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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Spivak | Not listed | Toronto | CFP, CPA, CMA | Hourly, Flat fee or retainer |
| Mike Zeiter | Foundations Financial Planning | Carthage | CFP, CPA, PFS | Ongoing planning fee, Percentage of assets |
| Nate Nieri | Modern Money Management | San Diego | CFP, MSBA, MBA | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Otto Rivera | Mindful Wealth LLC | St Louis | CFP, EA | Ongoing planning fee, Percentage of assets |
| Patrick Bourbon Objective, holistic planning for U.S. residents and cross-border families navigating tax and regulatory rules in more than one country. | Bourbon Financial Management | Chicago | CFA, CFP, MSEE, MSFS | Subscription |
| Patti Hughes | Lake Life Wealth Advisory Group LLC | Chicago | CFP, CPA | Ongoing planning fee |
| R. Shea Newton | Financial Journey LLC | Pensacola | CFP, EA, RICP | One-time planning fee, Percentage of assets |
| Raman Singh | Singh PWM | Phoenix | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Renee Collins | Retire Ready Inc. | Olympia Fields | CFP, CPA, AFC | One-time planning fee, Ongoing planning fee |
| Robert Stoll | Financial Design Studio, Inc. | Deer Park | CFA, CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Robert Tull | Tull Financial Group, Inc. | Chesapeake | CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Robinson Crawford Real, personal, specialized wealth management for families with $3M-$30M in assets run by Robinson Crawford, CFP®. | Montebello Avenue | Phoenix | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Percentage of assets |
| Roland McIntyre | Mountaintop Wealth LLC | Chattanooga | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Rosario Chacón | Wealth-Source Financial | Oakland | CFP, CSLP, CDFA, EA | Ongoing planning fee, Percentage of assets |
| Ryan Bennett | Kelda Wealth Management | Cuyahoga Falls | CFP | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Ryan Langan | Your Path Fi, LLC | West Chester | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Ryan McClung | Crossroads Wealth Planning | Lake Oswego | CEPA, CFP, CPA | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| Said Israilov | Israilov Financial | San Francisco | CFP | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Sakis Salas | Acropolis Investment Management, LLC | Chesterfield | CFP, CPA, CRPC | Percentage of assets |
| Sara Casale | Cornerstone Financial Planning, LLC | Portland | CFP, BS, MBA | Percentage of assets |
| Sara Zuckerman | Reset Financial Planning LLC | Fort Collins | CDFA, CFP, MBA | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Scott Newhouse | Forthright Finances | Scottsdale | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Sean Dwyer | Overture Wealth Management LLC | Conshohocken | CFP, CFA, EA | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Seth Shepherd "Financial Advisor" didn't make sense to us, so we built Pillar Wealth to reflect people in 2026 instead of 1990. Don't be stuck in the past with an old, outdated formula that incentivizes laziness. Avoid any AUM model. Avoid someone labeled "Financial Advisor" who sells products like insurance. | Pillar Wealth | Franklin | CFP | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| Shannon Grey | InvestEdge Planning | San Diego | CFP, CRPC | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Shar-Né Warren | Financial Excavation | Plano | CFP, CRPC | Flat fee or retainer, Hourly |
| Stephan Shipe Flat-fee, team-reviewed planning for DIY investors and families with complex wealth, from equity compensation to business exits. | Scholar Financial Advising | Winston-Salem | CFP, CFA, PhD | Flat fee or retainer |
| Stephanie Loeffel | Ascend Financial LLC | Scituate | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Stephanie Trexler | Golden Goose Wealth Planning | Grand Rapids | CFP, MS, MSFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Stephen Boatman | Flat Fee Financial LLC | Charlotte | CFP | Flat fee or retainer |
| Stephen Way | Setarcos Wealth Advisors LLC | Philadelphia | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Steve Engle | Asbury Capital | Glen Mills | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Steven Neeley | Fortress Capital Advisors | Carmel | CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Stratton Harrison | Vita Wealth Management | Chicago | CFP, EA | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Susan Peck | Evolution Financial LLC | Madison | CFP, RLP | Percentage of assets |
| Thomas Knowlton | Luminvest Wealth Management LLC | Scottsdale | CFP, CTFA, MBA | Percentage of assets |
| Thomas Mclean | Altruist Wealth Management | Charlotte | CFP, MBA | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Tim Carpenter | Rhodo Wealth Management | Geneva | CFP | One-time planning fee, Percentage of assets |
| Tim Witham | Balanced Life Planning LLC | Villa Hills | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Timothy Kirch | Nashville Financial Planning | Franklin | CFP | One-time planning fee, Ongoing planning fee |
| Tina Mistry | Portfolio Advisors, Inc | Fresno | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Tom Duffy | Jersey Shore Financial Advisors LLC | Red Bank | CFP, CDFA, MBA, CRPC | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Tom Poltersdorf Jr | GT Wealth | Lebanon | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Tracy Sherwood | Sherwood Financial Management | Williamsville | CFP | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| Travis Allen Fiduciary Financial Planning & Investment Management. | Custom Wealth Planners | Ankeny | CFA, CFP, RICP | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Travis McCullough | Forthright Financial Services | Weatherford | BS, CFP, MST | Hourly, Ongoing planning fee |
| Trent White | Luminvest Wealth Management LLC | Scottsdale | CFP, JD | Percentage of assets |
| Trevor Gunter | Four Pines Financial LLC | Atlanta | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Tyler Landes | Tandem Financial Guidance, LLC | Kansas City | AIF, CFP | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| Tyler Smith | BBK Wealth Management | Fishers | CFP, M.Ed. | 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.