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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Sardoni | Generous Wealth Management | Marshfield | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| John Slater | CUBIC Advisors | Wayne | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| John Tenley | Summit Advisor Group | Bloomington | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Jon Paul Espinoza | B1 Financial | Aventura | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jonathan Martin | Steel Grove | Memphis | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jonathan Shaw | Catawba River Capital | Lake Wylie | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jordan Bailey | Craner Capital | Bountiful | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jordan Ney | Blue Water Wealth | Denver | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jorge Perez Ruiz | Guerra Wealth Advisors | Miami | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joseph Billeaud | BCM Advisors | Lafayette | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Joseph Feste | KM Capital Management | Atlanta | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Joseph Feste | KM Capital Management | Austin | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Joseph Fierro | Tamalpais Asset Management | Long Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Joseph Fisher | Altura Private Wealth | Centerville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Joseph Freeman | Private Wealth Advisors | Boise | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joseph Gilliland | Gilliland Jeter Wealth Management | Little Rock | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Joseph Jay | Midwestern Financial Group | Iowa City | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joseph Jennings | Clear Investment Research | Alpharetta | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joseph Polidoro | Tableaux Wealth | Great Barrington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joseph Schultz | Rosemeyer Management Group | Platteville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Joseph Singer | HC Advisors | Sandy Springs | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Joseph Turkal | Sierra Hotel Financial | Triangle | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Joseph Ventura | Eden Advisory Services | Albany | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joshua Beckerman | Eagle Bay Family Office | New York | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joshua Bruckert | LRC Aviation Advisors | Milwaukee | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Joshua Kaufman | RiskBridge Advisors | Norwalk | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joshua Moore | Mainsail Financial Group | Bellevue | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Joshua Plosker | Beck Bode | Dedham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jude Fox | Adams Brown Wealth Consultants | Wichita | PFS | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Julia Wentworth | BSW Wealth Partners | Boulder | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Julianne Hoerman | Nexus One Financial Advisors | Plano | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Julie Shah | Eagle Bay Family Office | New York | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jun Chen | Fidare Wealth Solutions | New York | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Justin Martin | Altura Private Wealth | Centerville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Justin Mitchell | Adams Brown Wealth Consultants | Hutchinson | PFS | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Justin Young | Opal Advisors | Bellevue | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Performance-based fees |
| Kaleialoha Cadinha-Pua'A | Cadinha & Co | Honolulu | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kaley Bockhop | Rosemeyer Management Group | Platteville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kaley Klepps | KOM Wealth Management | Appleton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Karen O'Donoghue | Beck Bode | Portsmouth | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Karen Vavra | VCM Wealth | Collegeville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Karley Fidani | Fidelis Wealth Advisors | Castle Rock | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Karo Lokmanyan | N10° Wealth | Greenwich | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kate Chilson | MG Financial | Braintree | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Katherine Battey | Balentine Wealth Advisors | Atlanta | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Katherine Kiezulas | Sechrest & Bloom | Acton | Not listed | Fixed fees |
| Katherine St Onge | BSW Wealth Partners | Boulder | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kaushal Majmudar | Ridgewood Investments | Springfield | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kayla Taylor | AssetBuilder | Allen | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Keegan Erva | Unify Financial Advisors | Clearwater | 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.