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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Bayonnet | Hyland Wealth Management | Green | CFP, MSFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ryan Dunn | Novi Wealth Partners | Princeton | CFP, CRPC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ryan Kelly | Aries Financial Navigators | Lititz | AIF, CFP, CRPC, EA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ryan Murphy | Pacific Coast Investment Advisors, LLC | West Linn | AIF, CFP, MSFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ryan Shannon | R.M. Shannon Wealth Management, LLC | Saint Paul | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| S. Alexis Grason | Spark Financial Advisors, LLC | Richmond | CFP, RICP, CIMA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Sage Vincent | PortSalus Wealth Management | Metuchen | CFP, CFS, CIMA, CMT | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Sarah Anderson | The Foundry Financial Group, Inc. | Laconia | CFP, ChFC, CLU | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Scott Malbasa | Adelphi Wealth Advisory | Portland | CFP, JD | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Scott Strohecker | Bouchey Financial Group, Ltd. | Troy | CFP, EA, CPA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Sergio Abarca | Personal Financial Partners | Chevy Chase | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Shawn Ballinger | Columbus Street Financial Planning | Dublin | CFP | Flat fee or retainer |
| Stacey Hyde | Envision Financial Planning, LLC | Memphis | CFA, CFP, CPA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Stephen Maggard | Abacus Planning Group, Inc. | Columbia | CFP, MS, CAIA, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Steve Warta | Roadmap Wealth Management | Overland Park | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Steven Kane | Kane Company Wealth Management, Inc. | Johnston | CFP, CPA, PFS | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Susan Soesbe | Soesbe Financial, LLC | Sacramento | CFP, EA, MBA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Tad Jakes | MFAC Financial Advisors, Inc. | White Hall | CFP, EA, ECA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Tammy Goodman | Tammy Goodman Financial, LLC | Charlotte | CFP, MBA | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Thomas Cloud | Third Act Retirement Planning, Inc. | Marietta | AAMS, CFP, ChFC, CSA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Thomas Fisher | Fisher Financial Strategies | Cambridge | CFP | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| Todd Calamita | Calamita Wealth Management | Charlotte | CDFA, CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Troy Von Haefen | Von Haefen Financial Management | Nashville | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Vinicius Hiratuka | Elevated Retirement Financial Services LLC | Madison | CFP, CPA | Percentage of assets |
| Walter Romatowski | Castellan Financial Advisors | Roseville | CFP, CMA, MBA | Hourly |
| William Bissett | Portus Wealth Advisors | Charlotte | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| William Goldstein | Lifestages Financial Planning Services Ltd. | Whistler | QAFP | One-time planning fee, Hourly |
| William Whitaker | Vawter Financial | Columbus | CFP, MS | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Zach Gentry | Gentry Financial | Fishers | CFP, CKA, CPA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Zach Palmer | Ark Royal Wealth Management, LLC | Charlotte | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Zack Swad | Swad Wealth Management, LLC | Santa Rosa | CFP, AAMS, RLP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Zak Lutz | LifeGuide Financial Advisors | Mechanicsburg | CFP, CKA, RLP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Adam Coleman Hourly fiduciary planning for millennials, Gen X and FIRE enthusiasts handling home buying, family, debt and DIY investing. | Nectarine | Charlotte | CRPC, AFC, CDLP | Subscription, One-time planning fee |
| Alexa Bodel | Chalten Fee-Only Advisors Ltd. | Vancouver | CFA, CFP(Canada & US), MBA | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Alison James | WorthWise Financial Partners, LLC | Houston | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Andrew Kerns | Accountable Financial Planning LLC | Westerville | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Andrew Sloan | Bluegrass Financial Planning, LLC | Louisville | AIF, CFP, EA, MBA | Hourly |
| Andy Lawson | Freshfield Investments | Plano | BA, CFP, MS, PhD | Hourly |
| Andy Moran Ad Astra Financial Planning specializes in helping tech professionals navigate RSUs, stock options, tender offers, IPOs, and financial independence. We are a flat-fee, fee-only, fiduciary firm - we don't receive commissions or kickbacks or charge based on a percentage of your assets. | Ad Astra Financial Planning | Santa Rosa | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Subscription |
| Asta Sanders | Empowered Retirement, Inc. | Roseland | CFP, CPWA, EA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Aubrey Williams Hourly, advice-only planning for FI/RE clients with ADHD or neurodivergence, whether just starting out, close to FI or already there. | Open Path Financial, LLC | Santa Barbara | MS, MBA | Hourly |
| Ben Mayhew | Aergo Financial Planning | Halifax | CFP | Hourly |
| Benjamin Hooper | Comal Wealth Management | New Braunfels | CFP, ChFC, CIMA, CLU | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Billy DeFrance | Lauterbach Financial Advisors | El Paso | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Caleb Bogia-Curles Financial Advice for Millennial and Gen X Entrepreneurs with ADHD | Focused Founders Wealth Planning | MOUNT JOY | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Carl von dem Bussche | Financial Guidance Group, Inc. | Franklin | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Cayden McLaughlin Helping 7-Figure Internet Entrepreneurs & Creators Build Wealth, Pay Less Tax, and Retire Early | WealthAdvisor365 | Fort Lauderdale | CFP | One-time planning fee, Subscription |
| Chris Fliesser | Fliesser Financial | Ottawa | PFA, P.Eng. | Flat fee or retainer, Hourly |
| Chris Kimmet Planning for physicians and other professionals, covering cash flow, tax-efficient investing, college savings and equity compensation. | Aptus Financial | Columbus | CFP | Subscription, One-time planning fee |
| Chris Maggio Project-based retirement planning with no asset minimum for people who want to stay in the driver's seat of their decisions. | Retirement Planning Partner LLC | Seattle | RICP | 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.