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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daryoosh Khalilollahi Advice-only planning since 2004 for individuals and families ready to take charge of their finances and ask questions. | DABK Financial Planning Services | El Cerrito | CFP, MBA, MSEE | Subscription, One-time planning fee |
| David Barnett | Barnett Financial Planning | Riverside | CFP | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| David Mayes | Three Bearings Fiduciary Advisors, Inc. | Hampton | CFP, CRPC, CRPS, EA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David Rosenstrock | Wharton Wealth Planning | New York | CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David Stevens | Stevens Capital Partners, Inc. | Omaha | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David Zaegel | CWOs for Hire | Town & Country | CFP, CPA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Deanna Harless | Bernard Wealth Management Corp. | Royal Oak | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Debbie Levenson | Levenson Wealth LLC | Newtonville | CFP, MBA | One-time planning fee, Ongoing planning fee |
| Delia Fernandez | Fernandez Financial Advisory, LLC | Los Alamitos | CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Dennis O'Brien | Coastal Financial Advisors, Inc. | Philadelphia | BS, MS, RTRP | Flat fee or retainer, Hourly |
| Derek Finley | Open Door Financial Advisors | Lubbock | CFP | Ongoing planning fee, Percentage of assets |
| Derek Moran | Smarter Financial Planning Ltd. | Kelowna | RFP | Not listed |
| Donald Hance, Jr | Glenmore Financial, Inc. | Pacific Palisades | CFP, EA | Ongoing planning fee |
| Douglas Lynch | Lynch Financial Group LLC | Dublin | CFA, CFP, CPA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Elaine Bedel | Bedel Financial Consulting, Inc. | Indianapolis | BA, CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Elijah Essa | Essa Financial LLC | Louisville | CFP, MSPFP, MSFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Elise Stevenson | Clearvue Advisors | Milton | CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets |
| Elizabeth Gilmore Flat-fee guidance for self-directed investors who keep control of their accounts while working toward financial freedom and retirement. | Gilmore Financial Planning | Herndon | CFP, EA | Subscription, One-time planning fee |
| Eric Presogna | One-Up Financial | Erie | CFP, CPA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Eric Schlosser | Kisher Capital, LLC | Malta | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Eric Walters | Summit Hill Wealth Management | Greenwood Village | CFA, CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Erik Barnes | Retirement Portfolio Partners | Warrenville | CFP | Flat fee or retainer |
| Erin O'Brien | Purposeful Money LLC | Naples | CFP, EA | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Ethan Bridgewater | Bridgewater Advisory Group LLC | Crystal City | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| G. Martin Poole | HFH Planning Inc | 283 Nautical Way | ADPA, CFP, RFC, MBA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| George Jameson | Capital Wealth Group | Columbia | CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Grady Moshay Advice-only planning for self-directed investors, whether building a plan from scratch or stress testing one already in place. | Emancipare Investment Advisors | Easton | MBA, AFC | One-time planning fee, Hourly |
| Greg Hurley | Hurley Wealth Management Group | Oakland | CFP, MBA | One-time planning fee |
| Greg Peterson | Adaptive Financial Solutions, Inc. | Cambridge | BA, CFA, CFP, MA | Fixed fees |
| Hannah Chavez | Financial Strategies Inc. | Brookfield | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Hyrum Smith | Livet Wealth, LLC | Salt Lake City, | CFP, CPA, PhD | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ian Rea | Slate Peak Financial Services, LLC | Medfield | CFA, CFP, MBA | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| Jake Ridley | Ridley Wealth Management | Round Rock | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| James Harvey | Integrity First Financial Planning, LLC | Colorado Springs | CFP, CPA, PFS | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| James Hemphill | TGS Financial Advisors | Radnor | CASL, CFP, ChFC, CIMA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Janet Stanzak | Financial Empowerment, LLC | Burnsville | CFP, MS | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| Jason Dall'Acqua | Crest Wealth Advisors LLC | Annapolis | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jason McWilliams | JRM Tax & Wealth Management, LLC | Chester Heights | CFP, CPA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jean-Francis Lopez de Valdivia | Fleurus Investment Advisory, LLC | Weston | CFA, CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Jeff Stewart | Lucid Wealth Planning LLC | Wake Forest | CFP, CRPC | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jennifer Rupp | Hendershott Wealth Management | Fishers | CFP, MBA | Ongoing planning fee |
| Jeremiah Creech | Townsend Financial Planning, LLC | Louisville | CFP | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Jeremy Portnoff | PortSalus Wealth Management | Mission Viejo | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jesse Carlucci | Arrow Investment Management | Oklahoma City | CFP, PhD | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jim MacKay | MacKay Financial Planning | Springfield | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Hourly |
| Joanne Burke | Birch Street Financial Advisors LLC | Vienna | CFP, CPA, PFS | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joe Barbieri | Joe the Investor | Toronto | CFA, BCom, BASc (Civil Eng) | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Joe Messinger | Capstone Wealth Partners, LTD | Dublin | CFP, ChFC, CLU | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| John Sanders | Portus Wealth Advisors | Charlotte | CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jon Luskin Hourly, advice-only planning for do-it-yourself investors from a fiduciary and longtime advocate of simple, low-cost index investing. | JonLuskin.com | San Diego | CFP | 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.