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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mary Ann Drucker | FSA Wealth Partners | Rockville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mathew Duvall | Duvall Wealth Management | Fontana | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Daigneault | Dirigo Financial | North Berwick | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Gensler | Brookstone Wealth Management | Boynton Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Lasker | Wingate Wealth Advisors | Lexington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Matthew Maciel | Maciel Wealth Management | Overland Park | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Matthew Potter | WhiteRock Wealth Design | Fayetteville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Matthew Silvey | Texas Family Wealth | Friendswood | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Matthew Suby | John F. Suby Wealth Management | Rockford | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Meaghan Brugge | Headwaters Financial Planning | Granby | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Megan Meade | The Pacific Financial Group | Bellevue | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Meghan Lynch | Lynch Financial Group | Denver | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael Alba | Feeney Financial | Leawood | Not listed | One-time planning fee |
| Michael Armour | Feeney Financial | Hutchinson | Not listed | One-time planning fee |
| Michael Congdon | Horizon Financial | West Henrietta | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael Freeman | Trilogy Financial Solutions | Oklahoma City | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Guilsher | Brookstone Wealth Management | Birmingham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Jenco | The Pacific Financial Group | Denver | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Michael Madden | Madden Funds | Oak Park | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Michael Masciorini | Ticino Wealth | Mission Viejo | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Michael McGee | Hudson Advisors | Vero Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Murff | Oak Road Wealth Management | Lee'S Summit | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Pallozzi | HFM Investment Advisors | Newark | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Redlick | Investment Growth Management | Clayton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Roberts | Statherós Financial Solutions | San Jose | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Michael Sharpnack | Paul Winkler | Goodlettsville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michelle Durgy | KCM Investment Advisors | Greenbrae | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Milan Karki | Titanhub | Jackson Heights | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Naoka Nakagawa | Prism Planning & Solutions Group | White Plains | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Nathan Kallal | OxenFree Financial | Melbourne | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Neil Nakagawa | The Pacific Financial Group | Nashville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Nicholas Moore | Trinity Financial Planning | Middleton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Nick Allen | Covington Investment Advisors | Ligonier | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Noah Eshenaur | truNorth™ Financial Services | Chambersburg | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Noah Schmall | Bridgeway Wealth Management | Cedar Rapids | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Norman Poole Jr | Money Poole | Greenville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Nuthira Neal | NNInvestmentAdvisory | Santa Barbara | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Owen Ahrens | Mendota Financial Group | Madison | Not listed | One-time planning fee |
| Palmer Mahoney | Weaver Consulting Group | Huntington Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Pamela Franklin | Milestone Investments Columbus | Pensacola | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Pamela Rehart | Integrity Capital Management | Kingsport | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Parker Mosley | The Pacific Financial Group | Nashville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Patricia McDonnell | MSM Financial Strategies | Manhasset | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Patrick Fischoeder | Anchor Capital Advisors | Boston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Patrick Illies | Twin Cities Retirement Group | Plymouth | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Patrick O'Grady | Rinaldi Wealth Management | Bonita Springs | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Patrick Wallace | Covington Investment Advisors | Ligonier | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Pau Delgado Rodriguez | CS Advisors | Boca Raton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Paul Curtman | P.R. Curtman Investments | Milton | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Paul Kramer | Miles Brown Asset Management | Santa Rosa | 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.