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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forbes Watson | Legacy Wealth Management | Ridgeland | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Frank Ortiz | Rosemeyer Management Group | Platteville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Frank Sterneck | Sterneck Capital Management | Park City | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Fred Botek | St. Clair Advisors | Mayfield Heights | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Frederick van Wyk | FCA | Calgary | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Gabriela Morales Blanco | Guerra Wealth Advisors | Miami | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Gabriella Puaa | Cadinha & Co | Honolulu | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Gareth Mancini | Z3 Capital Partners | Richmond | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Garrett Burgess | Cote Financial Management | Wenham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Garrett Van Nostrand | Van Nostrand Wealth Management | San Diego | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer |
| Gary Martinelli | Tableaux Wealth | Great Barrington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Gene Rice | Wealth Preservation Advisors | Chattanooga | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Geoffrey Hauck | Knightsbridge Wealth Management | Newport Beach | CFA | Percentage of assets, Performance-based fees |
| George Greer | Sheeley & Partners Wealth Management | Providence | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| George Holland | BCM Advisors | Lafayette | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| George Seybolt | Eagle Bay Family Office | Boca Grande | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Gerard Downey | Linden Wealth Management | Oak Park | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Gerardo Palacios | Guerra Wealth Advisors | Miami | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Gerrin Degroot | MSP Wealth Management | Klamath Falls | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Gianfranco Rastelli | B1 Financial | Aventura | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Giovanni Jimenez | Guerra Wealth Advisors | Miami | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Giulia King | Align WMGMT | Tucson | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Gladys Chow | Eagle Bay Family Office | New York | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Glenn Rossman | TrueWealth Financial Partners San Diego | Phoenix | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Grace Choi | Wills Financial Group | Richmond | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Graham Johnstone | Choate Wealth | Boston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Grant Finter | Axiom Wealth Strategies | Bend | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Grant Van Nostrand | Van Nostrand Wealth Management | Boise | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer |
| Grayson Shaw | Christian Values Investing | Statesboro | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Gregory Watson | Cedarwood Wealth | Highlands Ranch | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Gretchen Straczewski | Tred Avon Family Wealth | Easton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Haley Herr | Rosemeyer Management Group | Sterling | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Haley Tonge | CORE Wealth Advisors | Lakeland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Hannah Burchell | S.E.E.D. Planning Group | Binghamton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Hannah Vickery | AssetBuilder | Allen | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Harlan Cadinha | Cadinha & Co | Honolulu | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Harlan Cadinha | Cadinha & Co | Honolulu | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Harold Classick | Denver Private Wealth Management | Denver | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Harold Davidson | Harold Davidson & Associates | Los Angeles | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Harold Sawyer, Jr. | Westover Capital Advisors | Wilmington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Harris Kirschner | 3rd Creek | Incline Village | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Harrison Newmark | Plan Group | Oklahoma City | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Harvis Astorga | Guerra Wealth Advisors | Miami | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Hayden Hawkey | Beck Bode | Parker | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Hayden Wilson | Revolution Partners | Columbia | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Heath Clevenger | CORE Wealth Advisors | Lakeland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Heather Dean | Custos Family Office | Austin | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Heather McGolerick | Meritis Wealth Management | Potomac | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Henry Vance | Ark Advisors | Bloomington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Heriberto Chinea | EightOne Capital | Pearland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
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.