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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitchell Kramer | Fluent Financial | Dallas | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Montaser Takrouri | Azzad Asset Management | Chicago | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Montgomery Gossen | BCM Advisors | Lafayette | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Nancy Bryant | Bryant Financial Advisory | Baltimore | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Nancy Cooper | Topel & DiStasi Wealth Management | Santa Fe | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Nathan Billigmeier | Towerpoint Wealth | Sacramento | Not listed | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Nathan Condon | Walkner Condon Financial Advisors | Verona | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Nathan Cultice | Castle Wealth Planning | Santa Barbara | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Nathan Dunham | CORE Wealth Advisors | Lakeland | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Nathan Fulks | Family Wealth Partners | Matthews | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Nathan Imboden | Boden Wealth | Lemoyne | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Nathan Madill | JMR Financial Group | Superior | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Nathan Walsh | Occidental Asset Management | Burlingame | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Nathan Ward | W&S Management Services | Richmond | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Neal Stephenson | Precedent Wealth Partners | Houston | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Neil Connolly | Rigden Capital Strategies | Overland Park | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Neil Goodson | ProffittGoodson Private Wealth | Knoxville | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Nicholas Dawson | New Perspective Wealth Management | St. Petersburg | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Nicholas Renfro | MDT Financial Advisors | Webster | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Nicholas Vogel | Bluestem Financial Advisors | Savoy | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Noah Camfield | Keen Wealth Advisors | Overland Park | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Noah McCorkle | KingsMark Private Financial Advisors | Albany | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Noah Wildman | Keen Wealth Advisors | Overland Park | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Noel Bennett | Peak Asset Management | Louisville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Noel Villajuan | Diversified Portfolios | Bloomfield Hills | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Oleg Litvinenko | Meeting House Capital | Concord | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Olivia Kriscunas | Paratus Financial | Dallas | CFA | Hourly, Fixed fees |
| Olivia Stordahl | Stordahl Capital Management | Greenwood Village | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Oscar Spain | Jamison Private Wealth Management | Milton | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Pamela Hinton | Precedent Wealth Partners | Fredericksburg | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Parker Trasborg | CJM Wealth Advisers | Falls Church | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Patrick Beaird | Beaird Harris | Dallas | PFS | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Patrick Cunningham | William Mack & Associates | Troy | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Patrick Gorgonzola | Fairman Financial | Chesterbrook | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Paul Hefferon | Keen Wealth Advisors | Overland Park | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Paul Henley | Farris Capital Management | Carrollton | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Paul Merrick | Riverpoint Wealth Management | Chicago | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Paul Pignone | Beck Bode | Salem | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Paul Warholak Jr | Sigma Investment Counselors | Northville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Paulina Price | Walkner Condon Financial Advisors | Verona | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Peter Burton | Burton Enright Welch | Walnut Creek | ChFC | Percentage of assets |
| Peter Byrd | Opulent Wealth | Richmond | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Peter Hager | Hager Investment Management Services | New London | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Peter Hedberg | Peak Asset Management | Louisville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Peter Melsness | Superior Financial | Rochester | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Peter Roth | Roth Financial Partners | Kingwood | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Philip Snyder | Snyder Asset Management | Hunt Valley | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Rachael Smith | TopRac Financial | Cypress | ChFC | One-time planning fee, Hourly |
| Raliegh Riddoch | BSW Wealth Partners | Boulder | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ralph Freibert | Planning Associates Wealth Management | Metairie | CFP | 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.