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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Randolph Hardy | Factor Wealth Management | Chicago | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Randy Kurtz | Upper Left Wealth Management | Tampa | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Raymond Brown | Goodwin Investment Advisory | Woodstock | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Renee Kwok | TFC Financial | Boston | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Richard Jackson | Jackson & Associates | Albuquerque | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Richard LoPresti | Milestone Asset Management Group | Avon | CFP | Flat fee or retainer |
| Rielle Sanidad | Presidio Capital Management | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Robb Engen | Boomer & Echo | Lethbridge | QAFP | Not listed |
| Robert Bilkie | Sigma Investment Counselors | Northville | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Robert Cope | Cope Private Wealth | Birmingham | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Robert Dwyer | Heritage Wealth Management | Houston | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Robert Enright | Burton Enright Welch | Walnut Creek | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Robert Feather | Wealth Dimensions Group | Cincinnati | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Robert Klefsaas | All Star Financial | Minneapolis | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Robert Leahy | MFC Portfolios | Darien | CFP, ChFC | Hourly |
| Robert Severdia | Nest Financial Planning | Hood River | CFP | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Roger Elmer | Realm Investment Consulting | Cary | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Roger Lowe | Tanara Wealth Management | Lehi | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ronald Price | CapTrust Wealth Advisors | Holland | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Rosana Nguyen | Covenant Wealth Advisors | Richmond | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Ryan Mason | Mason Wealth Strategies | Cumming | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ryan Morrissey | Morrissey Wealth Management | North Haven | CFP | One-time planning fee, Ongoing planning fee |
| Samuel Graham | Sweeney Financial Advisors | Bedford | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Samuel Haager | S. Harris Financial Group | San Antonio | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Samuel McPherson | McPherson Financial Advisors | New York | CFP | One-time planning fee, Percentage of assets |
| Samuel Wood-Bednarz | North Berkeley Wealth Management | Berkeley | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Sanjay Pawar | Bluesphere Advisors | East Norriton | CFP, CFA | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Sarah Fitzgerald | NorthFork Advisors | Bozeman | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Sarah Maskill | Financial Answers | Ellington | CFP | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| Sarah Rioux | TFC Financial | Boston | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Scott Bennett | IWR Advisors | Denver | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Scott Demaagd | CapTrust Wealth Advisors | Holland | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Scott Garbutt | Blue Barn Wealth | Orem | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Scott Pearring | Seek First | Campbell | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Scott Tonai | Andrews Advisory Associates | Honolulu | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Scott Udkler | Promus Advisors | Dallas | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Scott Van Den Berg | Century Management Financial Advisors | Austin | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Sean Babin | Babin Wealth Management | Scottsdale | CFP | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| Sean Hilliard | Rivertree Wealth | Wake Forest | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Set Carpintero | Financial Synergies Wealth Advisors | Houston | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Shane Kelly | Mayport | Newton | CFP, CFA | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Shannon Lemon | Elmwood Wealth Management | Berkeley | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Shaun Mize | Rivertree Wealth | Little Rock | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Shawn Landis | HCR Wealth Advisors | Los Angeles | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Sonja Breeding | Rebalance | Palo Alto | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Sophia Zundel | Tower View Wealth Management | Shorewood | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Spencer Funk | Precision Wealth Strategies | St. Louis | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Spencer Hall | Retirement Planning Services | Knoxville | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Stacey Panenhanouvong | HCR Wealth Advisors | Los Angeles | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Stefanie Porter | White Pine Investment Co | Livonia | 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.