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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Loyacono | Milestone Investments Columbus | Ridgeland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Paul McNeill | Milestone Investments Columbus | Ridgeland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Peter Finn | Finn Wealth | Spokane | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Peter Frailey | Wingate Wealth Advisors | Lexington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Peyton Hazelrig | Winebrenner Capital Management | Louisville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Performance-based fees |
| Philip Sparacino | Disciplined Portfolio Solutions | Leland | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Preston Rhoades | Vista Cima Wealth Management | Surprise | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Rachel Stam | River Wealth Advisors | Camp Hill | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Rafael Yurk | Asset One | Bridgeville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Ralph Lebkuecher | Shadowridge Asset Management | Austin | Not listed | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| Ralph Manna | River Wealth Advisors | Camp Hill | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ramon Garrido Mateos | Copper Harbor Investment Advisors | Appleton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Randall Newton | Eagle Wealth Management Group | Charlotte | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Randolph Fisher | Artemis Wealth Advisors | Flemington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Raymond Dimeo | Meridian Wealth Group | Dade City | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Raymond Randolph | KCM Investment Advisors | Greenbrae | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Rebekah Ellis | Winebrenner Capital Management | Louisville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Performance-based fees |
| Regina Blake-Anderson | RD Lewis Wealth Management | Maitland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Renee Skiver | Skiver Investment Services | Allen Park | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Rex Mahoney | Adirondack Capital Advisors | Syracuse | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Richard Bolgiano | Bolgiano Capital Management | Midlothian | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Richard Levenson | Western Financial | San Diego | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Richard Olsen | The Pacific Financial Group | Bellevue | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Richard Talbot | Snider & Talbot | Kansas City | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ritesh Upadhyaya | Vigil Wealth Management | Ponte Vedra Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Robert Basile | Basile Financial Group | Palm Harbor | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Robert Berlinski | AdviceOne | Glastonbury | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Robert Deiana | Lighthouse Financial | Marblehead | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Robert Fenili | Northwest Quadrant Wealth | Bend | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Robert Laura | Wealth and Wellness Group | Brighton | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer |
| Robert Moore | Copper Harbor Investment Advisors | Appleton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Robert Picha | BSG Advisers | Apex | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Robert Ryan | Rockbridge Investment Management | Syracuse | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Robert Shaara | Feeney Financial | Riverton | Not listed | One-time planning fee |
| Robert Solimano | Angel Oak Financial Services | Montvale | Not listed | Hourly |
| Robert Wilkinson | WhiteRock Wealth Design | Fayetteville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Rodney Kramp | Asset One | Fort Myers | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Rosemary Yue | Brown | Miller Wealth Management | Mclean | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ryan Grady | Paradigm Wealth Management | Ponte Vedra | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Sadie Sanches | Driven Investments | Lehi | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Sally Branson | Texas Family Wealth | Friendswood | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Samuel Degraffenried | Hurst and DeGraffenried Wealth Management | Milford | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Samuel Gettis | Solyco Wealth | Birmingham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Samuel Taylor | Wealthview Capital | Jackson | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Sandie Turley | Western Financial | Mesa | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Scott Devens | Devens Wealth Management | Newport Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Scott Melbrod | Melbrod Wealth Management | San Diego | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Scott Sanborn | Retire Agile | Mercer | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Scott Schill | S. R. Schill & Associates | Mercer Island | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Shannon Webb | Webb Financial Group | Mission Viejo | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
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.