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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matthew Calme | HCM Wealth Advisors | Cincinnati | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Matthew Cochran | Atlantic Edge Wealth | Jacksonville | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Matthew Knuth | Stordahl Capital Management | Greenwood Village | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Liebman | Amplius Wealth | Blue Bell | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Malick | Atwater Malick | Lancaster | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Mathiesen | Integrity Wealth Management | Eugene | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Matthew Miller | Keen Wealth Advisors | Overland Park | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Page | True Wave Financial Planners | Sacramento | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Snyder | Fairman Financial | Chesterbrook | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Treskovich | Flavin, Nooney & Person | Melbourne | CFP, PFS, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Maura Madden | Maura Madden Financial Planning | Seattle | CFP | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| Maureen Whelan | Whelan Financial Planning | Cortlandt Manor | CFP | One-time planning fee, Ongoing planning fee |
| Maynard Keller | American Financial Planning | Roanoke | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, One-time planning fee |
| Megan Miller | Towerpoint Wealth | Sacramento | Not listed | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Melissa Ballard | PYA Waltman Capital | Knoxville | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Aboussie | Next Level Wealth Planning | Meridian | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Bechtold | Hager Investment Management Services | New London | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Michael Bernstein | Lionshead Wealth Management | New York | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael Bisbee | Enduro Wealth | Eagle | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Brady | Brady Family Wealth | Saint Louis | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Broadhurst | Heritage Wealth Management Group | Norfolk | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael Canzone | Canter Wealth | La Jolla | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael Cermak | ProffittGoodson Private Wealth | Knoxville | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael D'Antonio | DT Investment Partners | Chadds Ford | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael Dixon | Your Planning Partner | Palm Beach Gardens | PFS | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Ehlenbeck | CORE Wealth Advisors | Lakeland | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Foster | Dolan Capital Advisors | Charlotte | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael George | FPL Capital Management | Metairie | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Michael Giblin | Dovetail Financial | Wilmington | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Michael Harris | Bluerock Financial Services | Williamsburg | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Haskins | Larsen Wealth Management | El Dorado Hills | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael Hughes | OLIO Financial Planning | Mclean | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Michael Kozak | BlueDoor Private Wealth | Beverly | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Lemich | RFG Wealth Advisory | Argyle | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael Lynch | Michael P. Lynch Wealth Management | Stockton | CFP, PFS | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Maloon | California Financial Advisors | San Ramon | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Michael O'Connor | Capasso Planning Partners | Charleston | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Power | Power Investing | Danville | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Rudy | Wolakota Advisors | Ypsilanti | CFP | Hourly |
| Michael Smurl | Integrity Financial Planning | Houston | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Michael Stacey | HC Advisors | Sandy Springs | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Michael Williamson | Advisor.com | Charleston | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Percentage of assets |
| Michel Swanson | Stordahl Capital Management | Greenwood Village | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michelle Eldridge | Clear Ridge Wealth Management | Kalamazoo | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Michelle Fallon | Aequitas Investment Advisors | Hingham | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michelle Robinson | Stolz & Associates, P.S. | Tacoma | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Mickey Kim | Kirr, Marbach & Company | Columbus | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Milo Hanke | Hanke & Apolonio Wealth Advisors | San Francisco | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Minka Hull | Mission Hills Financial | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mitchell Doman | Haynie Wealth Management | Salt Lake City | CFP | Percentage of assets |
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.