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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicholas Catlin | CBG & Company | Fishers | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Nicholas Gyeszat | Reality Financial Planning Services | Sarasota | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Nicholas Lemus | Summit Wealth & Retirement Partners | Eagle | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Nicholas Thurwanger | Eagle Bluffs Wealth Management | Columbia | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Nina Spezzaferro | Chemistry Wealth Management, LLC. | New York | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Nirvanna Silva Novelo | Nicholas Hoffman & Company | Atlanta | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Noa Hoffman | Green Ocean Global | San Francisco | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Pamela Rigsby | Pursuit Wealth Strategies | Raleigh | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Patricia Bush | AAA Advisory | Walkersville | CFP | Hourly, Flat fee or retainer |
| Patrick Cicchetti I help 7-figure service-based business owners simplify their finances, minimize taxes, and buy back time—so they can focus on life beyond the business. | Ryse Capital Management | Rochester | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Hourly |
| Patrick Mason | Cairn Wealth Management | Vancouver | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Patrick O'Hearn | Kelman-Lazarov | Memphis | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Patrick Stoa | Macco Financial Group | Green Bay | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Penny Wasem | Lifetime Financial Planning Solutions | Lancaster | CFP, PFS | Hourly |
| Peter Pittman | Aspen Leaf Wealth Management | Golden | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Peyton Wade | Duncan Williams Asset Management | Memphis | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Phil Telpner We end post-divorce financial anxiety. | Breakout Private Wealth | Glenview | Not listed | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Philip Bailey | Muirfield Wealth Advisors | Charlotte | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Philip Dortch | Aspire Private Wealth Counsel | Knoxville | CFP | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Philip Maravilla | PracticeCFO | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Pierre Bigby | Bigby Financial Planning, LLC. | Lewis Center | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Portia White | Whelan Financial | Fresno | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Rakesh Budhram | Prolific Solutions | Ozone Park | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Rand Borresen | Ascend Financial Advisers | Irvine | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Randall Bruns | Model Wealth | Wheaton | CFP | Hourly, Flat fee or retainer |
| Randall Loemker | TruePath Financial Planning | Prescott | CFP | Hourly, Percentage of assets |
| Rebecca Blevins | Caveness Wealth Advisory | Abingdon | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Richard Fein | Fein Advisor | Cincinnati | CFP | Flat fee or retainer |
| Richard Hewitt | Praetorian Guard Wealth Management | Carmel | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Richard Wagner | Ironwood Wealth Management | Chandler | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Riley Adams We offer tax, accounting, financial planning, and investment advisory services for small-to-midsize businesses, wealth advisory clients, and high-net worth individuals. | Daniel M Kavanaugh CPA Inc | Pleasanton | CPA | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Robert Agorastos | Insight Wealth Strategies | San Ramon | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Robert Garcia | Corvus Wealth Advisors | Templeton | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Robert Hofman | Hofman Wealth Management | Chesterfield | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Robert Kokol | Atticus Wealth Management | New Braunfels | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Robert Maher | Virgil Wealth Advisory | Cincinnati | CFA | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Robert Shopes | Favrile Financial | Del Mar | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Robert Sokolowski | Metis Wealth | Bluffton | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Robert Weinstein | Round Rock Advisors | Harrison | CFP, PFS | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Roberta Tondo | White Lighthouse Investment Management | Bedford | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Roberto Ortega | RidgeOak Wealth | Spring | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Roger Johnson | ACT Advisors | Asheville | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Ross Fedenia | Atlatl Advisers | Madison | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Russell Wood | Nicholas Hoffman & Company | Atlanta | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Ryan Brizendine | Westshore Wealth | Newport Beach | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ryan Canfield Helping Millennials simplify their life so they can continue to experience life today, while also saving for the future. | Victus Wealth Management | Enola | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Ryan Gibbs | Heritage Wealth Management | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ryan Glover | Tarheel Advisors | Chapel Hill | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Ryan Janus | Janus Financial | Scottsdale | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, One-time planning fee |
| Ryan McGuire | Westshore Wealth | Newport Beach | 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.