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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brian Wyatt | Wyatt Wealth Management | Arlington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brian Zellers | Econ Wealth Management | Harrisburg | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Brianna Ferguson | Cerro Pacific Wealth Advisors | San Luis Obispo | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Britt Bazemore | KingsMark Private Financial Advisors | Albany | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brittany Moran | Lincoln Capital | East Greenwich | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Bronwyn Mirretti | Mirretti Perryman Wealth Strategies | Skokie | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bryan Glancy | Spinnaker Financial Group | Independence | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Bryan Kabot | Regency Wealth Management | Ramsey | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Bryan Smith | Infinite Wealth Advisors | Mooresville | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bryan Vowels | TrueNorth Wealth & Impact | Joplin | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Byron Studdard | Studdard Financial | Germantown | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Caden Mumford | PYA Waltman Capital | Knoxville | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Caitlyn Driehorst | RightWise Wealth | Las Vegas | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Caitlyn Tierney | Westover Capital Advisors | Wilmington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Caleb Griffith | Townsend Asset Management | Raleigh | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Cameron Dunaway | Buckley Wealth | Las Vegas | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Camy Toth | Springbrook Financial | Bozeman | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Carl Mariner | ARQ Wealth Advisors | Scottsdale | CFP, ChFC, CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Carolanne Chavanne | Prosperity Wealth Planning | Long Beach | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Caroline McInerney | HWM Wealth | Atlanta | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Carson Fields | Forthright Wealth Management | Alpharetta | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Cassandra Kirby | Braun-Bostich & Associates | Canonsburg | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Cassidy Steck | Peak Asset Management | Louisville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Catherine Allen-Carlozo | HFM Investment Advisors | Glassboro | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Catherine Salsman | Paragon Management | Lexington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Celina Ochoa | Haynie Wealth Management | Salt Lake City | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Charles Allison | LRC Aviation Advisors | Milwaukee | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets |
| Charles Blozinski | Integrity Wealth Management | Brookings | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Charles Capasso | Capasso Planning Partners | Charleston | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Charles Kreitler | Kreitler Financial | New Haven | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Chelsea Makowski | Senior Financial and Tax | Orchard Park | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Chelsei Latsch | Antonelli Financial Advisors | Grosse Pointe | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Chelsie Smith | Leonard Rickey Investment Advisors | Yakima | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Hourly |
| Chengkuo Chen | Redwood Money | San Jose | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Chris Parker | Parker Financial Planning | Bradenton | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Christian Koch | KAM South | Atlanta | CFP | One-time planning fee |
| Christian West | Rigden Capital Strategies | Englewood | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Christina Gamache | RADIANT Wealth Planning | Palo Alto | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Christina Hammann | Carter Financial | La Jolla | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Christine Eisenhower | Blue Anchor Wealth Advisors | Ketchikan | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Christoper Steele | Professional Advisory Services | Vero Beach | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Christopher Brittingham | Diversified Portfolios | Bloomfield Hills | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Christopher Cook | McCarley & Cook | Cincinnati | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Christopher Hughes | Financial Cornerstones | The Woodlands | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Christopher Lim | Alongside Wealth | Nolensville | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Christopher Pawlowski | SpringSource Wealth Advisors | Hillsboro | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Christopher Plahm | Stonebridge Wealth Management | Oak Brook | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Christopher Thomas | Align WMGMT | San Jose | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Christopher Winn | Interactive Wealth Advisors | Portland | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Christopher Zafiriou | Flax Pond Capital | Merion Station | CFA | 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.