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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eugene Skorodinsky | Minerva Wealth Advisory | New York | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Eustache Clerveaux | Fidare Wealth Solutions | New York | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Evan Darr | Precedent Wealth Partners | Houston | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Evan Grey | Grey Private Capital | Charlotte | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Percentage of assets |
| Federico Londono Castillo | Occidental Asset Management | Altamonte Springs | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Frances Spurry | Tred Avon Family Wealth | Easton | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Frank Arvai | William Mack & Associates | Troy | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Frederick Moosherr | Canopy Wealth Management | Birmingham | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Gabriel Nelson | Gabe Nelson Financial | Sioux Falls | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Gabrielle Fitzwater | Dwyer Financial | Flagstaff | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Garry Kachkovsky | Kachkovsky & Fisher | Phoenix | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Garth Williams | Honu Wealth | Sunnyvale | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Gary Hess | Baldwin Management | West Conshohocken | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Gary Roof | Roof Eidam Maycock Peralta | San Francisco | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Gavin Distasi | Topel & DiStasi Wealth Management | Berkeley | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Genecar Vivo | Echo45 Advisors | Walnut Creek | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Geoffrey Gilbert | Inukshuk Investments | Missoula | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| George Don | Signet Financial Management of Southwest Florida | Parsippany | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| George Hasbun | Clifford Swan | Pasadena | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Geovanni James | Occidental Asset Management | Burlingame | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Glenn Sweeney | Sweeney Financial Advisors | Manchester | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Gordon Lackey | Relativity Capital Advisors | Greensboro | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Grace Trewartha | MAPT Capital | Madison | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Greg Hartenbower | John Moore Associates | Albuquerque | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Gregg Clarke | Meritas Wealth Management | San Rafael | CFP | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Gregory Davis | RBG Wealth Advisors | Memphis | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Gregory Goff | Goepper Burkhardt | Greenville | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Gregory Middendorf | HCM Wealth Advisors | Cincinnati | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Griffin Baker | CJM Wealth Advisers | Falls Church | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Hannah Farrow | RightWise Wealth | Las Vegas | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Hannah Spillman | Perspective Wealth Partners | Boise | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Harold Carmean | Creative Wealth Management | Punta Gorda | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Harold Philipsen | Tenzing Financial | Williamsburg | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Hart Williams | Cloud Capital Management | Seattle | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Heather Coulter | William Howard & Co. Financial Advisors | Memphis | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Heather Quintero | Carter Financial | La Jolla | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Heidi Arneson | Precedent Wealth Partners | Katy | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Hope Broucek | Financial Planning for Real People | Seattle | ChFC | Hourly, Percentage of assets |
| Ian Beardsley | Walkner Condon Financial Advisors | Verona | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Ian McClintic | Early McClintic & McMillan | Stafford | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ian Mitz | Mitz Wealth Management | Pasco | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ian Weinstein | Regimen Wealth | Atlanta | ChFC | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jack Miller | Jamison Private Wealth Management | Milton | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Jack Waltman | PYA Waltman Capital | Knoxville | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jackson Miller | Fiduciary Benefits Group | San Diego | CFP | Flat fee or retainer |
| Jacob Alden | Aurelius Family Office | Bedford | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jacob Bossert | Konza Global Wealth Group | Chicago | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jacob Kuebler | Bluestem Financial Advisors | Savoy | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Jacob McCarney | Next Level Wealth Planning | Meridian | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jacob McKinney | Clark Wealth Partners | O'Fallon | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
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.