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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allison Kramer | Seaside Wealth Advisors | Mechanicsburg | ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Amanda Ansell | OLIO Financial Planning | Blacksburg | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Amanda Harrell | FPL Capital Management | Metairie | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Amanda Hopkins Clouser | RCS Financial Planning | Annapolis | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Amber Schiffert | TARA Wealth | Durham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Amy Fisher | WebsterRogers Financial Advisors | Florence | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Amy Moore | OLIO Financial Planning | Blacksburg | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Andrea Gorniok | Fairman Financial | Chesterbrook | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Andrew Barnhardt | HFM Investment Advisors | Glassboro | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Andrew Block | Walla Walla Wealth Advisors | Walla Walla | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Andrew Branz | Clark Wealth Partners | O'Fallon | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Andrew Cattano | Occidental Asset Management | Burlingame | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Andrew Cecil | Cecil Wealth | Westminster | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Andrew Clement | Alongside Wealth | Nolensville | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Andrew Hager | Hager Investment Management Services | New London | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Andrew Hempeck | Creekside Partners | Petaluma | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Andrew Hermes | Altus Wealth Management | Ft. Mitchell | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Andrew Hickey | Clear Sky Financial | Prosper | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Andrew Hicks | Occidental Asset Management | Altamonte Springs | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Andrew Jones | Verity Investment Partners | Beaufort | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Andrew Kelleher | Denver Private Wealth Management | Denver | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Andrew Killpack | HC Advisors | Sandy Springs | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Andrew Klein | Walkner Condon Financial Advisors | Madison | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Andrew Miller | OLIO Financial Planning | Mclean | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Andrew Otto | Boden Wealth | Lemoyne | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Andrew Pallas | Minich MacGregor Wealth Management | Saratoga Springs | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Andrew Tranel | Rosemeyer Management Group | Platteville | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Andrew Tuecke | Stewards Advisory Services | Marion | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Angel Cruz | Cruz Wealth Management | Olympia | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Angela Thomson | Coastal Financial Planning | Lincoln | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Anna Hong | New Insight Wealth Advisors | San Ramon | ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Anna Popke | Majestic Oak Financial | Round Rock | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Annalise Montgomery | Faith Investor Services | Scottsdale | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Anthony Austreng | Forthright Wealth Management | Alpharetta | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Anthony Digiovanni | White Pine Investment Co | Livonia | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Anthony Jones | CJM Wealth Advisers | Falls Church | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Anthony McEahern | Gilpin Wealth Management | Golden | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Anthony Ozuna | Sierra Management Group | Reno | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Anthony Parr | Parr McKnight Wealth Management Group | Minneapolis | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Arthur Canter | Boca Wealth Advisors | Boca Raton | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Arv Vilutis | Financial Synergies Wealth Advisors | Houston | ChFC | Percentage of assets |
| Ashley Perlmutter | Sherman Wealth | Gaithersburg | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ashley Trlica | Saxon Financial Group | Houston | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Atta Khan | Azzad Asset Management | Falls Church | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Austin Drake | Sterneck Capital Management | Kansas City | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Austin Stinson | Altus Wealth Management | Ft. Mitchell | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ava Pompay | Prosperity Wealth Planning | Irvine | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Ayman Khalil | Azzad Asset Management | Falls Church | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Babak Gahvari | Canter Wealth | La Jolla | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Barbara Nooney | Flavin, Nooney & Person | Melbourne | CFP, PFS | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
Guides
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.