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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christopher Rhim | Green View Advisors, LLC | ROCKVILLE | CDFA, CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Christopher Williams Fixed-fee comprehensive financial plans for individuals and families from a solo planner with a CPA background. | Inceptive Financial | Atlanta | CPA | Subscription, One-time planning fee |
| Chuck Rose | Granite Rose Wealth Alliance LLC | Fairfield | CFP | One-time planning fee |
| Cindy Golub | G-Squared Advisory LLC | Mamaroneck | CFP, MBA | Hourly, Fixed fees |
| Dan Pinheiro | South Coast Planning & Wealth Management LLC | Fall River | CAIA, CFA, CFP, CPWA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Daniel Andersen | Parkshore Wealth Management | Granite Bay | CFP, CTEC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Dann Ryan | Sincerus Advisory | New York | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Dave Grant You've worked hard to prepare for retirement. Retirement Matters will guide you through that transition and partner with you as you live out those dreams. | Retirement Matters, Inc. | Barrington | CFP | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| David Flores Wilson | Sincerus Advisory | New York | CEPA, CFA, CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| David Waldrop | Bridgeview Capital Advisors, Inc. | El Dorado Hills | CFP, CLU | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David Wiedmeyer | KLD Wealth Management | Lebanon | CFP | Hourly |
| Dirk Huybrechts | HFM Advisors | Los Angeles | CFP | One-time planning fee, Hourly |
| Donald DeMuth | Mighty Oak Strong America Investment Company | Mechanicsburg | CFA, CHBC, CPA/PFS, MBA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Doug Dahmer | Retirement Navigator | Burlington | MBA, CFP, TEP | Not listed |
| Edward Fulbright | Fulbright Financial Consulting, PA | Durham | CPA/PFS | Ongoing planning fee |
| Elise Murphy | Level Financial Advisors | Glendora | CFP, MSFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Erik Kroll | Hilltop Financial Advisors | Wauwatosa | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Frank Austin | Sustainable Financial Planning LLC | Hopatcong | BA, CFA, CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Gabbi Cerezo | Sustain Financial Inc. | Culver City | CFP, AFC | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Gary Pia | Mission Street Wealth Planning | South Pasadena | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Gautham Jain | Jain Wealthonomics | Marana | CFP, MBA | Flat fee or retainer |
| George Guttman | Guttman Financial Planning | Santa Monica | CFP, MBA | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| Graham Bodel | Chalten Fee-Only Advisors Ltd. | Vancouver | CFA, MBA, MSc | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Gregory Curry | Pillar Financial Advisors, LLC | Louisville | CFA, CPA/PFS | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Gregory Dobson | Retirement Navigator | Etobicoke | CMA, CPA, CFP, EPC | Not listed |
| Henry Gorecki | HG Wealth Management | Chicago | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Inna Rivilis | Sunflower Financial Planning, LLC | Windham | CFP, MSFP | One-time planning fee, Ongoing planning fee |
| Irene Dabanian | IJD Evergreen Financial Services, LLC | Shoreline | MBA | Flat fee or retainer, One-time planning fee |
| Jack O'Donnell | JRO Wealth Management | San Diego | CFP, EA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jacob Sadler | Curio Wealth, LLC | Annapolis | CFP, JD, CPA, CPA/PFS | Ongoing planning fee |
| Jared Wilcox | Rodgers & Associates | Lancaster | CFP, MBA, RICP, ChFC | Percentage of assets |
| Jason Abbott | WEALTHdesigns.ca | Toronto | CFP, CLU, TEP | Not listed |
| Jason Flynn | ABZ Financial Planning | Whitehorse | CFP | Not listed |
| Jayce Lowe | Lighthouse Financial Services, Inc. | Brea | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Jeffrey Kostis | JK Financial Planning, Inc. | Chicago | BBA, CDFA, CFP, CPA/PFS | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jenna VanLeeuwen | Aligning Wealth | Jersey City | CEPA, CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jennifer Macedo | Front Street Financial | Lahaina | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| John Belluardo | Stewardship Financial Services, Inc. | Irvington | ChFC, MS | Flat fee or retainer, Hourly |
| Jonathan Heagle | Mountain Vista Wealth Management | Santa Barbara | CFP, CFA | Hourly |
| Jonathan Heller | KEJ Financial Advisors, LLC | Newtown | CFA, CFP, MBA | Ongoing planning fee |
| Jonathan Thomas | JQL Wealth, LLC | Pittsford | CFP, CCFC | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Jordan Nietzel | Trek Wealth Planning | Columbia | CFP, CFA | Ongoing planning fee |
| Joseph Fowler | 402 Financial | Lincoln | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joshua Davis | Davis Private Wealth, LLC | Royal Palm Beach | CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Justin Waller | Waller Financial Coaching | Folsom | CEPA, CFP | Flat fee or retainer |
| Kimberly Bridges | Bright Women Financial | Buckeye | Not listed | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Liam Timmons | Timmons Wealth Management | Attleboro | CFP, CIMA, MBA | Percentage of assets |
| Lisa Eaton Affordable, tailored planning and coaching for people who have felt priced out of or unwelcome in conversations about wealth. | Firm Footing Financial Planning | Seattle | AFC, MS, DPT | Hourly |
| Lissa Piper | Money Blossoms | Beaverton | CFP, MBA, EA | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| Logan Collie | Collie Financial Planning, Inc. | Black Mountain | CFP | 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.