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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amy Mastromonaco | Flying Point Financial | North Andover | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Amy McGinnis | Capital CS Group | Irvine | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ana Abreu | Gryphon Wealth | Jacksonville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Anders Storvik | Wela Financial Advisory | San Antonio | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Andre Laplante | Tall Trees Wealth | Portsmouth | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Andre Luiz Paiva | Insight Wealth Strategies | San Ramon | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Andrew Damico | Roffman Miller Wealth Management | Philadelphia | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Andrew Donoghue | AMD Wealth Management | Northfield | Not listed | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Andrew Farinelli | Wavvest | Chicago | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Andrew Huber | Magnolia Wealth | Spring | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Andrew Krout | Pallas Capital Advisors | Braintree | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Andrew Northcutt | PracticeCFO | Pflugerville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Andrew Perri | Pinnacle Wealth Management | Brighton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Andrew Sawyer | Thames Financial Management | Norwich | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Andrew Straton | Westhollow Wealth Management | Milton | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Andrew Wong | FinCop Financial Planning | Dublin | Not listed | Hourly, Flat fee or retainer |
| Angelo D'Amato Goodenough | Sanderson Wealth Management | Buffalo | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Anita Bustos | OAC Capital Advisors | Cumming | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Anna Byrne | Kendall Wealth | Randolph | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Anna Hibbitt | B.I.G. Investment Services | Dover | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Anna Thornburg | Model Wealth | Wheaton | Not listed | Hourly, Flat fee or retainer |
| Anne Lee | Church Organizers Foundation | Mason | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Anne Robinson | QuadCap Wealth Management | Frisco | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Anthony Caputo | Pallas Capital Advisors | Park Ridge | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Anthony Moeller | MN Wealth Advisors | Overland Park | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Anthony Ortale | Insight Wealth Strategies | San Ramon | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Anuj Patel | Truvestor | Suwanee | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ariel Acuna | LTG Capital | Framingham | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Ariel Hartounian | ACap Advisors & Accountants | Studio City | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Arthur Hall | StrategicGlobal | South Riding | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Asaph Elan | Equilibrium Wealth | San Carlos | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ashley Gardiner | Praetorian Guard Wealth Management | Carmel | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Aspen Townley | Elevate Wealth Advisory | Athens | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| August Pye | Integrated Wealthcare | Durham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Austin Mangold | Seaside Wealth Management | Carlsbad | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Austin Nelson | Atticus Wealth Management | Palm Beach Gardens | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Balfoure Brenes | AIRE Advisors | Beverly Hills | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Barry Barlow | Barlow Wealth Partners | Louisville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Benjamin Bjork | Navista Wealth Management | Naples | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Benjamin Clark | HeadInvest | Portland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Benjamin Englund | Ceva Advisors | Woodinville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Benjamin Hall | Elevate Wealth Advisory | Athens | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Benjamin House | Stonehearth Capital Management | Danvers | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Benjamin Hunter | Harvest Financial Advisors | West Chester | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Benjamin Wood | BDC Capital Management | Glen Allen | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Besart Beluli | Round Rock Advisors | Wilton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Bhagwati Sangani | Gryphon Wealth | Jacksonville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Blake Anderson | Pittenger & Anderson | Lincoln | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Blake Welch | Arete Financial and Legal Solutions | Goodyear | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bogdan Niciu | 4-C Wealth | Creve Coeur | 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.