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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas Garrett | Tax Favored Retirement | Kansas City | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Douglas Keenholts | Fagan Associates | Troy | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Dustin Kennedy | Feeney Financial | Springfield | Not listed | One-time planning fee |
| Dwight Reynolds | Brookstone Wealth Management | Birmingham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Dylan Christopher | Four Rivers Financial | Columbia | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Earl Winebrenner | Winebrenner Capital Management | Louisville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Performance-based fees |
| Elizabeth Johnson | Iowa Wealth Management | West Des Moines | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Eric Holcomb | Holcomb Financial | Canton | Not listed | Hourly |
| Erik Bjorvik | Mariner Financial Group | Palm Beach Gardens | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Erik Bryan | OxenFree Financial | Melbourne | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Esther Bodman | Retirement Planning Blueprint | Charlotte | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ethan Ahrens | Mendota Financial Group | Madison | Not listed | One-time planning fee |
| Ethan Layne | Layne Financial Group | Huntington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Evan Altuzarra | Mariner Financial Group | Tucson | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Evan Gruchot | Solyco Wealth | Birmingham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Francisco Sirvent | Lifestyle Planning | Chandler | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Gabriel Sirvent | Lifestyle Planning | Chandler | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Garth Moreau | OxenFree Financial | Melbourne | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Gene Bergmeier | THRIVE Financial Management | Monument | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| George Henning | Pacific Global Investment Management Company | Glendale | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| George Leisure | BSG Advisers | Apex | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| George Sisti | On Course Financial Planning | Woodinville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| George Whitmore | Anchor Capital Advisors | Boston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| George Zimmerman | RIO Financial Planning | Portland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Gordon Daisley | Advisors Financial | Mclean | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Grant Walker | Four Rivers Financial | Ozark | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Greg Dunston | Anchor Investment Management | Columbia | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Greg Lebold | Four Rivers Financial | Columbia | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Gregory Johnson | Multnomah Group | Centennial | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Guy Benstead | KCM Investment Advisors | Greenbrae | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Hailey Fields | Multnomah Group | Portland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Heather Johnson | Shadowridge Asset Management | Austin | Not listed | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| Heidi Strauss | Strauss Financial Group | Hoover | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ian Tongol | Investment Growth Management | Concord | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Isaac Miller | Solyco Wealth | Birmingham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ivanna Berrio Paeva | Ticino Wealth | Mission Viejo | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Ivanna Velazco | Driven Investments | Lehi | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jack Holmes | Driven Investments | Lehi | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jackson Calvin | Sage Investment Counsel | Franklin | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jackson Metzger | Paces Ferry Wealth Advisors | Atlanta | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jacob Devlin | Covington Investment Advisors | Ligonier | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| James Campagna | Adirondack Capital Advisors | Syracuse | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| James Dehoff | DeHoff Wealth Advisory | Jacksonville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| James Hard | Sara-Bay Financial | Sarasota | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| James Lundgren | Hg Capital Advisors | Houston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| James Maxon | James D Maxon Financial Advisors | Bedford | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| James McClendon | The Pacific Financial Group | Bellevue | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| James Phillips | OxenFree Financial | Melbourne | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| James Spickard | Advanta Wealth Management | Lynchburg | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| James Stevens | 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.