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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andrea Oliver | One Wild Life Advisors, LLC | Chicago | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, One-time planning fee |
| Andrea Vedder | Iambic Financial | Portland | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Andrew Cayer | SK Wealth Management, LLC | Providence | CFP | One-time planning fee |
| Andrew Damcevski | AJD Wealth Management | Cincinnati | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Andrew Gray | Gray Wealth Strategies | Bend | CFP, CRPC | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Andrew Mitchell I'm a wealth advisor who helps entrepreneurs and business owners make smart financial decisions; whether it's managing a windfall, funding a business venture, or building generational wealth so they can invest in themselves, their communities, and their passions. | Fiduciary Financial Advisors | Grand Rapids | CFP | Percentage of assets, Subscription |
| Angela Dorsey | Dorsey Wealth Management | Torrance | CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ariadne Horstman | Tamarind Financial Planning | Palo Alto | CFP, RLP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Ashley Coake | Cultivate Financial Planning | Radford | CFP, EA | Flat fee or retainer |
| Audrey Emerson Planning with no minimums for newlyweds, freelancers and creative millennials, usually through a four- to five-month integrated process. | AdviceOnly | Bellingham | CFP | Subscription, One-time planning fee |
| Betsy Ratashak-Vogel | R&V Personal Finance | Decorah | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Bill Nelson | Pacesetter Planning LLC | Arlington | Certified Student Loan Professional, CFP, CFT-I | Ongoing planning fee |
| Bob Wolfe | HealthyFP | Conshohocken | CFP, EA | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Bradley Hilton | Sonas Financial Planning, LLC | Atlanta | CFP, MBA, MSFP, TPCP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Brandon Seibel | Oasis Wealth Planning Advisors, LLC | Philadelphia | CFP, CPA, JD, LLM | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Breanna Sykes | Copper Leaf Financial, LLC | Rutland | CFP, CPA/PFS | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Brian Seymour Guiding First-Generation Wealth Builders | Prosperitage Wealth | Mcdonough | CFP, ChFC, RICP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Brian Tegtmeyer | Truly Prosper Financial Planning | Dublin | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Britton Wellington | Real Agency Wealth | Beaverton | CFP, EA | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Bryan Haggard | RetireMitten Financial LLC | Milford | CFA, CFP | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Bryan Minogue | Kardinal Financial | Madison | CFA, CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Cameron Willcox | Willcox Wealth Management | Denver | CFP, EA | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Casey Smith | Wiser Wealth Management, Inc. | Marietta | CDFA, CFP, CPA, MBA | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Charles Horonzy | Focused Up Financial, LLC | La Grange | CFP, CPA | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Charles Thomas | Intrepid Eagle Finance | Clover | CFP, MBA | Ongoing planning fee, Percentage of assets |
| Chloe Moore | Financial Staples | Atlanta | CFP | Ongoing planning fee, Flat fee or retainer |
| Chris Mullis | NorthStar Capital Advisors | Charlotte | CFP, PhD | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Chris Shoup | Southshore Financial Planning | Tampa | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Chris Woods | Silvis Financial | Charlotte | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Christopher Lazzaro Plan For It Financial delivers personalized, actionable financial advice and education empowering you to make informed decisions about your future with confidence. | Plan For It Financial, LLC | Salem | ChFC, RICP | One-time planning fee, Subscription |
| Christopher Wells | Flourish Financial Planning | Grapevine | CFP, CKA, MS, MSFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Chuck Clifton | Sycamore Financial Planning, LLC | Charlotte | CDFA, CFP, MBA | Hourly |
| Cole Williams | Vessel Financial Planning | Plano | BFA, CFP, CIMA | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Curtis Crossland | Suttle Crossland Wealth Advisors, LLC | Scottsdale | CFP, CFA, MBA, EA | One-time planning fee, Ongoing planning fee |
| Dan Amiot | Wrought Iron Financial, LLC | Canal Fulton | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Dan Reiter | Prosperity Planning, Inc. | North Kansas City | CFP, CPA | Percentage of assets |
| Danielle Harrison | Harrison Financial Planning | Columbia | CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| David Frank | Turning Point Planning LLC | Los Angeles | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Deaton Smith | Thayer Financial | Hickory | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets |
| Debbie Price | Price Planning, LLC | Powell | CFP, CPA, JD | Hourly, Ongoing planning fee |
| Diane Esser Fee-only retirement planning and education for pre-retiree couples and Federal employees moving into the next phase of life. | Direction Financial Management, LLC | Germantown | CFP, CPA, RICP | Subscription, One-time planning fee |
| Dillon Kenniston | REWealth Financial Planning | Sinking Spring | CFP | Ongoing planning fee, Flat fee or retainer |
| Dustin Suttle | Suttle Crossland Wealth Advisors, LLC | Scottsdale | CFP, MBA, AAMS, CRPC | One-time planning fee, Ongoing planning fee |
| Elise Huston | JNBA Financial Advisors | Minneapolis | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Emilie Goldman | Tamarind Financial Planning | Palo Alto | CFA, CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Eric Jochimsen | JBY Financial Planning | Sun Prairie | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Eric Niergarth | Retirement Roadmap Financial Planning | San Diego | CFP, RICP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Erik Nero | First Step Wealth Planning, LLC | Wilton | CFP, RICP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Ethan Pepper | Orchard City Wealth Management, LLC | Los Gatos | CFP, EA, RLP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Evan Marquis | Milestone Financial Planning, LLC | Bedford | CFP, EA, RICP, MSFP | Percentage of assets, 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.