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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joshua Nelson | Keystone Financial Services | Loveland | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Joshua Nuss | LifeWise Wealth Advisors | Champaign | CFP | Flat fee or retainer |
| Joshua Prince | Promus Advisors | Dallas | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joshua Zorger | Fortitude Private Wealth | Carmel | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Juliana Moravy | Elmwood Wealth Management | Berkeley | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Julie Pribble | Peak Asset Management | Louisville | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Justin Ericksen | Blue Barn Wealth | Orem | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Justin Farris | Farris Capital Management | Carrollton | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Justin Hobbs | Rivertree Wealth | Denver | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Justin Pitcock | Goodwin Investment Advisory | Woodstock | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Justin Watson | Beaird Harris | Dallas | CFP, PFS | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kaitlin Theobald | Sherrill & Hutchins | Atlanta | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kamila Elliott | Collective Wealth Partners | Atlanta | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Katarzyna Marczyk | Anchor Wealth Management Group | West Palm Beach | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Katherine King | North Berkeley Wealth Management | Berkeley | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Kathy Weese | Nora Wealth | Atlanta | CFP | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Kay Kidwell | RiversEdge Advisors | Wilmington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Keith Fenstad | Tanglewood Total Wealth Management | Houston | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Keith Van Dyke | Trinity Strategic Wealth | Tulsa | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kellie Gamino | Financial Synergies Wealth Advisors | Houston | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Kelly Randall | Burton Enright Welch | Walnut Creek | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Kelly Trageser | Sea Clear Financial Planning | Brielle | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kenneth Melotte | Melotte Financial Advisors | Green Bay | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Kevin Burns | Navwell Advisors | Garden City | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Kevin DeAngelis | Breakwater Investment Management | Seattle | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Kevin Kolson | Family Wealth Leadership | Irvine | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kevin Nelson | Financial Synergies Wealth Advisors | Houston | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Kevin Schnell | Schnell Financial Group | Sedalia | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kimberly Owen | Prostatis Group | Hanover | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kyle Cote | TFC Financial | Boston | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kyle Jones | Lindsey & Lindsey Wealth Management | Culver City | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Lafe Blobaum | Richard P. Slaughter Associates | Austin | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Laura Addington | Addington Financial Group | Cypress Springs Village | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Lawrence Blau | LL Financial Services | Ossining | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Leann Sullivan | TFC Financial | Boston | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Leland McCullough | Blue Barn Wealth | Orem | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Liam Toohey | Richard P. Slaughter Associates | Austin | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Lisa Bowers | RPO Wealth Partners | Charlotte | CFP | Fixed fees |
| Logan Sanders | Sanders Retirement Planning | Omaha | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Louis Dagen | Auspicious Financial Planning | San Ramon | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets |
| Madalyn Dow | Mascoma Wealth Management | Hanover | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Marc Jimenez | CAM Investor Solutions | Austin | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Marc Morgan Advice-only planning for New Jersey individuals and surviving families from a retired officer and former state pension trustee. | Heroic Financial | New Jersey | Not listed | Hourly |
| Margaret Kamman | Kirr, Marbach & Company | Columbus | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Maria Kelly | Amplius Wealth | Blue Bell | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mark Eggleston | RiversEdge Advisors | Wilmington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mark Fonville | Covenant Wealth Advisors | Richmond | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Mark Paller | Paller Financial Services | Centennial | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mark Schiller | WS Wealth Management | Fargo | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mark Sheerin | Sherrill & Hutchins | Atlanta | 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.