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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allison Beckham | Beckham Financial | Miami | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Allison Meier | Arlington Financial Advisors | Santa Barbara | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Allyson Mangine | Amplius Wealth | Blue Bell | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Amy Amorosso | Ball Wealth Management | Dawsonville | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Amy Stuber | Saling Wealth Advisors | Louisville | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Amy Thacher | Blume Capital Management | Berkeley | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Andrew Casteel | Covenant Wealth Advisors | Richmond | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Andrew Fox | Fox Financial Services | White Plains | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Andrew McDowell | LifeWise Wealth Advisors | Champaign | CFP | Flat fee or retainer |
| Andrew Prentice | Prentice Financial Planning | Olympia | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Andrew Randisi | Pennsylvania Capital Management | Pennsauken | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Andrew Reynolds | Ballast | Lexington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Anita Bruinsma | Clarity Personal Finance | Toronto | CFA | Not listed |
| Anithah Neelakanda-Pillai | AP Investment Management | Mountain View | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Anthony Ogorek | Ogorek Wealth Management | Williamsville | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Antonette Grimm | TFC Financial | Boston | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| April Kriha | Tenere Financial | Sammamish | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Ariana Alisjahbana | North Berkeley Wealth Management | Berkeley | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Arpy Raval | Shah Wealth Advisors | Chino Hills | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Ashley Israel | Vandalia Wealth | Charleston | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ashley Stewart | Avion Wealth | The Woodlands | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Austin McLaughlin | Retirement Planning Services | Knoxville | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Austin Moore | TradeWinds | Raleigh | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Barry Glassman | Glassman Wealth | Washington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Benjamin Anderson | CapTrust Wealth Advisors | Holland | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Benjamin Lopez | PecuSavvy Financial | El Paso | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Bert Bennett | West Fork Wealth Management | Chapel Hill | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Beth Watts | Financial Avenues, LLC. | Kansas City | CFP | Hourly, Fixed fees |
| Bethany Steinhaus | Breakwater Investment Management | Seattle | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Billy Desai | Analog Capital Partners | Houston | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Brad Tinnon | B.E.S.T. Wealth Management | St. Louis | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Bradley Mendel | Mendel Money Management | Northbrook | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bradley Sayre | Shared Vision Wealth Group | Carlsbad | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brandon Cox | Coastline Complete Wealth | Bluffton | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brett Carleton | Heritage Wealth Management | Houston | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brett Lozowski | Life Planning Partners | Jacksonville | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Brian Breen | Breen Wealth Management | Petaluma | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Brian Burton | Ballast | Lexington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brian Carney | RiversEdge Advisors | Wilmington | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brian Jones Systems-based financial planning for teachers, DIYers and FIRE enthusiasts, from a former high school science teacher and coach. | Your Everyday ROI | Howells | Not listed | Subscription, One-time planning fee |
| Brian Kozel | North Berkeley Wealth Management | Berkeley | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Brian McKinney | Collective Wealth Partners | Aurora | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brian Merrill | Tanglewood Total Wealth Management | Houston | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Brian Seay | Capital Stewards | Huntsville | CFA | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Brian Sheahen | Hudson Oak Wealth Advisory | Hoboken | CFP, PFS | Ongoing planning fee |
| Brock Alvord | Tanara Wealth Management | Lehi | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brooks Slaughter | Richard P. Slaughter Associates | Austin | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bruce Ohrenich | Stillwater Private Wealth | Allenton | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Bryan Theall | Shared Vision Wealth Group | Carlsbad | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bryan Zschiesche | Financial Synergies Wealth Advisors | Houston | CFP | Percentage of assets |
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.