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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allen Regan | Vistica Wealth Advisors | Carlsbad | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Amanda Decesar | TARA Wealth | Durham | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Amanda Lehnert | Sigma Investment Counselors | Northville | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Amy Braun-Bostich | Braun-Bostich & Associates | Canonsburg | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Andrew Casey | Precedent Wealth Partners | Houston | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Andrew Tisler | Epic Financial | Hudson | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Andy Hammond | Hammond Financial | Ajax | CPA, CA | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| Anna Witten | Aurelius Family Office | Bedford | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Arnie Cabiles | Achievable Wealth | Benicia | CFP, EA | Ongoing planning fee |
| Benjamin Dorsey | Analog Capital Partners | Frederick | CFP, PFS | Percentage of assets |
| Bennett Stein | Stein Financial LLC | Miramar Beach | CFP, CPA | Percentage of assets |
| Beth Koonce | Keller Wealth Advisors | Victoria | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Bethany Aylor | Peak Asset Management | Louisville | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Bob Buehler Planning for new retirees facing the key financial decisions of their first years in retirement, from a former CPA and corporate executive. | FirstTen Financial | Columbus | CPA, ChFC | One-time planning fee |
| Brad Klontz | Occidental Asset Management | Lihue | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Brandon Wiebe | Money Helps Financial Services | Saskatoon | QAFP | Flat fee or retainer, One-time planning fee |
| Brant Root | Firethorn Capital | Westport | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Brent Yanagida | Peak Asset Management | Louisville | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Brett Cicinelli | Confluence Capital Advisors | Woodland Hills | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Brian Bruggeman | Walla Walla Wealth Advisors | Walla Walla | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Brian Jaros | Ville Wealth Management | Avon Lake | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Brian Rhoads Advice-only planning for DIY investors and validators: an initial plan, then hourly support at personal checkpoints as needed. | Checkpoint Financial Planning | Highland Park | CFA, EA | One-time planning fee, Hourly |
| Bugra Bakan | Occidental Asset Management | Burlingame | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Cecilia Fleming | Kahler Financial Group | Rapid City | CFP, ChFC, MSFP, Other | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Charles Feehely | Charles Michael Financial LLC | Raleigh | CFP, MSFP | Ongoing planning fee, Hourly |
| Cheryl Costa | Woodside Wealth Management LLC | Framingham | BS, CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Christi Powell | Perissos Private Wealth Management | Bethany | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Christine Skoczek | Vistica Wealth Advisors | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Christopher Flis | Resilient Asset Management | Memphis | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Christopher Frayne | Sigma Investment Counselors | Northville | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Christopher Laughhunn | Keller Wealth Advisors | Victoria | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Cliff O'Conner | C.W. O'Conner Wealth Advisors, Inc. | Duluth | ChFC, CIMA, CPWA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Colleen Weber | Colleen Weber CPA | Chanhassen | CFP | Fixed fees |
| Connie Walsh-Toler | Adirondack Retirement Strategies LLC | Moreau | CFP, CRC | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Conrad Seastrunk | Seastrunk Financial Management, LLC | Florence | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Curtis Byrd | Onyx Wealth Management | Durham | CFP | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Cynthia Menker | Contour Financial | Orland Park | CFP, CPA, MBA | Percentage of assets |
| Daniel Allgaier | Artstone Private Wealth | Lehi | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Daniel Heiar | Mindful Asset Planning | Apple Valley | Not listed | Hourly, Fixed fees |
| Daniel Johnson | Birchcreek Wealth Management | Miami Township | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Daniel Peters | Prism Planning Partners | Libertyville | CFP | One-time planning fee |
| Darren Wurz | Wurz Financial Services | Cincinnati | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David Faskas | Keller Wealth Advisors | Victoria | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| David Fernandez | Wealth Engineering, LLC | Scottsdale | BS, CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| David Theis | Fee-Only Financial Advisors, Ltd. | Palatine | BS, CFP | Hourly, Fixed fees |
| Deborah Klein | Azzad Asset Management | Falls Church | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Denise Leish | Money Plans | Silver Spring | BS, MBA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Edward Yoon | MQ Private Wealth | Torrance | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Eric Raether | Canopy Wealth Management | Middleton | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Erin Hadley | Occidental Asset Management | Burlingame | CFP | Ongoing 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.