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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheryl Vesely | Balance Financial Planning, LLC | Oakland | CFP, MA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Chris Brown | Scholar Financial | Bowling Green | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Chris Cortese | Logbook Financial Planning, LLC | Rockport | CFP | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Chris Johnson | Jacobson & Schmitt Advisors, LLC | Middleton | CFP, CPWA | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Chris Mamula A former physical therapist and consumer advocate offering low-cost, advice-only planning to working families pursuing financial independence. | Abundo Wealth | Ogden | CFP | Subscription |
| Christopher Hodges | Hodges Financial Group | Nashville | CFP, CPFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Christopher Urban | Discovery Wealth Planning LLC | Vienna | CFP, MBA, RICP, TPCP | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| Claire Thornton | Hyla Financial | Scottsdale | CFP, MST | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Cody Lachner | Next Adventure Financial | Lafayette | CFP, EA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Dale Shafer Ii | Life Moves Wealth Management, LLC | Scotttsdale | CFP, APMA, CDFA | Ongoing planning fee |
| Dan Stous | Flagstone Financial Management | Lincoln | CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Dan VanDusen | Objective Wealth | Phoenix | CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets |
| Daniel Evans | Money Coaches Canada | Vancouver | CFP, CLU | One-time planning fee, Ongoing planning fee |
| Daniel Kenny | FI-nancial Planner LLC | Hamilton | CFP, CPA | Ongoing planning fee, Percentage of assets |
| Danny Clare | Flagstone Financial Management | Lincoln | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Darren Koch | Steigerwald, Gordon & Koch Inc. | Leesburg | CEPA, CFP, CRPS, Other | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David Foster | Gateway Wealth Management, LLC | Saint Louis | CFP, RICP, CAP | Percentage of assets |
| David Hunter | First Light Wealth, LLC | Hershey | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David Shotwell | Shotwell Rutter Baer, Inc. | Lansing | CFP, MSFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Dawn Mabery Chestnut | Mabery Consulting, LLC | Washington | CFP, MPAS, MSPFP, ChFC | Flat fee or retainer, Hourly |
| Deb Meyer | WorthyNest LLC | Punta Gorda | CFP, CPA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| DeDe Smolen | Innovative Financial, LLC | Lakewood | CFP, CPA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Drew Feutz | Migration Wealth Management, LLC | Avon | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Dwayne Reinike | Valiant Financial Planning | Kirkland | CFP, ChFC | Flat fee or retainer, One-time planning fee |
| Dwight Dettloff | Winding Trail Financial Planning, LLC | Lafayette | CFP, CPA, PFS, RICP | Percentage of assets |
| Eaton Miller | PlanWell Financial Guidance | Hayfield | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Ed Rempel | Unconventional Wisdom & Advice Inc. | Brampton | CFP, CPA, CMA | One-time planning fee, Percentage of assets |
| Eddie Liang | Downshift Financial | Boulder | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Edmond Fhima | Tulett, Matthews and Assoc. | Kirkland | C.Adm.F.P., CFP, RFP | Not listed |
| Ella Taylor | Ella Financial Advising | Oakland | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Eric Amzalag | Peak Financial Planning | Canoga Park | CFP, RICP | Flat fee or retainer, Percentage of assets |
| Eric Korbitz | Korbitz Financial Planning LLC | Milwaukee | BBA, CFP, CPA/PFS, MS | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| Eric Maldonado | Aquila Wealth Advisors | San Luis Obispo | CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Eric Simonson Founder of an advice-only firm offering low-cost, conflict-free comprehensive planning to people that investment minimums leave out. | Abundo Wealth | Houston | CFP, CRPC | Subscription |
| Eric Stutzman | Selkirk Wealth Advisors | Spokane | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Eric Thomas | Clarity Capital Management | Portland | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Erin Campbell | Beacon Financial Strategies | Raleigh | CFP, CPA/PFS, MBA | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| G. Christian Mauser | ATLas Investment Advisors | Alpharetta | CFP, CIMA, CRC, CRPC | Percentage of assets |
| Gage Paul | Western Reserve Capital Management, LLC | New Philadelphia | CFP, EA, RICP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Garrett Moore | Moore Financial Management, Inc. | Bradenton | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Gerald Gasber | Gasber Financial Advisors, Inc. | Folsom | CFP, CFS, CIMA, CIMC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Germaine Weldon | Inspired Financial Planners, LLC | Gulfport | CFP, CPA/PFS, Certified Student Loan Professional, CPA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Gerry Barrasso | United Financial Planning Group | Hauppauge | CFP, CPA, MBA, PFS | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Glen Smith | GDS Wealth Management | Flower Mound | CFP, CRPC | Percentage of assets |
| Greg Brown | Pathway Financial Planning, LLC | Novi | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Greg McCall | Eagle Financial Planning | Eagle | CFP, ChFC, RICP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Greg Vojtanek | Fade In Financial | Los Angeles | BA, CFP | Ongoing planning fee, Hourly |
| Griffin Saddler | Watershed Wealth | Alpena | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Heather Comella | Folsom Wealth Advisors | Folsom | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Heather Holjevac | Heather Holjevac, The Holjevac Group | Mississauga | CFP, CDFA, EPC, FP Canada Fellow Distinction | Not listed |
Guides
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.