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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Lacey | Roble Belko & Company | Sewickley | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Ryan Landmark Financial Planner for families that want to know how the clock works, not just what time it is. | Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC | Sioux Falls | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Ryan Moran | Highland Investment Advisors | Brookfield | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Ryan Rocuant | Mutual Trust Advisory Group | Estero | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| S Yeyni | Wealth-Builders | Bellevue | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Sage Duguay Advice-only planning for women in STEM weighing career changes, maternity leave or sabbaticals on the way to financial independence. | Wealthy With Intention | Winslow | Not listed | Subscription, One-time planning fee |
| Sarah Kvistad | Paragon Advisors | College Station | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Sarah Schwieterman | Peak Retirement Planning | Columbus | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Scott Anderson | GW Financial | Reno | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Scott Rojas | ONE Advisory Partners | Overland Park | CFP | Ongoing planning fee, Percentage of assets |
| Scott Schatzle | Mutual Trust Advisory Group | Estero | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Scott Swartz | AndersonLane Associates | Needham | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Stefan Liiste | Lions Gate Sovereign Capital | White Bear Lake | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Stephen McGee | Paragon Advisors | College Station | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Stephen Reh | Invest With Steve | Raleigh | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Steven Ankerstar | Ankerstar Wealth | Leander | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Steven Evensen Gerber Kawasaki is a forward-thinking wealth and investment management firm based in Santa Monica that helps individuals and families build, grow, and protect their wealth through personalized financial planning, investment strategies, and equity-compensation expertise. | Gerber Kawasaki Wealth & Investment Management | Santa Monica | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Steven Witter | Bentham Wealth Advisors | Williamsville | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Taylor Harwood | Crane Capital Management | Spring Park | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Taylor Nissi On a mission to help Business Owners and High Achieving Professionals accelerate their wealth to build confidence, peace of mind, and clarity in their financial life. | Farther | White Plains | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Terra Johnson | Pine Grove Financial Group | Minnetonka | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Thomas Lowish | DiversiFi Capital | Los Altos | CFP | Ongoing planning fee, Percentage of assets |
| Thomas Stapp | Stapp Financial | Olympia | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Timothy Macarak | Members' Wealth | Media | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Trey Gevers Helping Tech Employees reduce taxes, build wealth, and retire confidently | Gevers Wealth Management | Issaquah | CFA | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Troy Lerche | Davis Capital Management | Jacksonville | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ty Johnson | Peak Financial Management | Broomfield | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Tyler Peterson | Runey & Associates Wealth Management | Mount Pleasant | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Tyler Vasquez | Three Arch Wealth Management | Irvine | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Vj Arjan | ConCap® | Mckinney | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Walker Abney | Tilia Fiduciary Partners | Wilmington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| William Belko | Roble Belko & Company | Sewickley | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| William Tebeaux | Paragon Advisors | College Station | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Yvonne Darby | Sherwood Financial Partners | Westlake Village | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Zackary Smutzer | Sage Wealth Planning | Georgetown | CFP | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Aaron Hillman | Skyline Financial NW | Portland | CFP | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Aaron Pierce | TrueVine Family Wealth | Naples | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Aaron Sipherd | Sipherd Wealth Management | Lincoln | CFP, PFS | Fixed fees |
| Abigail Gunderson | Tanglewood Total Wealth Management | Houston | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Adam Dawson | Capstone Capital | Henderson | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Adam Kalender | Milestone Asset Management Group | Pearl River | CFP | Flat fee or retainer |
| Adam Lawrence | Tanglewood Total Wealth Management | Houston | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Adam Smith | Covenant Wealth Advisors | Richmond | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Ahmad Saltagi | Zaki Financial | Indianapolis | CFP | One-time planning fee, Hourly |
| Aiki Altmets | Regimen Wealth | Atlanta | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Alex Graham | Tanara Wealth Management | Lehi | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Alexander Collins | HCR Wealth Advisors | Los Angeles | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Alexander Davis | Carroll Advisory Group | Texarkana | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Alexander Hemsley | Hemsley Advisors | Chicago | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Alison Yoder | Destiny Capital | Denver | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
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.