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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jesse Nix | Nix Wealth Management | Sacramento | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Jessica Pariser | Galvin, Gaustad & Stein | Scottsdale | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jessica Serrano | Equal Voices Wealth | Castaic | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Jesus Longoria | Amicus Financial Advisors | Mcallen | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jillian Brooks | Cox Capital Management | Andover | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, One-time planning fee |
| Jodi Karambela | Integral Wealth Management | Turlock | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| John Boyd | Boyd Financial Strategies | Worcester | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| John Burnside | Burnside and Company | Oregon City | CFP | Flat fee or retainer |
| John Dougherty | Dougherty Investment Advisors | Spring Hill | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| John Gallagher | Integrated Wealthcare | Durham | ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| John Garmhausen | First Look Capital Management | Crested Butte | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| John Knopik | Ascent Wealth Management | Kalispell | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| John Lacey | Pacific Point Wealth Management | Carlsbad | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| John Leeming | JL Bainbridge | Sarasota | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| John McNamara | Highball Advisors | Simsponville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| John O'Brien | O'Brien Capital Management | Nyack | CFP | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| John Roscoe | Osprey Private Wealth | New York | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| John Trujillo | West End Wealth Management | Denver | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| John York | ProActive Advisors | Lexington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Jonas Rohde | Rohde Wealth Management | Broadway | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Jonathan Davis | One Day Wealth Management | Ocala | CFP, ChFC, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Jonathan Fargason | Navigate Wealth Management | Birmingham | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Jonathan Liebl | GenRise Wealth Advisors | Mt. Laurel | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jordan Worley | Coffman Wealth Advisors | Poplar Bluff | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jose Cuevas | Wisdom Investments | Hoffman Estates | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joseph Digangi | Amicus Financial Advisors | Easton | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joseph Nicholas | Fortress Financial Group | Rochester | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Joseph Nix | Nix Wealth Management | Sacramento | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Joseph Rugger | Bridge To Wealth | Corinth | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Joseph Somerset | Beantown Financial Advisors | Jefferson | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joseph Williams | Williams Wealth Management | Hopkinton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Joshua Gardner | Prosper Private Wealth | Mesa | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joshua Hayes | Curtis Advisory Group | Santa Barbara | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joshua Pearson | Blue Bell Private Wealth Management | Blue Bell | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joshua Richardson | Peak Retirement Planning | Columbus | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Joshua Yoder | Hudock Capital | Williamsport | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Juerg Ciceri | JC Financial Planning & Investments | Long Beach | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Julia Shaw | Blue Chip Partners | Farmington Hills | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Julio Lopez-Brito | Sensible Money | Miami | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Justin Ajimine | The Investment Counsel Company of Nevada | Las Vegas | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kale Soukup | Waterfront | Advisors | Overland Park | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Katherine Simmonds | Conquis Financial | Millbrae | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Katherine Then | Laurel Wealth Planning | Edina | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Kathleen Mealey | Sensible Money | Scottsdale | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Keely McLeod | Blue Chip Partners | Farmington Hills | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Keith Hays | Creative Capitalists | Glendale | Not listed | Hourly, Flat fee or retainer |
| Kellan Peer | O'Keefe Stevens Advisory | Rochester | Not listed | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Kenneth Bellavance | truFP | Cumming | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Kenneth Turner | Next Up Wealth Advisors | King George | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kevin Cooke | Roffman Miller Wealth Management | Philadelphia | CFP | Percentage of assets |
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.