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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holly Donaldson Plain-language, step-by-step planning for DIY investors across the U.S., with a focus on the psychology of money. | Holly Donaldson Financial Planning, LLC | Gainesville | AAMS, CFP, MA, MBA | One-time planning fee, Hourly |
| James Ashby | Mustard Seed Wealth Management | Magnolia | CFP, CPA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| James Davis | Partnership Financial LLC | Columbus | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| James Estep Iii | Everest Financial Advisors | Cooper City | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| James Schwarz | CLEAR Retirement Advice | San Mateo | CFP, MBA, RICP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Janice Fier | Couloir Wealth Advisors, Inc. | Welch | CFP | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| January Smith | Janus Financial Planning, LLC | San Antonio | CFP, EA | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Jarryd Smith | Harbor Light Planning, LLC | Royal Oak | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Jason Gunkel | Syverson Strege | West Des Moines | CAP, CFA, CFP, AEP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jeanna Nation | West Financial Advisors, LLC | Des Moines | CFP, CPA/PFS, RICP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jeff Tolsma | Tolsma Investments, LLC | Bellevue | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Jeffrey Bogue | Bogue Asset Management | Portland | BS, CFP | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| Jeffrey Mehler | Jeffrey N. Mehler, CFP LLC | Essex | BS, CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jennifer Hernandez | Petra Financial Advisors, Inc. | Colorado Springs | CFA, CFP, EA, MBA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jeremy Chambers | the hourly advisor llc | Hoboken | CFP | Hourly |
| Jessica Hillman | Do Wealth Different | Bentonville | CFP | One-time planning fee |
| Jim Kilgore | Buckeye Wealth Partners, LLC | Dayton | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jodie Stauffer | Money Coaches Canada | Edmonton | CFP | One-time planning fee, Ongoing planning fee |
| Joe Alfonso, CFP®, ChFC, EA, RICP, Rssa® | Aegis Financial Advisory | Lake Oswego | CFP, ChFC, EA, RICP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| John Fales | Searcy Financial Services, Inc. | Overland Park | AIF, CFP, CIMA, EA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| John Losen | Bespoke Financial Planning, LLC | Wayne | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| John Piershale | Piershale Wealth Management | Crystal Lake | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| John Stocking | Evidence Based Finance | Toronto | CIM, CIWM, PFP | One-time planning fee, Ongoing planning fee |
| Jon Hsu | TrueVector Wealth Advisors | Parker | CFP, CIMA, EA | Flat fee or retainer, One-time planning fee |
| Jonathan Huss | Hussmen Financial, LLC | Midlothian | CFP | Ongoing planning fee, Hourly |
| Jordan Benold | Benold Financial Planning | Frisco | CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jose Vivero | United Financial Planning Group, LLC | New York | CFP, ChFC, CLU, RICP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joseph Alfonso | Aegis Financial Advisory | Cupertino | CFP, ChFC, EA, RICP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Josh Escalante Troesh | Purposeful Strategic Partners | Alta Loma | CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Josh Wolberg | Great River Financial | Plymouth | CFP, MBA, RICP | Percentage of assets |
| Joshua Brooks | Exponential Advisors | Weatherford | CFP, M.Div. | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Joshua Escalante Troesh | Purposeful Strategic Partners | Alta Loma | CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Jovan Johnson | Piece of Wealth Planning LLC | Athens | CFP, CPA, PFS | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Justin Brownlee | BWM Planning LLC d/b/a Brownlee Wealth Management | Houston | CFP | Flat fee or retainer |
| Justin Porter | Porter Wealth Management, LLC | Nashville | CFP, CPA/PFS, JD, CPA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kade Hammes | Storybook Financial | Coralville | CFP, RLP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kaden Wootton | ENSPIRE WEALTH MANAGEMENT, LLC | Santa Rosa | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kailie Abascal | Middleton & Company | Vancouver | CFP | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Kaki Perdue Retirement and tax planning for people nearing retirement who want to feel safe, strong and secure managing their own money. | Look Both Ways Financial | Houston | CPA, CFP | One-time planning fee, Hourly |
| Katy Cook | Abacus Financial Planning | Kirkland | CFP, PhD | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Keith Deane | Deane Retirement Strategies, Inc. | New Orleans | AIF, CFP, CRC | Percentage of assets |
| Kerry Mayo | Capital Financial Advisors of New York, LLC | Clifton Park | CFP, MA, MBA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kevin Lam Retirement income, health, safety and legacy planning for seniors age 60 and up, from a planner in his 60s. | Age Wisely Financial | Wilmington | CFP | One-time planning fee |
| Kristen Vernace | Pathways Financial Planning | Portsmouth | CFP, CDFA | Hourly, Flat fee or retainer |
| Leo Nunez | Everest Financial Advisors | Cooper City | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Lisa Farrier | Nest Egg Financial Advisors | Incline Village | CFP, BFA, PhD, CPA | Percentage of assets |
| Lucas Bucl | Aspyre Wealth Partners | Overland Park | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Marc Lowe | In The Money Retirement Planning | Waterford | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Marcus Holzberg | Holzberg Wealth Management | Corte Madera | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Marianne Nolte | Imagine Financial Services | Lake Havasu City | CFP | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
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.