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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lindsey Garn | Knightsbridge Wealth Management | Newport Beach | CFA | Percentage of assets, Performance-based fees |
| Lisa Dieter | Ember House Wealth Management | Chicago | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Lisa Green | Sunpointe Investments | Bryn Mawr | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Lisa Shive | RBG Wealth Advisors | Memphis | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Logan Metcalf | Braeburn Wealth Management | Muskegon | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Lorin Wagler | Great Falls Wealth Management | Pinehurst | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Louis Iovannone | Malvern Capital Management | Malvern | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Louis Marchant | Choate Wealth | Boston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Louise Gibbs | Westview Investment Advisors | Burlington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Lucas Nulsen | S.E.E.D. Planning Group | Knoxville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Lucas Roberson | Balentine Wealth Advisors | Raleigh | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Luis Delrio | Guerra Wealth Advisors | Miami | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Luke Dandar | Keen Wealth Advisors | Overland Park | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Luke Podbury | Canter Wealth | La Jolla | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Luke Smith | DT Investment Partners | Chadds Ford | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Luke Stein | Plan Group | Oklahoma City | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Lyle Meek | Cerro Pacific Wealth Advisors | San Luis Obispo | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Macy Strickland | KOM Wealth Management | Appleton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Maggie Hartness | Legacy Wealth Management | Ridgeland | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Malcolm Walton | Gannett Wealth Advisors | Frisco | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Marc Rosenbach | Atlas Legacy Advisors | Los Angeles | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Marco Vidal | Sundial Wealth | Delray Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Maria Garyfallos | Tepp Wealth Management | Westfield | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mark Bucholtz | Cornerstone Advisors | Topeka | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Mark Castonguay | American Financial Planning | Yorktown | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, One-time planning fee |
| Mark Feldser | Wick Capital Partners | Wayne | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Mark Perry | Choate Wealth | Boston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mark Seski | Harvest Portfolio Management | Isle Of Palms | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Mark Tekamp | Heritage Wealth Management Group | Norfolk | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Marmar Binley | KM Capital Management | Roanoke | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Martin Link | Blue Water Wealth | Seattle | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Mary Gilligan | MG Financial | Braintree | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mary Price | CJM Wealth Advisers | Falls Church | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Mateo Alzate | Guerra Wealth Advisors | Miami | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mathew Park | Craner Capital | Bountiful | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mathew Wynn | Jamison Hanson | Salem | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Babson | Good Harbor Advisors | Gloucester | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Barr | Wick Capital Partners | Wayne | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Matthew Beardwood | Westover Capital Advisors | Wilmington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Dirkse | Plus Group Wealth Advisors | Belgium | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Jeter | Gilliland Jeter Wealth Management | Little Rock | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Matthew McCarter | Onyx Bridge Wealth Group | Tarrytown | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew McCarter | Onyx Bridge Wealth Group | Exton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Murawski | Murawski Wealth Management | Los Angeles | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Matthew Pence | Fluent Financial | Dallas | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Pickett | Colmina | Seattle | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Raines | Balentine Wealth Advisors | Atlanta | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Matthew Ramer | MOR Wealth Management | Philadelphia | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Samek | BSW Wealth Partners | Boulder | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Shaia | Brockenbrough | Richmond | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
Guides
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.