Estate & legacy planning
Estate and legacy planning covers the coordination of wills, trusts, beneficiary designations, lifetime gifting, generation-skipping and dynasty planning, and the implementation work that sits between the attorney's documents and the household balance sheet. Advisors listed here coordinate closely with trusts-and-estates counsel and carry the plan forward through life events.
By the numbers
The Wellspent public graph lists 6,173 fee-only financial advisors focused on estate & legacy planning at 2,325 firms, most in Houston, San Diego and Austin. 44% hold the CFP certification. Of the 6162 with fees on file, 91% charge percentage of assets.
- Advisors listed
- 6,173
- Firms
- 2,325
- Cities
- 1,184
- Hold the CFP
- 44%
- Other credentials: CFA 9% · CPA 2% · EA 1%
- How they charge (of 6162 with fees on file): percentage of assets 91% · fixed fees 54% · hourly 44% · ongoing planning fee 12%
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 estate & legacy planning
| Advisor | Firm | City | Credentials | Fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matt Garasic | Unrivaled Wealth Management | Salem | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Matt Johnson | Defining Legacy Financial Advisors LLC | Greensboro | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Matt Laciskey | Hyland Lake Partners, LLC | Edina | CFP, EA, ChFC, ChSNC | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Matt Will | Wealth Accel LLC | Dayton | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Matthew Ramos | Mpower Wealth Management, LLC | Drexel Hill | CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Melissa Estrada | Fidela Wealth | Calabasas | CFP, CIMA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Garber | Michael Garber Financial Planning | Cupertino | CFP, CRTP, MSEE | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Michael Haubrich | Financial Service Group, Inc. | Mount Pleasant | CFP, CSA | Ongoing planning fee |
| Michael Izbotsky | From Planning to Living LLC | Reseda | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Mike Bayer | Strategic Analysis Capital Management Inc. | Mississauga | CFP, CIM, FCSI | Hourly, Percentage of assets |
| Mike Hartman | Hyperion Financial, LLC | Shillington | CFP, RICP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Mike Henzes | Open Wealth Network | Pottstown | CFP, EA, MBA | Flat fee or retainer |
| Morgan Ranstrom | Trailhead Planners, LLC | Portland | CEPA, CFA, CFP, RLP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Morris MacLeod | Strategos Group | Halifax | MBA | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Nathan Goodman | Family Investment Center | Lenexa | CFP, CFA, CTFA, EA | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Nicholas Faulkner | Testament Wealth Management | Cary | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Nicholas Hui | VAVE Financial Planning | Markham | CFP, TEP, MBA, P.Eng | Flat fee or retainer, One-time planning fee |
| Nick Murphy | Counterweight Private Wealth | Raleigh | CFP, MBA, RICP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Patrick King | Prana Wealth | Atlanta | CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Paul Coleman Iii | Free Time Financial LLC | Orchard Park | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Philip Rutterer | Rutterer Planning, LLC | Nashville | CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Quentara Costa | Powwow, LLC | North Andover | CFP, MSFP | Hourly, Ongoing planning fee |
| Rianka Dorsainvil | YGC Wealth | Lanham | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Richard Salmen | Family Investment Center | St. Joseph | CFP, CFA, EA | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Riley Hale | Riley | American Fork | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Rob Schulz | Schulz Wealth | Irving | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Robert Bartley | Bartley Financial Advisors | Bedford | CFP, CPA | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Robert Eifert | Cahaba Wealth Management, Inc. | Birmingham | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Robert Holman | Holman Wealth Management, LLC | Dallas | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Robert Machado | Compass Rose Financial Planning & Investment Management | Palm Springs | BS, CFP, MBA, MSFP | Percentage of assets |
| Robin Kizito | Addax Bridge Financial | North Bethesda | CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Ross Miller | ClearPoint Wealth Management | Colleyville | CFP, CPA | Percentage of assets |
| Ryan Townsley | Town Capital | Bel Air | CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Ryan Veldhuizen | Catalyze Wealth Management | Carmel | CFP, MSFP | Percentage of assets |
| Sarah Kang | UAK Diversified Wealth Advisors | Minnetonka | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Scott Brooks | Brooks Wealth Management | Westlake Village | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Scott Leavitt | Financial Life Advisors | San Antonio | CFP, CPA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Scott Wellens | Fortress Planning Group | Pewaukee | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Sean Gerlin | Envision Financial Services & Asset Management | Maitland | CFP, ChFC, CPWA, CLU | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Shane Mason | Brooklyn FI | Brooklyn | CFP, CPA/PFS, CPWA, EA | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Shannon Pope | SFMG Wealth Advisors | Plano | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Shawn Perkins | Genuine Wealth Solutions LLC | Richmond | AWMA, CFP | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| Shirley Stacy Sanchez | Pioneer Wealth Management Group | Austin | CFP, MS, AAMS, CRPS | Flat fee or retainer, Hourly |
| Steve Cruice | Simply Steward, LLC | Highlands Ranch | CFP, CPA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Steve Heinemann | Recalibrating Wealth | Fountain Valley | CFP, CPA | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Steven Fox Next Gen founder now building AdviceOnly to help advisors give advice instead of sales pitches; takes occasional small hourly projects. | AdviceOnly | San Diego | CFP, EA, BFA, MS | Subscription, One-time planning fee |
| Steven Gilbert | Gilbert Wealth | Fort Wayne | CFP, RICP, APMA | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Tara Unverzagt | South Bay Financial Partners | Torrance | CFP, MBA | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| Thomas Venner | Not listed | Hamilton | CFP, CEA | Hourly, Percentage of assets |
| Tim Baker | YFP Wealth | New Albany | CFP, RICP, RLP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
Guides
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Estate attorney vs financial planner: who does what in an estate plan
An estate attorney drafts and signs the legal documents: wills, trusts, powers of attorney. A financial planner works out what those documents should do and keeps beneficiaries, accounts and taxes lined up. Most people need the attorney for the documents and a planner for the rest.
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Estate planning in Canada: what you need and what it costs
A Canadian estate plan is a will, two powers of attorney, up-to-date beneficiary designations and a plan for the tax due at death. The documents come from a lawyer or notary; a one-time plan from a fee-only planner costs a median C$1,900.
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Setting up an estate plan: the documents and the order
A basic estate plan is a will, a durable financial power of attorney, a healthcare directive and up-to-date beneficiary forms, plus a revocable trust for many families. Federal estate tax starts at $15 million in 2026, but some states tax estates from $1 million. A one-time plan from a fee-only planner costs a median $2,000.
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After a death in the family: the first 90 days
In the first 90 days, get death certificates, secure the home and accounts, find the will and let the deadlines set the order. Most money decisions can wait. A few can't, including Social Security paid for the month of death and, for estates that need one, an estate tax return due 9 months after the death.
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How to review your beneficiary designations
Beneficiary forms decide who receives your retirement accounts, life insurance and transfer-on-death accounts, whatever your will says. Check every form after a marriage, divorce, birth or death. A divorce doesn't reliably remove an ex from a workplace plan, and a 401(k) generally goes to your spouse unless they sign a witnessed waiver.
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Financial planning for a blended family
In a second marriage, the default rules often leave everything to the new spouse and nothing to children from before. Beneficiary forms, trusts and a written agreement fix that. A one-time plan from a fee-only planner costs a median $2,000.