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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacob Ness | Kreitler Financial | New Haven | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Jacqueline Remar | Meritas Wealth Management | San Rafael | CFP | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Jake Butcher | HCM Wealth Advisors | Cincinnati | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| James Ahlschwede | Round Table Investment Strategies | Lincoln | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| James Brilliant | Century Management Financial Advisors | Austin | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| James Brown | Meritis Wealth Management | Potomac | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| James Burns | OnTrack Wealth Management | Plymouth | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| James Cox | Peak Wealth Management | Saratoga Springs | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| James Eppes | Eppes Wealth Management | Satellite Beach | CFP | One-time planning fee, Flat fee or retainer |
| James Eutsler | HCM Wealth Advisors | Cincinnati | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| James Harrington | Bluesphere Advisors | East Norriton | CFA | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| James Lee | StratFI | Wilmington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| James McGlone | KOM Wealth Management | Appleton | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| James Mellon | Canter Wealth | La Jolla | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| James Olsen | Malvern Capital Management | Malvern | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| James Roth | Roth Financial Partners | Kingwood | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| James Shellenberger | Elevate Wealth Management | Sheridan | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| James Sutton | Echo45 Advisors | Walnut Creek | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Janet Griffith | AssetBuilder | Allen | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Janet Wills | Wills Financial Group | Richmond | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Janine Guenther | Promus Advisors | Dallas | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jared Crawford | Rigden Capital Strategies | Myrtle Beach | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jarman Reilly | CRA Financial | Northfield | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Jason Bernal | Blue Jay Financial Group | Defiance | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Jason Foster | Peak Asset Management | Louisville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Jason Gabrieli | HFM Investment Advisors | Glassboro | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jason Marsh | Cognition Financial | Dublin | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Jason Martel | Martel Wealth Advisors | Vancouver | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Jason Qiu | Echo45 Advisors | Walnut Creek | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Jason Sandfort | Angell Capital Management | St. Charles | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jason Stuber | Saling Wealth Advisors | Louisville | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jason Taylor | Taylor's Financial | Fort Collins | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jay Arce | Taylor Financial Group | Roanoke | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jay Shein | Compass Financial Group | Deerfield Beach | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jeb Flynn | Keen Wealth Advisors | Overland Park | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jeff Newburn | Plan2Thrive Financial Services | Eldridge | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jeff Pomerantz | Analog Capital Partners | Houston | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Jeffery Sutton | Logan Park Wealth Management | Minneapolis | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jeffrey Dorman | Navigate Financial | Laguna Niguel | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Jeffrey Loos | Marsh Wealth Management | Knoxville | ChFC | Percentage of assets |
| Jeffrey Matchett Robles | Gordian Advisors | Tucson | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jeffrey Sturgis | Brightstone Advisors | Fishers | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jeffrey Vincent | Vincent Wealth Advisors | Norwell | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jeffrey Wu | Red Crane Wealth | Palo Alto | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jenna Israni | TFC Financial | Boston | ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jennie Spurlock | William Mack & Associates | Troy | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Jennifer Bahi | Meritas Wealth Management | San Rafael | CFP | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Jennifer Colon | CRA Financial | Northfield | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Jennifer Oravsky | Absher Wealth Management | Chapel Hill | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jeremiah Whiddon | OnTrack Wealth Management | Canton | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
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.