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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jamie Roth | Solyco Wealth | Hanover | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jared Audette | Eagle Wealth Management Group | Valencia | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Jason Lazarow | Lazarow Wealth Management | Tucson | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jason Seney | Brown | Miller Wealth Management | Mclean | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jay Jajich | River Wealth Advisors | Camp Hill | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jeffrey Diercks | InTrust Advisors | Tampa | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Hourly |
| Jeffrey Franco | JV Global Capital | Houston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jeffrey Guindon | Carriage Hill Investment Associates | Lancaster | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jeffrey Meekins | WhiteRock Wealth Design | Fayetteville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jeffrey Rochon | Denali Wealth Management | Mequon | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Jennifer Anderson | McClarren Financial Advisors | State College | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Jennifer Armour | Feeney Financial | Leawood | Not listed | One-time planning fee |
| Jennifer Arps | Atlantic Coast Financial | Kennebunk | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jennifer Degraffenried | Hurst and DeGraffenried Wealth Management | Bedford | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Jennifer Rowe | The Pacific Financial Group | Nashville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Jenny Jones | The Jones Stewardship Group | Elk Grove | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jeroen van Leersum | Wyoming Wealth Management | Cincinnati | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Jerry Snider | Snider & Talbot | Kansas City | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jesse Robinson | River Wealth Advisors | Camp Hill | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jesse Rodrigue | Fortune 45 | Gonzales | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jessica Hinks | Hixon Zuercher Capital Management | Findlay | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jessica Pratt | WyoU Financial Strategies | Casper | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joanna Greene | Milestone Investments Columbus | Ridgeland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jody Holt | Holt Wealth Management | Borger | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Joel Zerbe | Vista Cima Wealth Management | Surprise | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| John Bernstein | Bernstein Financial Advisory | Minneapolis | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| John Chavez | Multnomah Group | Carlsbad | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| John Dapper | Holdfast Wealth Management | Austin | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| John Denney | Sage Investment Counsel | Franklin | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| John Heidelberg | Milestone Investments Columbus | Ridgeland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| John Hunter | Trinity Legacy Partners | Houston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| John Kunda | Advanta Wealth Management | Lynchburg | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| John Lundin | KCM Investment Advisors | Greenbrae | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| John Montgomery | Montgomery Wealth Advisors | Shreveport | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| John Moorman | Anchor Investment Management | Columbia | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| John O'Neill | O'Neill Financial Management | Lake Forest | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| John Oneill | O'Neill Financial Management | Lake Forest | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| John Pogue | KCM Investment Advisors | Greenbrae | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| John Sinchok | OxenFree Financial | Melbourne | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| John Strauss | Strauss Financial Group | Hoover | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| John Strauss | Strauss Financial Group | Hoover | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| John Wilkinson | Trinity Legacy Partners | Houston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jonathan Blazick | Horizon Financial | West Henrietta | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jonathan Henderson | Sage Investment Counsel | Franklin | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jonathan White | Pearson Investment Management | Sandy Springs | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jordan Masciorini | Ticino Wealth | Mission Viejo | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Joseph Baer | Successful Portfolios | Clearwater | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joseph Evangelista | Wingate Wealth Advisors | Lexington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Joseph Fleischmann | Multnomah Group | Bellingham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joseph Pflueger | Pflueger Wealth | Churchville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
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.