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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annie Klopstock | Burton Enright Welch | Walnut Creek | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Annika Mitchell | 1 North Wealth Services | Annapolis | Not listed | Hourly, Ongoing planning fee |
| Anthony Borba Jr | Breen Wealth Management | Petaluma | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Anthony Castaldi | Covenant Wealth Advisors | Richmond | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Anthony Farella | Rockbridge Investment Management | Syracuse | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Anthony Lopiccolo | Custos Family Office | Greenwood Village | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Anthony McLean | Tidemark Financial Partners | San Diego | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Percentage of assets |
| Anthony Saffer | Matt Calcagno | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Anthony Wall | Upper Left Wealth Management | Tampa | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Anthony Wright | Twin Rivers Wealth Management | Sacramento | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Arnold Van Den Berg | Century Management Financial Advisors | Austin | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Arthur McKee | McKee Investment Planning | Clermont | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Arthur Swalley | Arlington Financial Advisors | Santa Barbara | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ashley Crawford | Brookstone Wealth Management | Birmingham | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ashley Ketchum | CapTrust Wealth Advisors | Holland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Ashley Michelli | Prostatis Group | Baton Rouge | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ashley Owens | Avion Wealth | The Woodlands | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Ashlie Bostick | Acorn Creek Capital | Fort Collins | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Austin Gewecke | Clifford Swan | Pasadena | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Austin Miller | Teamwork Financial Group | San Antonio | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Axel Bellars | Bellars Harris Wealth Management | Virginia Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Barbara Villard | Financial Synergies Wealth Advisors | Houston | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Barry Pflueger | Pflueger Wealth | Churchville | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Beau Bushong | LeConte Wealth | Maryville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Becky Farrant | Pacific Global Investment Management Company | Ocoee | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ben Loeffler | Acorn Creek Capital | Fort Collins | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Benjamin Cohen | North Berkeley Wealth Management | Berkeley | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Benjamin Dum | River Wealth Advisors | Camp Hill | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Benjamin Hard | Sara-Bay Financial | Sarasota | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Benjamin Peters | Burton Enright Welch | Walnut Creek | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Benjamin Stewart | Stewart Wealth Management | San Rafael | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Beth Wilson | Poulos Advisors | South Burlington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bethany Dubuque | Mascoma Wealth Management | Burlington | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Beverly Patton | Syrios Wealth Management Group | La Jolla | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Blake Eiermann | The Financial Resource Center | Carmel | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Blake May | Brookstone Wealth Management | Birmingham | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bonnie Chadwick | Paratus Financial | Dallas | Not listed | Hourly, Fixed fees |
| Brad Duerks | Tidemark Financial Partners | San Diego | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Percentage of assets |
| Brad Harris | Bellars Harris Wealth Management | Virginia Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Brad Metz | Ark Advisors | Bloomington | ChFC | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Bradford Houchins | River Wealth Advisors | Allentown | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bradley Linch | Linch Financial | Southlake | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Brandon Montoya | Montoya Wealth Management | Prescott | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brandon Oliver | Oliver Wealth Management | St. Louis | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Brandon Redmond | McClarren Financial Advisors | State College | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Braxton Leicht | Beta Wealth Group | Park City | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Brendan Koors | Athyra Financial Partners | Cincinnati | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Brendon Johnson | CapTrust Wealth Advisors | Holland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Brent Casto | AdviceOne | Medina | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Brenton Bersin | Linkside Financial | Charlotte | 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.