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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Martin | CRA Financial | Haddonfield | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Robin Brigham | Hager Investment Management Services | New London | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Ronald Bernstein | Prism Planning Partners | Rancho Mirage | CFP, PFS | One-time planning fee |
| Ryan Fisher | DentVest Wealth Management | Fort Wayne | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Ryan Kay Kay | Arena Wealth Management | Fort Wayne | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Ryan Kerr | Astrolabe Financial Group Inc. | Ottawa | CFA | Flat fee or retainer, Hourly |
| Salvatore Paternico | W&S Management Services | Rochester | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Samer Eshmawy | Azzad Asset Management | Falls Church | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Scott Weiss | Weiss Financial Group | Mahopac | CFP, CRPC, AAMS, APMA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Sean Kelleher | Riverchase Wealth Management | Flower Mound | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Sean Williams | Cadence Wealth Partners | Concord | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Percentage of assets |
| Sreeni Meka | Lakeland Wealth Management, LLC | Memphis | CFP, CFA, MBA | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Stacia Bearden | Wurz Financial Services | Holland | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Stephen Lupkas | myFinancialPro | Shelton | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Stevan Dostanic | Astrolabe Financial Group Inc. | Ottawa | CFA | Flat fee or retainer, Hourly |
| Steve Peterson Flat-fee pre-retirement and retirement planning focused on tax strategy, Social Security, pensions and secure retirement income. | Personal Financial Advice & Insights, LLC | Stevensville | CRPC | Subscription, One-time planning fee |
| Steven Boorstein | RockCrest Financial | Turnersville | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Steven Pitchford | Towerpoint Wealth | Sacramento | CFP | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Tammy Pompei | Braun-Bostich & Associates | Canonsburg | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Thatcher Taylor | ProPath Financial | Meridian | CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Theodore Dwyer | Dwyer Financial | Flagstaff | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Thomas Keller | Keller Wealth Advisors | Victoria | CFP, PFS | Percentage of assets |
| Thomas Kluttz | Analog Capital Partners | Houston | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets |
| Thomas Little | Yeti Wealth Management Group | Highlands Ranch | CFP | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Thomas Van Spankeren | RISE Investments | Chicago | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Tom Taylor | Chesapeake Financial Advisors | Towson | CPA/PFS | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Tony Matheson | Slalom Wealth Management | Sacramento | CFA, CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Trevor Van Nest | Niagara Region Money Coaches | St. Catharines | CFP | Not listed |
| Tristan Jacobi | Creative Wealth Management | Punta Gorda | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Ty Rollins A simple, low-maintenance Retirement Roadmap for individuals and couples near or in retirement, with personalized recommendations. | Ty Rollins, Inc. | Walnut Creek | MBA, EA | Subscription |
| Ulrich Keller | Ducere Wealth Management | Newport Beach | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Victor Gersten | Cross Border Wealth Advisors | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Vincent DeCrow | RISE Investments | Chicago | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Wenma Gorman | Sigma Investment Counselors | Northville | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Zane Keller | Ducere Wealth Management | Newport Beach | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Aaron Freeman | Snake River Investment Counsel | Idaho Falls | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Abigail Schmid | Stone Pine Financial Partners | Media | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Adam Harding | Harding Wealth | Tempe | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Adam Stoeckler | Highland Investment Advisors | Ponte Vedra | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Addison Delage CAPTRUST is a leading independent investment research and advisory firm providing comprehensive wealth management services to individuals and institutions. | CAPTRUST | Raleigh | CFA, CFP, CPA | Flat fee or retainer, Percentage of assets |
| Aidan Ryan | Fortress Financial Group | Rochester | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Alan Nicolette | Nicolette Financial | Charlottesville | CFP | Hourly, Fixed fees |
| Alexander Call | Peterson Wealth Advisors | Orem | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Alexis Delia | Tilia Fiduciary Partners | Wilmington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Alfred Au | DiversiFi Capital | Los Altos | CFP | Ongoing planning fee, Percentage of assets |
| Alicia Ivancovich | Financially Healthy | Oakland | CFP | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Andrew Herron | Stone Pine Financial Partners | Media | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Andrew W Bradley | AndrewWBradley.ca Financial Services | Ottawa | RRC | Not listed |
| Anita Gray | Promenade Wealth | North Bend | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Anthony Carrino | Roble Belko & Company | Newtown | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
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.