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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cecil Staton | Arch Financial Planning, LLC | Athens | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Celia Brugge | Dogwood Financial Planning | Memphis | CFP, MBA | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| Chad Chase | CGN Advisors, LLC | Brooklyn | CFP, MBA, CFA, BA | Ongoing planning fee |
| Chad Gammon Advice-only planning and tax strategy for DIY pre-retirees, engineers and educators with a net worth of $2 million or less. | Custom Fit Financial LLC | Cedar Rapids | CFP, EA, MBA, RICP | Subscription, One-time planning fee |
| Chad Lawyer | Life Strategy Partners | Tucson | CFP, RICP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Chelsea Ransom-Cooper Zenith Wealth Partners provides a flexible retirement planning and investment management approach that inspires our clients to take financial action. | Zenith Wealth Partners | Philadelphia | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Chris Ferris | Ryan Lamontagne Inc. | Ottawa | CFP, CFA | One-time planning fee, Percentage of assets |
| Chris Merrick | Merrick Financial Inc. | Toronto | CFP, QAFP | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| Chris Ryan | Ryan Lamontagne Inc. | Ottawa | CFP, CFA | One-time planning fee, Percentage of assets |
| Chris Ward | EntryPoint Wealth Management | Cincinnati | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Christopher Annello | SAGEbroadview Wealth Management, LLC | Farmington | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Christopher Christiansen | Quantum Financial Planning Services, Inc. | Spokane | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Percentage of assets |
| Christopher Congema | Landmark Wealth Management, LLC | New York | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Clandine Schrock | Montis Financial | Waltham | CFP, CPWA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Cody Cassidy | TCI Wealth Advisors, Inc. | Scottsdale | CFP, CPA, MBA, AAMS | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Cole Brooks | CRB Strategic Services LLC | Phoenix | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Colin Page | Oakleigh Wealth Services | Crozet | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Crystal Kelly | Amani Financial Inc. | Edmonton | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Dallen Haws | Haws Financial Planning, LLC | Sierra Vista | CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Dan Michaud | NPF Investment Advisors | Grand Rapids | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Dan Wood | Zimmerman Wealth Management, LLC | Evanston | CFA, CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Dana Menard | Twin Cities Wealth Strategies, Inc. | Maple Grove | CFP, RLP | Flat fee or retainer, Percentage of assets |
| Daniel Masuda Lehrman | Masuda Lehrman Wealth | Honolulu | CFP, Certified Student Loan Professional | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| David Blain | BlueSky Wealth Advisors, LLC | Acworth | CFA, CDFA, CFP, EA | Ongoing planning fee |
| David Frisch | Frisch Financial Group, Inc. | New York | CFP, CPA/PFS, CFS, CDFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| David Marotta | Marotta Wealth Management, Inc. | Charlottesville | AAMS, AIF, CFP, APMA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David Martin | Eltero Financial Partners Inc. | Halifax | FCSI, CIM, CFP (ret'd) | Flat fee or retainer, One-time planning fee |
| Dean Schuler | Schuler Wealth Planning LLC | Columbus | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Deborah Hobart | Blue Water Capital Management, LLC | Apex | CFP, CPA | Ongoing planning fee |
| Della Stegall | Fruit of the Vine Financial | New Braunfels | CFP, CIMA, RICP | One-time planning fee, Ongoing planning fee |
| Demel Gonzalez | Heartwood Financial Services | Sanford | CFP | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Den Murley | Belonging Wealth Management | Longview | CFP, MBA, MSFP | Percentage of assets |
| Desiree Kaul Tax preparation and financial planning that reflects each client's values, from a planner with years of counseling and teaching experience. | Kaul Financial Solutions | Satellite Beach | CFP, ChFC, EA | Subscription, One-time planning fee |
| Devon Rauth | North Haven Financial LLC | Suffield | CFP, TPCP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| DJ Hunt | Moisand Fitzgerald Tamayo, LLC | Jacksonville | CFP, CPA, EA | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Don Martini | Envision Financial Planning | San Francisco | CFA, CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Douglas Marcello | Core Wealth Management, Inc. | Jupiter | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Hourly |
| Drew Cook | Level Wealth Management | Charlotte | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Edward B. Aufman | Aufman Associates Inc. | Longboat Key | BS, CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Edward Leach | Highland Financial Advisors, LLC | Wayne | CEPA, CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets |
| Edward Mahaffy | ClientFirst Wealth Management, LLC | Little Rock | CFP, ChFC, MBA | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Elizabeth Barrett | Sterling Wealth Advisors® | Plantation | CFP, CKA, MA | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Elizabeth Cox | Merit Financial Partners, LLC | Westport | CFP, CPA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Elizabeth Geiser | Timothy Financial Counsel, Inc. | Wheaton | CFA, CFP, CPA, BS | Hourly |
| Eric McClain | Approach Retirement Advisors, LLC | Birmingham | CFP, JD, MBA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Eric Smith Hourly, advice-only reviews for DIY investors who manage their own money and want a fiduciary second opinion before retirement. | Ridge Falls Financial Planning | Bellingham | CFP, MBA | Hourly |
| Ethan Miller | Planning for Progress | Silver Spring | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Evor Vattuone | Aspire Planning Associates, Inc. | Cupertino | CFP, CFS | Hourly, Flat fee or retainer |
| Gabriel Markiz | Portland Financial Advisors, Inc. | Port Washington | CFP, CPA/PFS, MSFP | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| Gary Birdsall | True Financial, LLC | Houma | CFP, JD | 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.