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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wade Brittingham | Stock Plan Advisory Group LLC | Alexandria | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Warren McIntyre | VisionQuest Financial Planning LLC | Troy | CFP, MBA | Fixed fees |
| Will Steinberger | Think Different Financial Planning | Menlo Park | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| William Cuthbertson | Fiscalis Advisory, Inc. | Mission Viejo | CFP, EA, MBA | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| Zach Reyes | Circadia Financial Planning | Westlake | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Zachary Zwillinger | ZZ Planning LLC | New York | CFP, JD | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Aaron Brickley | Brickley Wealth Management | San Mateo | CFP, CPWA | Percentage of assets |
| Aaron Parrish | Level Wealth Management LLC | Charlotte | CFP, TPCP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Alex Perkins | Perkins Wealth Advantage, LLC. | Fishers | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Alissa Maizes | Amplify My Wealth | Boca Raton | CFP, JD | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| Allen Mueller | 7 Saturdays Financial | Richardson | CFA, CFP, MBA | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Allison Meers | Pebble Valley Wealth Management | Western Springs | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Ally Ecklund | Zestiny Wealth | Denver | CFP, CPA, CPWA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ally Jane Ayers | Brooklyn FI, LLC | Brooklyn | CFP, EA | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Anandi Krishnamurthy | AKrish Financial Advisory | Cupertino | CFP | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| Andrew Dressel Comprehensive, transparent planning for individuals and families nationwide, with fees that aren't tied to net worth. | Abundo Wealth | Minneapolis | CFP, CRPC | Subscription |
| Andrew Hunt | Hiley Hunt Wealth Management, Inc. | Omaha | CFP, MBA, CAP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Andrew Katz-Moses | Katz-Moses Financial, LLC | Washington | CFP, M.Ed. | Ongoing planning fee, Percentage of assets |
| Andy Panko | Tenon Financial | Metuchen | CFP, RICP, TPCP, EA | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Angela Wetzig | Sage Wealth Consulting, LLC | Sarasota | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Ann Minnium | Concierge Financial Planning, LLC | Margate City | CFP | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| Anthony Watson | Thrive Retirement Specialists | Dearborn | CFP, CFA, RICP, MBA | Flat fee or retainer |
| Arielle Bittoni | Good Balance Financial Planning | Los Angeles | BA, CFA, CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Arun Soni | Avenue 90 Financial | Chicago | CFA, CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ayana Forward | Retirement in View | Ottawa | CFP | One-time planning fee, Ongoing planning fee |
| Barbara Clemons Personal financial planning and money education workshops that address both the technical and emotional sides of financial decisions. | Clemons Financial Education Company | Fairport | CFP, CLU, ChFC, CASL | One-time planning fee, Hourly |
| Ben Jacobs-Nichelson | Fully Financial | Athens | CFP, EA, MSFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ben Raikes | Mason & Associates, LLC | Newport News | CFP, CPA, CPA/PFS, Master of Science Accounting | Ongoing planning fee |
| Ben Smith | Cove Financial Planning, LLC | Milwaukee | CFP, Chartered SRI Counselor | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Ben Wacek | Guide Financial Planning, LLC | Shoreview | CFP, CKA | One-time planning fee, Ongoing planning fee |
| Benjamin Geiger | Simplified Planning | Johnston | CFP | Ongoing planning fee, Percentage of assets |
| Betsy Hutchins | Forward Financial Planning | Germantown | CFP, CRPC | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Bill Mulvahill | Trailhead Planners | Edina | CFP, CPA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bradley Clark | Clark Asset Management, LLC | Radnor | CFP, MBA, RICP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Brandon Davies | Objective Financial Partners Inc. | Markham | CFP (Canada), CFP (U.S.), CIM, CLU | Flat fee or retainer, Hourly |
| Brandon Renfro | Belonging Wealth Management | Longview | CFP, EA, RICP | Percentage of assets |
| Brent Hoskins | Focal Point Financial Group | Prairie Village | CFP, RICP, CKA | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| Brett Croft | Croft Financial Planning | Newbury | CFA, CFP, CTFA | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| Brett Koeppel | Eudaimonia Wealth LLC | Buffalo | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Brett Polzin | Eight Peaks Wealth Management | Parker | CFP, EA | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Brian Face | Face 2 Face Financial Planning | Portage | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brian Rood | Artisan Financial Planning LLC | Overland Park | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Brittany Ringo | Autumn Financial Advisors, LLC | Plymouth | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brittany Wolff | Wolff Financial | Greenville | CFP, AAMS | Ongoing planning fee, Percentage of assets |
| Caleb Pepperday | Advanced Practice Planning, LLC | Missoula | CFP, ChFC | Ongoing planning fee |
| Cameron Brady | Michael Brady & Co., LLC | Westlake | CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets |
| Carol Somoano | Asset Planning | Los Alamitos | CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Caroline Nalbantoglu | CNal Financial Planning Inc. | Montreal | C.Adm.F.P., CFP, RFP | Not listed |
| Carrie Houchins-Witt | Carrie Houchins-Witt Tax & Financial Services LLC | Coralville | CFP, EA, RICP | Hourly, Flat fee or retainer |
| Case Belger | rebel Financial | Groveport | AIF, CFP, ChFC, CLU | 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.