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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan McNamee | Traction Financial Partners | Encampment | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ryan Miyashiro | Kahala Financial Advisors | Honolulu | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Ryan Robillard | Macco Financial Group | Green Bay | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Rydan Case | Ironwood Wealth Management | Chandler | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Saadia Ahmed | Kaizen Financial Strategies | Pleasanton | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Saket Sengar | Better Financial Services | Federal Way | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Samuel Deane Financial advice for startup founders and tech employees with equity compensation. | Rora Wealth | Atlanta | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Percentage of assets |
| Sara Amparan | Deters Wealth Management | Gilbert | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Sarah Busch | Boldin | Colton | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Sarah Creath | BCK Partners | Corning | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Sarah Huie | Oak Advisors | Bluffton | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Sarah Irving | Meridian Financial Partners | Warrenton | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Sarah Yakel | Meridian Financial Partners | Warrenton | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Scott Keipper | Highland Investment Advisors | Brookfield | PFS | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Scott Peterson | Peterson Wealth Advisors | Orem | ChFC | Ongoing planning fee |
| Scott Terry | Summit Wealth & Retirement Partners | Eagle | CFP | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Sean Guldi | B&C Financial Advisors | Ponte Vedra Beach | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Shane Farina | Box Hill Private Wealth | Scottsdale | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Sharon Nassirzadeh | AIRE Advisors | Beverly Hills | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Shelby Newell | Ironwood Wealth Management | Chandler | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Shonty Spatola | Pacific Oak Financial Planning | Woodland Hills | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Sloan Chittenden | Verus Financial Partners | Richmond | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Spencer Wynant | Peak Planning Group | Centennial | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Stacey Nickens | Elm3 Financial Group | Alpharetta | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Stephan Zehner | Atticus Wealth Management | Palm Beach Gardens | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Stephen Andrusko | Integrated Capital Planning | Bend | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Stephen Detweiler | Whelan Financial | Fresno | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Stephen Nelson | Mills Wealth Advisors | Southlake | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Stephen Wintermeier | Lynx Investment Advisory | Washington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Steven Clifford | Share The Harvest Partners | Canton | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Steven Mullooly | Mullooly Wealth Planning | Clover | CFP | One-time planning fee, Percentage of assets |
| Tamra Wener | Mosaic Fi | Lincolnshire | CFP | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Tanner Merritt | Keen Capital | Jacksonville | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Tary Middlesworth | Entrusted Wealth | Kalispell | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Taylor Whelan | Whelan Financial | Fresno | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Theodore Schumann | The DBS Companies | Bay City | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Thomas Curtis | Wealth Management Partners | Tucson | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Thomas Gore | Keen Capital | Chapin | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Thomas Grunbeck | J. R. Prunier Capital Management | Holden | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Thomas Jennings | Keen Capital | Westminster | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Thomas Kelly | Kelly Investment Management | Carlsbad | CFP | One-time planning fee |
| Thomas Kopelman We help high net income/ high worth business owners manage their entire financial life. | AllStreet Wealth | Carmel | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, One-time planning fee |
| Thomas Manetta I take great pride in having built a business that truly honors my clients best interests without interference from anything. This allows me to help my clients, without hurting them. | Manetta Wealth Management | San Ramon | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Thomas McLean | Advitica Financial Planning | Tenino | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Thomas Mullen | Breakwater Capital Group | Paramus | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Thomas Nowak | Quantum Financial Planning | Langley | CFP | Hourly |
| Thor McIlrath | McIlrath | Eck | Arlington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Timothy Burkett | Keeler & Nadler | Dublin | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Timothy Dillow | Dillow Wealth Management | Oak Brook | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Timothy Domino | Sanderson Wealth Management | Buffalo | 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.