Cettina | OxenFree Financial | Melbourne | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Andrew Matz | Oak Road Wealth Management | Lee'S Summit | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Andrew Schmitt | Schmitt Wealth Advisers | Cincinnati | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Andrew Surber | Tax Favored Retirement | Kansas City | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Andrew Whitbeck | WhiteRock Wealth Design | Fayetteville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Angela Williams | Integrity Capital Management | Kingsport | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Anita Roberts | AdviceOne | Glastonbury | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Anna Khemkhajon | Rinaldi Wealth Management | Bonita Springs | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Annelise Sutherland | BCR Wealth Strategies | Vestavia | 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.