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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joseph Eschleman | Towerpoint Wealth | Sacramento | Not listed | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Joseph Kalmanovitz | Canter Wealth | La Jolla | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Joseph Kolb | Wickford Wealth Management | North Kingstown | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Joseph Miebach | Bluestem Financial Advisors | Savoy | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Joshua Brockwell | Azzad Asset Management | Falls Church | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Joshua Cutler | Bluestem Financial Advisors | Savoy | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Joshua Hill | Keen Wealth Advisors | Overland Park | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joshua Hovda | Lakeridge Wealth Management | Albuquerque | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joshua Jenkins | Seaside Wealth Advisors | Mechanicsburg | ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joshua Mangoubi | Considerate Capital | Northbrook | CFA | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Joshua Melda | Cleveland Retirement Planning | Westlake | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Joshua Rigden | Rigden Capital Strategies | Englewood | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joshuah Dains | Milinovich & Company | Clarksville | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Joy Stenehjem | Leonard Rickey Investment Advisors | Yakima | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Hourly |
| Juan Carlos Peralta | Roof Eidam Maycock Peralta | San Francisco | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Julie Martinez | BSW Wealth Partners | Boulder | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Justin Lester | Allied Investments | Johnson City | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Justin Mason | KEB – Kerber, Eck & Braeckel | Springfield | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Justin Ramirez Business appraisals to help owners plan their next move | Insight Valuations, LLC | Houston | CFA | Flat fee or retainer, Hourly |
| Justin Smith | Smith Partners Wealth Management | Greensboro | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Justin Soucie | G&S Capital | Denver | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kaitlin Hewell | Hewell Financial Group | Atascadero | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kaleb Price | BCM Advisors | Lafayette | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Kameron Barzegar | RJ Patterson Group | San Diego | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Karen Blair | CJM Wealth Advisers | Falls Church | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Karen Oeser | Means Wealth Management | Bangor | CFA | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Katharine Wagner | Diversified Portfolios | Bloomfield Hills | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Kathleen Gilmore | Clifford Swan | Pasadena | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kathleen Hentges | Applied Advisor | San Francisco | CFP | Hourly |
| Kathrin Biscornet | BSW Wealth Partners | Boulder | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kathryn Kokenge | TrueWealth Financial Partners San Diego | Bellevue | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kayla Fernandez | California Financial Advisors | San Ramon | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Kayle Larsen | Larsen Wealth Management | El Dorado Hills | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Keith Poniewaz | Walkner Condon Financial Advisors | Verona | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Kellen Thayer | Advisor.com | Charleston | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Percentage of assets |
| Kelly Dowdy | HC Advisors | Sandy Springs | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Kelly Meinders | Professional Advisory Services | Vero Beach | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Kenneth Gott | Meritas Wealth Management | San Rafael | CFP | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Kenneth Klegon | William Mack & Associates | Punta Gorda | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Kenneth Kneale | Arcadian Financial Services | San Diego | CFP | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| Kevin Apolinar Financial planner for Christians | Behavior Shift | Murrieta | Not listed | One-time planning fee, Subscription |
| Kevin Howard | Faith Investor Services | Scottsdale | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Kevin Mishoe | Absher Wealth Management | Chapel Hill | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kevin Pira | Pira Wealth Management | Coralville | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kevin Spires | Bellaire Capital Management | Bellaire | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kevin Tucker | ProActive Capital Management | Topeka | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kevin Zywna | Wealthway Financial Advisors | Norfolk | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Kirsten Calambro | Oxford Planning Group | Woodstock | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kirt Rezek | Professional Financial Management | Appleton | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kirti Bhanushali | Dversify | Georgetown | Not listed | 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.