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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darby Armont | Richard P. Slaughter Associates | Austin | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David Chenet | Presidio Capital Management | San Diego | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David Cunningham | LW Advisors | Des Moines | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David Dedman | Pulse Wealth | Lexington | ChFC | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| David Espineira | Burton Enright Welch | Walnut Creek | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| David Hutchison | Triad Investment Management | Newport Beach | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| David Levitt | Glassman Wealth | North Bethesda | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| David Lloyd | Century Management Financial Advisors | Austin | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| David Peloquin | Main Street Advisors | Westminster | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David Ritrovato | Bluesphere Advisors | East Norriton | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| David Snyder | Sweeney Financial Advisors | Bedford | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| David Wolfensperger | Stewart Wealth Management | San Rafael | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Denise Farkas | Sigma Investment Counselors | Northville | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Devin Carroll | Carroll Advisory Group | Texarkana | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Dianne Duva | Arlington Financial Advisors | Santa Barbara | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Donald Gresh | Glassman Wealth | Vienna | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Douglas Augenthaler | Palumbo Wealth Management | Great Neck | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Douglas Babcock | Professional Financial Management, Inc. | Bozeman | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Douglas Loftus | Wealth Dimensions Group | Cincinnati | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Duke Cope | Cope Private Wealth | Birmingham | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Edward Kramer | SSB&T Wealth | Fredericksburg | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Ekenna Anya-Gafu | Pacific Canyon Investments | Scottsdale | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Elizabeth McCollum | Prosperity Financial Planning | Celebration | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Emily Hermeno | Prosperity Road | Santa Ana | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Emin Nabiyev | TriFlame Capital | Roseville | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Emma Foulkes | Collective Wealth Partners | Atlanta | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Eric Callahan | Thryve Wealth Management | Santa Barbara | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Eric Dunner | Glassman Wealth | Vienna | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Eric Furey | Accretive Wealth Partners | Parsippany | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Eric Loftus | Wealth Dimensions Group | Cincinnati | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Eric Saling | Saling Wealth Advisors | Louisville | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Eric Scruggs | Covenant Wealth Advisors | Richmond | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Erica Ryberg | Montoya Wealth Management | Prescott | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Erik Smith | Wealth Dimensions Group | Cincinnati | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ernest Moosherr | Canopy Wealth Management | Middleton | ChFC | Percentage of assets |
| Evan Lane | The Financial Resource Center | Carmel | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Felipe Quaassdorff Molina | Walkner Condon Financial Advisors | Verona | CFA | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Frank Gallo | Investors Portfolio Services | Puyallup | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Frank Yozwiak | Ballast | Lexington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Gary Ribe | Accretive Wealth Partners | Parsippany | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Gary Shirman | Boulder Wealth Advisors | Boulder | ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Genadi Slavov | Sigma Investment Counselors | Northville | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| George Hemsley | Hemsley Advisors | Barrington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Giovanna Leyva | Tidemark Financial Partners | San Diego | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Percentage of assets |
| Grant Steffes | Steffes Financial | Overland Park | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Gregory Bradstreet | Farnam Financial | Peoria | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Gregory Norris | Apex Investment Group | Georges Mills | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Gregory Syrios | Syrios Wealth Management Group | La Jolla | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Hannah Santa Cruz | Pathfinder Financial Planning | Missoula | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Hany Ahmad | Teamwork Financial Group | 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.