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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gregory Cadger | Cadger Wealth Advisors | Carolina Beach | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Gregory Hart | Haddon Wealth Management | Haddonfield | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Gregory Maxwell | Amicus Financial Advisors | Lehi | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Gregory Vogel | O'Keefe Stevens Advisory | Rochester | Not listed | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Hans Blake | Intelligent Investing | Greenville | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Harish Prabandham | Rubric Advisors | San Francisco | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Harrison Oakes | Cox Capital Management | Andover | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, One-time planning fee |
| Hayden Kibbey | Blue Chip Partners | Farmington Hills | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Heidi Morshead | Shira Ridge Wealth Management | San Rafael | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Henry Fox | Blue Bell Private Wealth Management | Blue Bell | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Hilary Disher | CAVU Wealth Advisors | Reston | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Holger Berndt | Rssic | San Francisco | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ian Browning | Peddock Capital Advisors | Braintree | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Isaac Martin | Members' Wealth | Media | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jacob Hagen-Erickson | Fortress Financial Group | Rochester | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Jacob Levy | Conquis Financial | Millbrae | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jacob Phelps | Strong Wealth | Colorado Springs | Not listed | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Jaden Verrico | Ankerstar Wealth | Leander | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| James Burnett | Navigate Wealth Management | Birmingham | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| James Darby | Adell, Harriman, & Carpenter | Houston | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| James Fonzi | Breakwater Capital Group | Stoneham | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| James Gorzynski We increase your company value by 72% to prepare for a sale | Certified Exit Planners | Charlotte | Not listed | One-time planning fee, Flat fee or retainer |
| James Langer | Wavvest | Chicago | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| James Liotta | Prominence Capital Wealth Management Advisors | Eagle | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| James Rench | Relevance Capital Management | Denton | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| James Smith | Invest | Lexington | CFP | Hourly, Ongoing planning fee |
| James Stechschulte | THOR Wealth Management | Cincinnati | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jan Hilfer | Eisenhilfer Capital | Lincoln | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jan Schalkwijk | JPS Global Investments | West Linn | CFA | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| Jane King | Fairfield Financial Advisors | Wellesley | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Janet Larsen | Step Financial | Seal Beach | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jared La Blue | DiversiFi Capital | Los Altos | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee, Percentage of assets |
| Jason Brooks | Indelible Wealth Group | Berthoud | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jason Brown | Renaissance Advisors | Ridgeland | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jason Dongelewic | Marathon Mission | Latham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jason Hemeon | Argo Wealth Advisory | Mclean | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jeff Realejo | Heritage Investment Group | Pompano Beach | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Jeffrey Barnett | Fintegrity | Tenafly | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| Jeffrey Buck | Nicholas Hoffman & Company | Atlanta | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jeffrey Camarda | Camarda Wealth Advisory Group | Fleming Island | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jeffrey Lamarca | Marcellus Capital Management | Skaneateles | CFA | Percentage of assets, Performance-based fees |
| Jeffrey Lang | Seneschal Family Office | Tacoma | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jeffrey Notaro | Notaro Wealth Advisory | Tokyo, Japan | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Jeffrey Sevy | Peterson Wealth Advisors | Orem | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Jeffrey Waters | OFC Wealth Management | Short Hills | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jeffrey Yeakle | MY Wealth Management | Germantown | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jeffrey Zappone | Chair Six Financial | Financial Planning | Spokane | PFS | Hourly, Fixed fees |
| Jenifer Aronson | Mosaic Fi | Lincolnshire | CFA | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Jesse Celeste Artistic Wealth was created for endowments, entrepreneurs, and pre-retirees/retirees who want custom tailored planning, a wealth partner who listens and acts in the best interest of the client. | Artistic Wealth | Red Bank | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Jesse D'Elia | Attleboro Wealth Management | Yardley | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
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.