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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harlan Freeman | BrightPath Financial | Deerfield Beach | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Heath Hamrick | H Cubed Financial Solutions | Granbury | CFP | Flat fee or retainer |
| Heath Hightower | Financial Synergies Wealth Advisors | Houston | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Heidi Phan | Rebalance | Palo Alto | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Ian Harris | Heritage Wealth Management | Houston | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Irvin Schorsch | Pennsylvania Capital Management | Huntingdon Valley | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ivan Mendoza | Mendoza Private Wealth | North Miami | CFP, ChFC, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jack Hallier | Patrick M Sweeney & Associates | Libertyville | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Jack Marino | Lake Hills Wealth Management | Longview | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jacob Duke | Rivertree Wealth | Little Rock | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Jacob King | Beaird Harris | Dallas | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jacob McConnell | River's Edge Wealth Management | Beaver | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Jacob Preston | Covenant Wealth Advisors | Richmond | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Jake McCracken | River's Edge Wealth Management | Beaver | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| James Belliston | Tanara Wealth Management | St. Augustine | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| James Brennan | 1 North Wealth Services | Annapolis | CFP | Hourly, Ongoing planning fee |
| James Moore | Campbell Financial Partners | Bradenton | CFP | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| James Munchbach | BayRock Financial | Friendswood | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| James Osborne | Bason Asset Management | Lakewood | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| James Patterson | KFA Private Wealth Group | Tyson | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| James Rice | Capital Asset Management | Columbus | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets |
| James Rogers | Aurelius Family Office | Shreveport | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| James Sherrard | Richard P. Slaughter Associates | Austin | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| James Sullivan | Beaird Harris | Dallas | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| James Zimmerman | Beaird Harris | Dallas | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jameson Holehouse | Destiny Capital | Detroit Lakes | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Jamie Stolz | TandemGrowth Financial Advisors | Alpharetta | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Jamie Stone | Means Wealth Management | Greenville | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Jamison White | Paller Financial Services | Centennial | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jana Hovey | Richard P. Slaughter Associates | Austin | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jane Barney | TFC Financial | Boston | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jared Barnecut | Stewart Wealth Management | San Rafael | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Jared Brock | Brock Hill Wealth Management | Newton | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jared Haubenstock | Regimen Wealth | Atlanta | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jarrett Morris | RiversEdge Advisors | Wilmington | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jarrod Musick | Destiny Capital | Denver | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Jason Clevlen | Lake Hills Wealth Management | Austin | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jason Epps | KFA Private Wealth Group | Tyson | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jason Gong | Lifelong Wealth Management Group | Lake Oswego | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets |
| Jason Lina | Golden Bell | Alpharetta | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Jason Siperstein | Eliot Rose Wealth Management | Providence | CFP, CFA | One-time planning fee, Percentage of assets |
| Jeffery Albaneze | Atlantic Edge Wealth | Jacksonville | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Jeffrey Brimhall | Blue Barn Wealth | Orem | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Jeffrey Gough | Saling Wealth Advisors | Louisville | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jeffrey Viksjo | Ogorek Wealth Management | Williamsville | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jeffrey Williams | Fairscale Capital | Nashua | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jeffrey Wright | Teamwork Financial Group | Houston | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets |
| Jennifer Regan | North Berkeley Wealth Management | Berkeley | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Jennifer Stewart | Glassman Wealth | Washington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jennifer Strong | Kate Capital Group | Westlake Village | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
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.