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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joseph Toepke | Feeney Financial | St. Matthews | Not listed | One-time planning fee |
| Joseph Watz | Four Rivers Financial | Columbia | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joshua Belcher | Four Rivers Financial | Columbia | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joshua Robb | Hixon Zuercher Capital Management | Findlay | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joshua Weidie | Paces Ferry Wealth Advisors | Atlanta | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Joshua Weir | Driven Investments | Lehi | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Judith Savchak | River Wealth Advisors | Allentown | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Julie Ford | Pacific Global Investment Management Company | Glendale | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Julie Mochan | The Pacific Financial Group | Nashville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Justin Tackett | Brookstone Wealth Management | Birmingham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Justin Waisner | Statherós Financial Solutions | El Dorado Hills | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Kaimele Searles | The Pacific Financial Group | Nashville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Kaneil Menlove | Paragon Wealth Management | Provo | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Katherine Lauer | High Net Worth Advisory Group | Naples | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kathleen Gibilisco | AdviceOne | Glastonbury | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kelly Roemers | Statherós Financial Solutions | San Jose | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Kelso Huffman | High Net Worth Advisory Group | Naples | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kevin Ellis-Rutherford | Solyco Wealth | Birmingham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kevin Johnson | Retirement Planning Blueprint | Charlotte | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kevin Price | Interlake Capital Management | Carmel | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Kim Miller | Viewpoint Advisory | Meridian | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Krista Thompson | Winebrenner Capital Management | Louisville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Performance-based fees |
| Kristin DiMeo | Meridian Wealth Group | Dade City | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kristin Ramsay | truNorth™ Financial Services | Chambersburg | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kristine O'Brien | Wealth Transitions Financial Planning | Cincinnati | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kristofer Alban | BSG Advisers | Apex | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kristopher Gallow | Ghost Strategies | San Antonio | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kyle Zentner | McClarren Financial Advisors | State College | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Lance Tempest | Landmark Wealth Advisors | Farmington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Lane Valimont | Denali Wealth Management | Mequon | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Lauren Trumbull | Krane Financial Solutions | Calabasas | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Lawrence Tuskey | Wealthview Capital | New Orleans | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Lawrence Zimmerman | Zimmerman Advisory Group | Dublin | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Leonard Skiena | S. R. Schill & Associates | Mercer Island | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Lianna Deprey | Wingate Wealth Advisors | Lexington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Lianna Kzirian | Pacific Global Investment Management Company | Glendale | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Lindsay Birchfield | BCR Wealth Strategies | Vestavia | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Loyd Pyle | Section Integrity Wealth Management | Fleming Isle | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Luke Bunch | OxenFree Financial | Melbourne | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Luke Lyle | Winebrenner Capital Management | Louisville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Performance-based fees |
| Marc Turner | Renaissance Advisory Group | Bryn Mawr | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Marianna Beddard | PlayBook Advizor | Port Washington | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Mark Brooks | Four Rivers Financial | Columbia | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mark Loomis | River Wealth Advisors | Camp Hill | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mark Muecke | Mark Muecke Capital Management | San Antonio | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Mark Perez | Paradigm Wealth Management | Bridgewater | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mark Steffen | Sightline Wealth Advisors | Groton | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Mark Stys | WS Wealth Management | Washington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Mark Wierichs | Denali Wealth Management | Mequon | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Martin Winebrenner | Winebrenner Capital Management | Louisville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Performance-based fees |
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.