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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matthew Stohlman | Poinciana Advisors Group | Palm Beach Gardens | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Matthew Sullivan | RBG Wealth Advisors | Memphis | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Matthew Sumnicht | Bowline Financial | Grosse Pointe Woods | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Matthew Wallace | C.H. Dean | Beavercreek | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Matthew Woodlief | Private Wealth Management of NC | Henderson | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Zeigler | Sunpointe Investments | St. Louis | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Max Paez | Guerra Wealth Advisors | Miami | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Maximillian Morgan | Lookahead Wealth | West Linn | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Mehak Thukral | Lionshead Wealth Management | New York | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Melody Rice | Veridan Wealth | West Linn | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Merlin Arbor | Blue Water Wealth | Portland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Mia Vazquez | Northbridge Financial Group | Tampa | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Micah Davis-Johnson | Aries Wealth Management | Portland | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Micah Weiss | Tandem Financial Planning | Springfield | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Michael Abbood | Veritas Wealth Management | North Kingstown | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Absher | Absher Wealth Management | Raleigh | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Alimo | USA Financial and Tax Services | Farmington | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Michael Alimo | USA Financial and Tax Services | Farmington | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Michael Bronson | MB Financial Planning | Richmond | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Brown | Foresee Wealth Advisors | Bellevue | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Cornell | Infinite Wealth Advisors | Mooresville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Czajka | Malvern Capital Management | Malvern | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael D'Addario | Cadinha & Co | Honolulu | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Elfers | Allium Financial Advisors | Lake Oswego | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Fredericks | RiskBridge Advisors | Norwalk | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Fusco | Infinite Wealth Advisors | Mooresville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Hart | Wallace Hart Capital Management | Lexington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Performance-based fees |
| Michael Martinez | The Pension Group | Dublin | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Milinovich | Milinovich & Company | Waynesburg | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Michael Pearson | Balentine Wealth Advisors | Atlanta | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael Poland | Braeburn Wealth Management | Muskegon | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Richter | Arkos | Houston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael Tanney | Pereon Wealth | New York | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael Thomas | MG Financial | Braintree | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Tull | RFG Wealth Advisory | Argyle | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael White | Plan Group | Oklahoma City | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael Zimmerman | Fouts Law Group | Manchester | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michelle Stallsworth | Harfst and Associates | Sheridan | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michelle Wanless | Allium Financial Advisors | Lake Oswego | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Miguel Castaneda | Guerra Wealth Advisors | Miami | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Miguel Rodriguez | Guerra Wealth Advisors | Miami | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mike Farmand | Farmand, Farmand & Farmand | Jacksonville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Miles Yourman | Knightsbridge Wealth Management | Newport Beach | CFA | Percentage of assets, Performance-based fees |
| Mitchell Herr | Custos Family Office | Austin | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Molly Devnani | BSW Wealth Partners | Boulder | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Morgan Arriaga | MDT Financial Advisors | Webster | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Myles Brady | Hegdahl Investment Management | Fairbanks | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| N Alexander Alard | Eiger Wealth Management | San Diego | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Nancy Tolli | Onyx Bridge Wealth Group | Tarrytown | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Natan Bondin | Saxon Financial Group | Houston | 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.