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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Powell | Powell Wealth | Cornelius | ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David Stitt | Curry Webb Wealth Management | Indianapolis | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| David Sylvester | CAVU Wealth Advisors | Walnut Creek | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| David Teas | Heritage Investment Group | Pompano Beach | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| David Thompson | Petra Wealth Management | Fredericksburg | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David Tombs | Amicus Financial Advisors | Lubbock | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David Tracey | Pathway Financial Advisers | Auburn | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David Tsow | Pandora Wealth | Las Vegas | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Debra Allison-Aasby | Great Lakes Financial Strategies | Oshkosh | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Debra Pladsen | Fortress Financial Group | Chanhassen | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Derek Nutter | Pine Grove Financial Group | Woodbury | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Derrell Crimm | Walton Financial | Birmingham | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Dixie Klaibert | Beacon Hill Wealth Management | Victoria | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Dominic Garris | Peak Retirement Planning | Columbus | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Donald Debernardi | Sierra Asset Management | Oakhurst | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Douglas Richards | Crest Financial | Elmira | CFP, ChFC | Flat fee or retainer, Hourly |
| Douglas Suhr | Whitener Capital Management | Middletown | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Dustin Latham | Alternative Capitalis | Wrentham | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Dylan Stockwell | Blue Chip Partners | Farmington Hills | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Dylon Woolwine | Peak Retirement Planning | Columbus | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Earl Jordan Yaokasin | WealthArch Investment Services | Pasadena | CFA | Hourly |
| Edgerly Roberts | Eagle Bluffs Wealth Management | Columbia | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Elizabeth Stamatakos | A to Z Financial Planning | Oak Creek | CFP | One-time planning fee, Ongoing planning fee |
| Emily Jaffe | OFC Wealth Management | Short Hills | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Emily Richard | Pallas Capital Advisors | Braintree | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Emily Weed | Emerald Advisors | Bellevue | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Emma Hostetler | Peak Retirement Planning | Columbus | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Emmanuel Eliason | Eliason Wealth Management | Centennial | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Eric Ludwig | Stockbridge Private Wealth Management | Sun Prairie | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Eric Stein | Galvin, Gaustad & Stein | Scottsdale | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Erica Arroyo | MA Private Wealth | San Carlos | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Ethan Brown | Cox Capital Management | Andover | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, One-time planning fee |
| Evan Ryan | Marathon Mission | Latham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Evan Smith | Amicus Financial Advisors | Lubbock | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Felicia Greenwald | Financial Futures | Brielle | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Fradel Barber The World Changers empowers individuals and businesses with financial education, tools, and strategies to build wealth and secure their future. | The World Changers | Miami | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Subscription |
| Frederic Wheeler | Friedenthal Financial | Marlton | CFA | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Frederick Maclean | Heritage Investment Group | Pompano Beach | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Frederick Maclean, Jr. | Heritage Investment Group | Pompano Beach | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Frederick Payne | Swiftwater Capital | Lake Oswego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Frederick Ravid | Chartered Financial Services | Denver | ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Frenise Mann | Mann Financial | Chattanooga | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Gabriel D'Angelo | Rademacher Financial | Lawrence | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Gary Martin | Nicholas Hoffman & Company | Atlanta | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Geoffrey Schaefer | Intergy Private Wealth | Colorado Springs | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| George Allen | Amicus Financial Advisors | Lubbock | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| George Waters | Infiniti Wealth Management | Brewster | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Gina DiGirolamo | Blue Chip Partners | Farmington Hills | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Grayson Hofferber | Millennial Wealth Management | Broomfield | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Gregory Anderson | GRAnderson Wealth Management Group | Denver | 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.