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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matthew Kidd | Kidd Financial Planning | Livonia | PFS | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Klein | Lee-Kelleher-Klein Wealth Management | Ellicott City | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Matthew Lambdin | Method Finance | St. Louis | CFA | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Matthew Larocca | RDM Capital | Red Bank | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Matthew Miller | Elevate Investment Management | Scottsdale | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Matthew Powers A modern estate planning firm combining technology with expert attorney support | Steward | San Francisco | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer |
| Max Diefenthaler | Simonet Financial Group | Kyle | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| Maximilian Neumayer | Formation Wealth Management | Ponte Vedra Beach | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Melanie Husk | MEL Consulting | Chicago | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Bernard | Bernard & Johnson | Pasadena | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Brady Approachable planning, without compromise. Many have accounts, if you have a plan. | Clarity Advisors | Buffalo | Not listed | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Michael Carlson | Carlson Wealth | Omaha | CFP, ChFC, PFS | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Chisum | Ankerstar Wealth | Leander | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Michael Christian | EverPar Advisors | Tulsa | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael Durante | Infiniti Wealth Management | Brewster | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Griesmeyer | Wealth Management Group | Tipp City | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Hampton | Peterson Wealth Advisors | Orem | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Michael Kelley | Cornerstone Wealth Management | Westlake | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Kelly | Canopy Financial Solutions | Sanford | ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Ottman | Spectrum Asset Management | Newport Beach | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Ruffing | Integrated Wealthcare | Durham | ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Shields | Waterfront | Advisors | Overland Park | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Smith | Kiker Wealth Management | Jasper | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Soroudi | DAiM | Palm Beach Gardens | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Stoner | True North Financial Advisors | Hilliard | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael Tilatti | Tilatti Wealth Management | Chicago | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael Tom | AtwoB. | Katonah | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Tyler | Eagle Valley Wealth Management | Vilonia | CFA | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Michael Vazza | Pallas Capital Advisors | Braintree | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Weber | Blue Bell Private Wealth Management | Blue Bell | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Younkman | Ankerstar Wealth | Leander | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Michaelyn Andress | The Investment Counsel Company of Nevada | Las Vegas | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Mitchell Kahl | Blue Chip Partners | Farmington Hills | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Mitchell Moore | Strong Wealth | Colorado Springs | Not listed | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Nam Phan | Phan Capital Management | San Antonio | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee, Percentage of assets |
| Nancy Fellinger | Sensible Money | Pawleys Island | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Nancy Howard | Spectrum Asset Management | Newport Beach | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Nancy Von Stackelberg | Radius Wealth Management | Boston | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Natalia Ivanova | NewGen Wealth Creation | Rincon | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Natalie Slagle | Equal Voices Wealth | Minneapolis | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Nate Byers Everything we do—from planning to investing—is focused on helping pre‑retirees and retirees confidently navigate the retirement transition and create a dependable retirement income plan. | Calculated Wealth | Madison | CPA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Nathan Lovelle | Council Oak Wealth Advisors | Tulsa | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Nicholas Bodily | Amicus Financial Advisors | Lehi | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Nicholas Butler | Butler Financial Services | Westlake Village | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, One-time planning fee |
| Nicholas Cavanaugh | Roble Belko & Company | Sewickley | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Nicholas Kaplan | Cornerstone Wealth Management | Westlake | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Nicholas Vantrease | Provident Wealth | Knoxville | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Nicholette Hamel | Dougherty Investment Advisors | Pinson | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Nicklaus Mattingly | Heritage Investment Group | Tampa | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Nihal Muzumdar | Rubric Advisors | San Francisco | Not listed | 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.