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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah Winters | Founders Grove Wealth Partners | Richmond | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jeremy Busch | Keystone Financial Services | Loveland | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jeremy Kovacevich | Kaiyo Wealth | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Jeremy Lott | Trinity Strategic Wealth | Tulsa | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jeremy Mocek | Richard P. Slaughter Associates | Austin | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jeremy Reed | Carroll Advisory Group | Texarkana | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Jeremy Welch | Burton Enright Welch | Walnut Creek | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Jerry King | The Financial Resource Center | Carmel | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jesse Rodriquez At Rodriquez Wealth Management, our dedicated team offers a highly personalized approach that helps you simplify the challenges associated with preserving, growing, and transitioning your wealth. | Rodriquez Wealth Management | Newport Beach | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Jessica Sherrill | Sherrill & Hutchins | Atlanta | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jhonny Merida Soto | Glassman Wealth | Arlington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jill Tripp | Pathfinder Financial Planning | Missoula | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jodi Vleck | Beta Wealth Group | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| John Berzellini | JBA Financial Advisors | Timonium | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| John Boardman | Ballast | Lexington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| John Bubello | Compass Retirement | Old Saybrook | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| John Burns | Factor Wealth Management | Chicago | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| John Dannenbring | AlphaOmega Wealth Management | Lincoln | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| John Dewitt | Lakeshore Advisors | Fort Lauderdale | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| John Dixon | Century Management Financial Advisors | Austin | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| John Fennig | KFA Private Wealth Group | Tyson | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| John Ferguson | Patrick M Sweeney & Associates | Barrington | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| John Fleming | Vandalia Wealth | Greenville | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| John Foley | LifeWise Wealth Advisors | Champaign | CFP, ChFC | Flat fee or retainer |
| John Fredrick | RockCrest Financial | Somers Point | ChFC | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| John Heldman | Triad Investment Management | Laguna Niguel | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| John Jones | Precision Wealth Strategies | Georgetown | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| John Kennedy | LifeWise Wealth Advisors | Champaign | CFP | Flat fee or retainer |
| John Lauer | Lauer Wealth Management | Valparaiso | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| John McCorvie | Peak Asset Management | Louisville | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| John Phillips | Red Door Wealth Management | Memphis | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| John Rowley | Faith Investor Services | Scottsdale | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| John Russell | Peak Asset Management | Needham | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| John Sena | Mike Sena Advisors | Roswell | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Hourly |
| Jon Bernier | TandemGrowth Financial Advisors | Alpharetta | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets |
| Jonathan Bird | Farnam Financial | Phoenix | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Jonathan Dorsey | Vandalia Wealth | Beckley | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jonathan Elks | Boerum Hill Financial Advisors | Brooklyn | CFP | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Jonathan Klett | CapTrust Wealth Advisors | Holland | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jonathan Wallace | Wayfinder Wealth Warriors | Lexington | CFA | Flat fee or retainer, Hourly |
| Jonathon Jordan | Stone Pillars Wealth Management | Franklin | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joseph Beckford | Goodwin Investment Advisory | Woodstock | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joseph Carbone | Focus Planning Group | Bayport | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joseph Dunn | Beaird Harris | Dallas | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Joseph Hart | Hart Wealth Management | West Des Moines | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Joseph Maddux | Cooper Norman Wealth | Idaho Falls | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Joseph Purcell | Wissahickon Wealth Management | Philadelphia | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Joseph Turley | Breakwater Investment Management | Seattle | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Joseph Weiland | Arlington Financial Advisors | Santa Barbara | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joshua Gideon | Richard P. Slaughter Associates | Austin | 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.