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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anton Bayer | Up Capital Management | Bulverde | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Becky Vasquez | Three Arch Wealth Management | Irvine | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Beth Lundberg | Hawthorne Wellman Financial Planning | Tyngsboro | CFP | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| Beverly Whitman | Highland Investment Advisors | Ponte Vedra | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Billygram Simonet | Simonet Financial Group | Kyle | CFP | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| Bjorn Amundson A systematic approach to financial planning and investment overview | Quarry Hill Advisors | St Paul | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Brandon Kurz | DiversiFi Capital | Los Altos | CFP | Ongoing planning fee, Percentage of assets |
| Brian Rellihan | Wise Wealth Partners | Phoenix | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Bryan Ward | ProCore Advisors | Newport Beach | CFP | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Caleb Russell | Paragon Advisors | College Station | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Carman Kubanda Holistic Financial, Tax, Estate, Business Planning from a boutique firm. | Innovative Wealth Building | Fort Worth | CFP | Percentage of assets, Subscription |
| Carson Johnson | Peterson Wealth Advisors | Orem | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Carson Kunkle | Harding Wealth | Tempe | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Carter Michaelson | illumiFI Wealth | Blaine | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Christian Moon | Snake River Investment Counsel | Idaho Falls | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Christopher Jones | Azalea Wealth Management | Glen Ellyn | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Cody Schaefer | Fortress Financial Group | Rochester | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Daniel Cadena | Cadena Financial Planning & Tax Services | San Diego | CFP | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| Daniel Johnson | Riverbend Wealth Management | Myrtle Beach | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Daniel Johnson | Forward Thinking Wealth Management | Copley | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Daniel Miller | ONE Advisory Partners | Overland Park | CFP | Ongoing planning fee, Percentage of assets |
| Daniel Ruske | Peterson Wealth Advisors | Orem | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Daniel Seder | Blue Chip Partners | Farmington Hills | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Dave Moerlein Full plans or hourly guidance for people who want to manage their own finances, with the reasoning behind every recommendation. | Belay Finance | Cincinnati | MBA, MS | One-time planning fee, Hourly |
| David Foret | Blue Chip Partners | Farmington Hills | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| David Hailey | Paragon Advisors | College Station | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| David Webb | Curry Webb Wealth Management | Indianapolis | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| David Young | Harding Wealth | Tempe | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Dean Allen | Pine Grove Financial Group | Woodbury | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Deborah Gianelli | Whole Family Financial Services | Bothell | CFP | Hourly, Percentage of assets |
| Deborah VanDam | Blue Chip Partners | Farmington Hills | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Dru Burns | Drucker Wealth | Mahwah | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Dustin Javier | Defined Capital | Oak Brook | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Edward Kerns | Footlamp Financial | Atlanta | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Eric Feldman | Financial Futures | Wall Township | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Eric Gabor | Eagle Grove Advisors | Westfield | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Ethan Kok | Sage Wealth Planning | Georgetown | CFP | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Felix Kopycinski | Laurel Wealth Planning | Edina | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Garrett Smith Low Cost Direct Indexing and Securities Backed Lending and related services. PLAN for your future, KEEP more for your family, GROW for generations. Your Investment partner that manages your money like our own while considering taxes, estate, and business strategies. | Ascend Investment Partners | Ogden | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| George Harris | Bentham Wealth Advisors | Williamsville | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Gideon Drucker | Drucker Wealth | Mahwah | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Grace Stolberg | O'Keefe Stevens Advisory | Rochester | CFP | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Gregory Stapp | Stapp Financial | Olympia | CFP, PFS | Percentage of assets |
| Guilian DiLeonardo Tax-efficient Wealth Management for high-income ($500k+) executives | Liberty One Wealth Advisors | Philadelphia | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Hannah Boundy | Sherwood Financial Partners | Broomfield | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Heather Jendrusch | Paragon Advisors | College Station | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Ian Weiner Reduce tax, optimize investments, grow preserve and protect your wealth - for generations. | Not listed | Bentonville | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Ismael Garcia | Garcia Financial Planning | Meridian | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Jack Zinser | Fortress Financial Group | Rochester | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Jackie Kleinman | KB Financial Advisors | San Francisco | CFP | Percentage of assets, 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.