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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles Warren | Multnomah Group | Gresham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Charles Williams | Anchor Investment Management | Columbia | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Chris Bentley | Parker Prescott Capital Management | Dallas | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Christian Williams | Driven Investments | Lehi | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Christopher Acquaviva | Cross Financial | Portland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Christopher Berg | Adirondack Capital Advisors | Syracuse | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Christopher Jackson | truNorth™ Financial Services | Chambersburg | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Christopher Jones | FSA Wealth Partners | Rockville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Christopher Lynch | Lynch Financial Group | Camarillo | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Christopher O'Neill | Anchor Capital Advisors | Boston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Cindy Jones | Covington Investment Advisors | Ligonier | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Claire Ariglio | Rockbridge Investment Management | Syracuse | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Colten McCutcheon | Covington Investment Advisors | Ligonier | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Connor Graham | Graham Wealth Management | Panama City Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Cory Haupt | C.R. Haupt | Eau Claire | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Courtney Lankford | Milestone Investments Columbus | Birmingham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Daniel Brown | Miles Brown Asset Management | San Rafael | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Daniel Carr | Anchor Capital Advisors | Boston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Daniel Doucette | Anchor Capital Advisors | Boston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Daniel Downey | Determined Advisors | San Diego | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Daniel Gutierrez | Statherós Financial Solutions | El Dorado Hills | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Daniel Hawthorne | Lighthouse Financial | Marblehead | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Daniel Madden | Madden Funds | Oak Park | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Daniel Robards | WhiteRock Wealth Design | Fayetteville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Daniel Shepard | Oak Road Wealth Management | Lee'S Summit | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Daniel Walsh | Successful Portfolios | Clearwater | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David Becker | Keystone Wealth Management | Waterloo | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| David Burrows | Hudson Advisors | Greenwich | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David Caivano | Retirement Planning Blueprint | Charlotte | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David Featherston | Shadowridge Asset Management | Austin | Not listed | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| David Morgan | High Net Worth Advisory Group | Naples | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David Mulhearn | Advisors Financial | Mclean | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David Rasmussen | Catalyst Financial NW | Gresham | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| David Schiller | Arcanum Capital Management | Syosset | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| David Wassmuth | Central Point Wealth Management | Beavercreek Township | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David Watson | Anchor Capital Advisors | Boston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David Young | Paragon Wealth Management | Provo | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Davis Cain | WhiteRock Wealth Design | Fayetteville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Dawna Westberg-Welch | Four Rivers Financial | Columbia | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Debra Hippensteel | River Wealth Advisors | Allentown | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Delcena Lewis | RD Lewis Wealth Management | Maitland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Dennis Fagan | Fagan Associates | Troy | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Denny Stoddard | Bridgeway Wealth Management | Queen Creek | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Denzil Locke | Locke Investment Management | Palatine | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Derek Baugh | Baugh & Associates | Atlanta | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Derek Kaufman | Columbia River Financial Group | Vancouver | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Dina Roan | McClarren Financial Advisors | State College | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Donald Jesberg | KCM Investment Advisors | Greenbrae | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Donald Kwarta | Horizon Financial | West Henrietta | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Douglas Davey | Statherós Financial Solutions | El Dorado Hills | 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.