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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keith McGowan | American Advisors, LLC | Langhorne | CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kevin Byrne | Byrne & Company Wealth Management, LLC | Olympia | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kim Morton | WealthLogic, LLC | Gilbert | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Kristin McKenna | Darrow Wealth Management | Needham | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Kyle Kuyat | Defining Wealth | Franklin | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, One-time planning fee |
| Kyle Noack | Keller Wealth Advisors | Victoria | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Lanita Wheetley | Aurelius Family Office | Jonesboro | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Lantz Bowman | Precedent Wealth Partners | Houston | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Lazetta Braxton | The Real Wealth Coterie | New Haven | CFP | Ongoing planning fee, Percentage of assets |
| Lori Chittenden | Buckley Wealth | Las Vegas | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Lori Eason | Alder Financial Group | Atlanta | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Luisa Pamela Mendoza | Ducere Wealth Management | Las Vegas | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Marisa Bradbury | Sigma Investment Counselors | Lake Mary | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Mark Buchanan | Canopy Wealth Management | Middleton | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Mark Lasseigne | Financial Cornerstones | The Woodlands | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Matthew Argyle | Encore Retirement Planning | South Jordan | CFP, CFA | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Matthew Barrovecchio | Christian Financial Advisors® | Odessa | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Matthew McCreary | Darrow Wealth Management | Needham | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Matthew Reynolds | CRA Financial | Northfield | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Michael Clark | Clark Wealth Partners | O'Fallon | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael Hake | Boulder Wealth Advisors | Boulder | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Mullenax | Sigma Investment Counselors | Northville | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Mike Biggica | Pixel Financial Planning, LLC | San Francisco | CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Mitchell DeWitt | Walkner Condon Financial Advisors | Verona | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Mitchell Thompson | MJT & Associates Financial Advisory Group | Montevideo | CFP | One-time planning fee |
| Nancy Metzger | MAPT Capital | Madison | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Nathan Mateer Helping people understand their financial situation and showing them the real-world impact it has on their lives | Generations Financial Management | Heath | CFP | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Nathaniel Sarkar | Redwood Money | Sunnyvale | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Naveen Neerukonda | PVA Financial LLC | Oak Brook | CFP, MBA | Hourly, Flat fee or retainer |
| Nicholas Chiricosta | Utopia Wealth Management | Coconut Creek | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Nicholas Maratta | Occidental Asset Management | Winter Springs | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Nicholas O'Kelly | Cadence Wealth Partners | Concord | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Percentage of assets |
| Nick Covyeau | Swell Financial | Costa Mesa | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Nicole Sullivan | Prism Planning Partners | Libertyville | CFP | One-time planning fee |
| Olivia Knapp | Colleen Weber CPA | Chanhassen | CFP | Fixed fees |
| Patrick Randall | Bulldog Financial Planning | Cumberland | CFP | Hourly, Percentage of assets |
| Paul Crosbie Straightforward, tax-informed plans for do-it-yourselfers who want sound advice they can understand and carry out on their own. | WealthMap Planning | San Luis Obispo | CPA/PFS | One-time planning fee, Hourly |
| Paul Michel | Provident Financial Planning | Addison | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Philip Tompkins | CRA Financial | Northfield | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Preston Cherry | Concurrent Wealth Management | Houston | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Rachel Sloan | Sloan Advisory Group, Inc. | Glens Falls | CFP, CRPC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Rajiv Dixit | Serenity Capital Advisors | Pittsford | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Rebecca Kennedy | IMPACTfolio | Denver | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Reem Hussein | Azzad Asset Management | Falls Church | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Rene Pochop | Pochop Financial Management | South Burlington | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Richard Armstrong | Faith Investor Services | Wildwood | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Richard Farmer | Walkner Condon Financial Advisors | Verona | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Richard Whitton | RWW Financial Consulting | Portland | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Robert Hamilton | Integrity Investment Advisors | Fort Collins | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Robert Maloney | Squam Lakes Financial Advisors, LLC | Holderness | AEP, MSFS | Ongoing planning fee, 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.