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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kevin Regan | Crionna Wealth | Cheshire | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kishore Shah | Lynx Investment Advisory | Vienna | ChFC | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kristen Hudspeth | Peterson Wealth Advisors | Orem | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Kristopher Hicks | Paragon Advisors | College Station | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Kyle Dandurand | Chemistry Wealth Management, LLC. | New York | CFA | Ongoing planning fee |
| Kyle Erickson | Elevate Investment Management | Scottsdale | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Kyle Hammerschmidt Helping Self-Made 401(k)/IRA Millionaires Avoid The 7 Hidden Tax Surprises | MOKAN Wealth Management | Overland Park | Not listed | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Kyle Ray | Ridgeback Wealth Management | Peachtree City | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Kyle Sabdo | Stillwater Capital Management | Carmel-By-The-Sea | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Lakhaun McKinley | MNM Vested | Houston | CFP | Fixed fees |
| Lance Purcell | Phoenix Rising Wealth Management | Frisco | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Lance Spencer | Prosper Private Wealth | Provo | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Larry Peterson | Amicus Financial Advisors | Lehi | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Laura Sodorsky | Marathon Mission | Latham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Laurence Menna | WealthTarget Investment Advisors | Bakersfield | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Lavea Thomas | Aspen Capital Management | Boise | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Lawrence York | ProActive Advisors | Lexington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Leonard Golub | New Capital Management | Houston | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Lidia Amodei | Attleboro Wealth Management | Yardley | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Linda Gillespie | Real World Financial Planning | Chestnut Hill | Not listed | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| Lindsay Fitzpatrick | Old Mission Investment | Traverse City | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Lisa Cowan | Welch Financial Planning | Boulder | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Lisa Donnelley | Harris Wealth Management | Twin Falls | PFS | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Lisa Kelly | Federmann Financial Advisors | Rocky Point | CFP, PFS | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Lisa Sharp | Spectrum Asset Management | Newport Beach | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Lloyd Flood | Nicholas Hoffman & Company | Atlanta | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Loren Sherman | Integrity Wealth Management | Waukee | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Lori Slaughter | Millennial Wealth Management | Amarillo | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Loyd Stegent | Stegent Equity Advisors | Houston | CFP, PFS | Percentage of assets |
| Luke Kroeplin | Fortress Financial Group | Horace | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Luke McQuade | Full of Grace Financial | Roanoke | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Luke Spinardi | Integrated Wealth Solutions | Tulsa | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Lynda Kommel-Browne | Round Rock Advisors | Wilton | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Mallory Sise | Integral Wealth Management | Turlock | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Marco Figueroa | Amicus Financial Advisors | Lehi | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Marcos Murillo We build custom, comprehensive plans, so you can live retirement boldly on your terms. | Vantage Point Financial | Lisle | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Marcus Mattern | Mattern Wealth Management | Lawrence | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mark Byelich | Attleboro Wealth Management | Yardley | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Mark Kidd | Kidd Financial Planning | Livonia | PFS | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mark Perrault | Intergy Private Wealth | Colorado Springs | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mark Recker | Recker Financial | Bay City | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mark Starosciak | Infinium Investment Advisors | Denver | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mark Stein | Galvin, Gaustad & Stein | Boise | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Martin Miller | MA Private Wealth | San Carlos | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Martin Moyers | Roffman Miller Wealth Management | Philadelphia | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Mary Bolton | Live Oak Private Wealth | Rocky Mount | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mary Livingston | Navigate Wealth Management | Birmingham | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Matthew Amsberry | HighPoint CPAs | Laramie | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Matthew Buehler | Erenda Capital Management | Glendale | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Matthew Gulbransen | Pine Grove Financial Group | Woodbury | Not listed | 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.