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 Kirr | Kirr, Marbach & Company | Columbus | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Matthew Little | Mascoma Wealth Management | Burlington | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Matthew McGee | Integritas Wealth Strategies | Charleston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew McNally | Glassman Wealth | North Bethesda | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Matthew Oberdorfer | Oberdorfer Financial | Gahanan | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Matthew Sassani | Lindsey & Lindsey Wealth Management | Irvine | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Swendiman | Crew Capital | Cincinnati | ChFC, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Matthew Vallebo | Presidio Capital Management | San Diego | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Maxwell Pray | Clifford Swan | Pasadena | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Megan Beaufays | Avion Wealth | The Woodlands | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Megan Cline | Financial Synergies Wealth Advisors | Houston | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Megan Dant | Saling Wealth Advisors | Louisville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Megan Sperry | Wealth Analytics | San Diego | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Melinda Agosta | Farnam Financial | Molalla | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Melinda Warren | Hughes Warren | Edmond | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Melissa Johnson | Prentice Financial Planning | Olympia | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Melissa Lowther | Alturas Wealth Management | Eagle | PFS | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Micah Reish | Crestone Financial Advisors | Broadway | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Michael Ball | Ball Wealth Management | Atlanta | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael Baltzell | Columbia River Financial Group | Vancouver | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Michael Bridgman | Cambridge Advisors | Omaha | ChFC | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Michael Canet | Prostatis Group | Hanover | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Cavendish | Vandalia Wealth | Beckley | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Claveau | Wingate Wealth Advisors | Lexington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael Cox | Seaside Wealth Advisors | Mechanicsburg | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Crew | Flax Pond Capital | Merion Station | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael De Guzman | Teamwork Financial Group | San Antonio | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Michael Ellis | Steelhead Wealth Management | Naples | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael Gore | Polaris Investment Advisors, LLC. | Framingham | PFS | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Graham | Mayport | Newton | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Michael Grennan | Charter Research & Investment Group | Southport | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael Grossman | AdviceOne | Glastonbury | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael Hemingway | Mascoma Wealth Management | Hanover | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Michael Hengehold | HCM Wealth Advisors | Cincinnati | PFS | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael Kasianko | Presidio Capital Management | San Diego | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Klaiber | Verity Investment Partners | Beaufort | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael Kuehn | Verity Investment Partners | Beaufort | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael Marietti | Riverbend Planning Group | Chicago | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Marsh | Marsh Wealth Management | Knoxville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Michael McGill | Summit Investments & Financial Planning | Uniontown | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Michael Mezheritskiy | Milestone Asset Management Group | Avon | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer |
| Michael Miles | Variplan | Vienna | CFP | Hourly, Fixed fees |
| Michael Nix | Verity Investment Partners | Beaufort | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael Olafsson | IWR Advisors | Denver | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Michael Scott | CORE Wealth Advisors | Lakeland | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Seelman | ProffittGoodson Private Wealth | Knoxville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Serchen | Anchor Capital Advisors | Boston | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Simcock | Liberty Atlantic Advisors | Florence, Italy | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Stern | Arlington Investment Advisors | Arlington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Michael Stevenson | Keystone Financial Services | Loveland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
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.