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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin Marrs | TSA Wealth Management | Houston | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Benjamin Forte | Kickstand Wealth Advisors | Pittsford | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Benjamin Hein | OAC Capital Advisors | Miami Beach | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Benjamin Sampson | Miller Avenue Advisors | Mill Valley | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Bert Bowler | Round Rock Advisors | Wilton | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Bianca San | Monument Wealth Management | Alexandria | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Brandon Berman | Total Wealth Services | Westlake Village | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Brandon Hodgeson | Cambridge Financial Group | Tucson | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Brandon Jaquis | Warburton Capital Management | Tulsa | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Brenda Friedlander | Spectrum Financial Management | San Rafael | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Brendan Crews Daviman Financial provides customized financial planning and research-based investment management services to small business owners looking to increase the efficiency of their personal finances. | Daviman Financial | Fishers | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Brett Detterbeck | Detterbeck Wealth Management | Palatine | CFP, CFA | Ongoing planning fee |
| Brett Fellows | Oak Capital Advisors | Mt. Pleasant | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Brian Berkenhoff | Birch Investment Management | Brookings | CFA | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Brian Colvert | Bonfire Financial | Colorado Springs | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Brian Grant | Warburton Capital Management | Tulsa | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Brian Pope | Pope Wealth Management | Lakewood Ranch | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Brian Proses | Rational Investment Management | Mill Valley | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Brian Rezny | Rezny Wealth Management | Fort Myers | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Brian Rudd Advice-only fiduciary planning for early- and mid-career professionals and DIY investors who want clear, unbiased guidance. | Kickstart Financial Planning LLC | Parker | Not listed | One-time planning fee, Hourly |
| Brian Stormont | Insight Wealth Strategies | San Ramon | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brian Welch | Verus Financial Partners | Richmond | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Brianna Black | Boldin | Mill Valley | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Bryan Anderson | Caveness Wealth Advisory | Abingdon | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bryan Koslow | Clarus Group | New York | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bryan Moylan | Traverse Private Wealth | Radnor | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brynne Speizer | Corvus Wealth Advisors | San Luis Obispo | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Caleb Jennings | Sanderson Wealth Management | Buffalo | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Carl Emerick | Emerick Financial Planning | Pittsburgh | CFP | Hourly |
| Carolyn Catlin | Lynx Investment Advisory | Washington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Carolyn Herzog | Corvus Wealth Advisors | San Luis Obispo | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Cary Laudadio | GoalFusion Wealth Management | Austin | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Chad Goodchild | Kickstand Wealth Advisors | Pittsford | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Chad Valchar | R.I.T. Wealth Advisors | Santa Barbara | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Chad Wauschek | Pathway Advisor | Fallbrook | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Chanley Christman | Quest Wealth Solutions | Mansfield | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Charles Angle | Rssic | San Francisco | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Charles Cooper | StrongBox Wealth | Lee'S Summit | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Charles Crouch | CMC Wealth Management | Lexington | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Charles Weidman | Heritage Financial Counselors | Bedminster | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Chase Deters | Deters Wealth Management | Gilbert | CFP, ChFC | Ongoing planning fee |
| Chaz Fahrner | Sierra Wealth Strategies | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Cherie Putman | Women's Wellness and Wealth | Torrance | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Christa Hudak | CoCreate Financial | Bozeman | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Christian Patterson | QuadCap Wealth Management | Frisco | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Christopher DeLeon | Plandeavor | Arlington | CFP | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| Christopher Dyson | MBR Financial | Houston | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Christopher Inman | Inman Jager Wealth Management | Hattiesburg | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Christopher Purcell | Kelman-Lazarov | Memphis | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Christopher Swan | Retire With Swan | Northlake | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
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.