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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annette Sun | SW Private Wealth | Needham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Anthony Garcia | Trinity Legacy Partners | Houston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Anthony Hixon | Hixon Zuercher Capital Management | Findlay | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Anthony Root | The Pacific Financial Group | Nashville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Ariel Hilario | AdviceOne | Glastonbury | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Arriana Neese | Mariner Financial Group | Palm Beach Gardens | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Arthur Jarvis | Jarvis Global Investments | Loveland | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Austin Harrison | Four Rivers Financial | Columbia | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Austin Jarvis | Jarvis Global Investments | Loveland | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Austin Neddenriep | Foronjy Financial | Santa Barbara | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Austin Wilson | Hixon Zuercher Capital Management | Findlay | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Barbara Linnard | Linnard Financial Management & Planning | Boxborough | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Baylee Zeigler | Vigil Wealth Management | Ponte Vedra Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Benjamin Chappell | Horizon Financial | West Henrietta | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Benjamin Ebert | Ebert Capital Management | Eureka | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Benjamin Laufer | Paces Ferry Wealth Advisors | Atlanta | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Benjamin Small | Retirement Planning Blueprint | Charlotte | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brad Pruitt | High Plains Advisors | Lubbock | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bradford Boisvert | Rawlings Wealth Management | Glastonbury | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Bradley Ward | Asset One | Naples | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Brandon Klippel | Vista Cima Wealth Management | Surprise | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Brandon Wooley | Feeney Financial | Jefferson City | Not listed | One-time planning fee |
| Brian Atchley | Four Rivers Financial | Columbia | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brian Barton | Guardian Wealth Management | Salt Lake City | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Brian Montanez | Multnomah Group | Orinda | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brigham Ballard | Driven Investments | Lehi | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Brittany Heath | Brown | Miller Wealth Management | Mclean | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brock Payne | Driven Investments | Lehi | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Bruce Hunt | Rose Valley Asset Management | Media | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bryan Gutierrez | Statherós Financial Solutions | El Dorado Hills | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Bryan Kaufman | Paradigm Wealth Management | Bridgewater | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bryan Trochessett | San Blas Capital | Port St. Joe | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Caedmon Bear | On the Trail Financial Planning | Walnut Creek | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Caleb Hilliker | Statherós Financial Solutions | El Dorado Hills | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Campbell Gibson | Trinity Legacy Partners | Houston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Cara Whipkey | Wingate Wealth Advisors | Lexington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Carie Carney | Lenk Ladner Investment Solutions | Osterville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Carl Valimont | Denali Wealth Management | Mequon | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Carol Landaeta | RD Lewis Wealth Management | Maitland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Carol Newman | Wingate Wealth Advisors | Lexington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Caryn Sanchez | Multnomah Group | Portland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Casey Marks | Foronjy Financial | Santa Barbara | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Cassandra Gegenheimer | McKee Investment Planning | Wilmington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Catherine Henning | Pacific Global Investment Management Company | Glendale | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Catherine Kapusta | Kapusta Financial Group | Pittsburgh | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Chad Karnes | Shadowridge Asset Management | Austin | Not listed | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| Charles Burns | Bay Hill Capital Management | Santa Rosa Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Charles Doran | Prometheus Investment Advisors | Greenwich | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Charles Kennedy | The Pacific Financial Group | Nashville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Charles Marion | Milestone Investments Columbus | Ridgeland | 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.