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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keith Hutson | Eubank, Hutson & Associates | Plano | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Keith Maderer | Senior Financial and Tax | Orchard Park | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Keith Whitt | Maritime Wealth Advisors | Hanover | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kelley Taylor | Fairman Financial | Chesterbrook | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kelly Ryan | OLIO Financial Planning | Blacksburg | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Kenneth McGlone | KOM Wealth Management | Appleton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kenneth Moore | CORE Wealth Advisors | Lakeland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kenneth Wittenberg | Wittenberg Investments | Troy | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kennon Grose | AssetBuilder | Allen | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Kent Christensen | Haynie Wealth Management | Salt Lake City | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Kerstin Driscoll-Witt | S.E.E.D. Planning Group | Binghamton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kevin Cavanaugh | Clifford Swan | Pasadena | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kevin Guarino | Clover Leaf Financial | Fairport | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kevin Kaleta | Sunpointe Investments | St. Louis | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kevin Mayo | Cogent Private Wealth | Orlando | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kevin Morrow | Sonoma Allocations | Santa Rosa | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kevin Murdock | Balentine Wealth Advisors | Atlanta | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kevin Theissen | HWC Financial | Manchester Center | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kevin Weingarden | Wittenberg Investments | Troy | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kiel Lewis | Eminence WM | Orlando | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Konner DeLeon | DeLeon Wealth | Kennewick | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kristen Rajotte | Blue Water Wealth | Portland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kristin Vano | Anson Analytics | Atlanta | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kristina Green | Trinity Financial Advisors | Columbus | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kristine Stawinski | Blue Water Wealth | Portland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kurt Laubinger | Potomac Wealth Management | Great Falls | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kurt Lofters | Balentine Wealth Advisors | Atlanta | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kurt Mihelich | LRC Aviation Advisors | Milwaukee | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Kyle French | Fairman Financial | Chesterbrook | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kyle Fulton | Seneca Private Wealth | Los Angeles | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kyle Keir | Eagle Bay Family Office | New York | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kyle Spiewak | Pacific Point | San Diego | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kymberly Watson | Fruth Investment Management | Houston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Landon Grams | Gentry Private Wealth | Wichita | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Larry Bright | Bright Asset Management | Venice | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Laura Markoff | Meritis Wealth Management | Potomac | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Laura Schmidt | Higgins & Schmidt Wealth Strategies | Denver | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Laura Steagall-Cissell | Veridan Wealth | West Linn | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Lauren Douglas Carpenter | Revolution Partners | Lamar | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Lauren Urbanski | N10° Wealth | Greenwich | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Lawrence Muscant | Omnia Family Wealth | Aventura | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Lee Boudouris | Sunpointe Investments | St. Louis | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Leonardo Guillen | Guerra Wealth Advisors | Miami | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Leslie Ann Gutierrez | Clifford Swan | Pasadena | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Leslie Campora | BCM Advisors | Lafayette | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Lester Brackley | Arkos | Houston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Lily Hsieh | HC Advisors | Sandy Springs | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Lincoln Wells | Tamalpais Asset Management | Larkspur | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Lincoln West | Altura Private Wealth | Centerville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Linda Gardner | Blue Heron Capital | Englewood | 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.