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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Donna Zanetti | Pennsylvania Capital Management | Huntingdon Valley | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Dorsey Tyndall | Vandalia Wealth | Greenville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Douglas Jackson | Jackson Wealth | Franklin | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Douglas Johnson | HCM Wealth Advisors | Cincinnati | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Douglas Moe | Teamwork Financial Group | San Antonio | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Douglas Schmitz | Financial Strategies Group | Fargo | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Douglas Whitten | LeConte Wealth | Maryville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Drew Vesling | Kotys Wealth Professionals | Valparaiso | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Dustin Hunter | SunRift Capital Partners | Plainfield | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Dustin Rinaldi | Rinaldi Wealth Management | Bonita Springs | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Dustin Terry | Clear Harbor Wealth Management | Destin | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Dwayne Tyril | Kreitler Financial | New Haven | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Dyllin Moulton | Fairscale Capital | Nashua | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Edgar Heissler | Heissler Financial | Gresham | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets |
| Edmund Lesage | Integrity Financial Planning | Houston | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Edward Hartley | Milestone Investments Columbus | Columbus | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Edward Kolanko | Baynes Investment Counsel | Mason | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Edwin Ryu | Legacy Wealth Advisors | San Jose | PFS | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Elena Sargent | Factor Wealth Management | Chicago | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Elizabeth Brady | Avion Wealth | The Woodlands | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Elizabeth Jones | Third Eye Associates | Red Hook | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Elizabeth Sharp | Brown | Miller Wealth Management | Mclean | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Emilie Andres | Statherós Financial Solutions | El Dorado Hills | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Emily DeBlase | Organic Wealth | Columbus | ChFC | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| Emily Goodman | Foronjy Financial | San Luis Obispo | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Emily Zinn | Multnomah Group | Portland | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Emma Schneider | TradeWinds | Raleigh | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Emmanuel Afolayan | Lindsey & Lindsey Wealth Management | San Jose | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Eric Baker | Means Wealth Management | Bangor | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Eric Diandrea | WealthUnite Advisors | Manhasset | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Eric McKean | Blue Elm Advisors | Holmes | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Eric Montemaggi | Aurora Pointe Capital | Mclean | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Eric Sorenson | Capstone Capital | Henderson | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Eric Stats | Brighton Wealth Management | Cottonwood Heights | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Eric Wiegand | River Wealth Advisors | Allentown | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Erik Bagley | Kotys Wealth Professionals | Folsom | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Erik Black | Calrivan Wealth Management | Randolph | Not listed | Hourly |
| Erik Giard-Chase | Blue Slate Investment Management | Shelburne | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Erik Margetts | Prostatis Group | Winter Park | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Erik Thompson | Peerless Wealth | Columbus | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Erin Barry | Means Wealth Management | Bangor | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Erin Eliason | RiversEdge Advisors | Wilmington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Erin McMenemon | BCM Advisors | Lafayette | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Ernest Garrett | Towneley Capital Management | Laguna Hills | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Ethan Braid | High Pass Asset Management | Denver | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ethan Caldarelli | Atlantic Edge Wealth | Jacksonville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Eugene Binunsky | Burton Enright Welch | Walnut Creek | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Evan Mills | Scholar Financial Advising | Winston-Salem | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer |
| Evan Moog | Wills Financial Group | Richmond | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Evgeniy Yashin | Signet Financial Management of Southwest Florida | Sterling | CFA | 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.