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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Hulsebos | Regency Wealth Management | Ramsey | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Ryan Moledor | Parrish Capital | Kennesaw | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Ryan Omensetter | DT Investment Partners | Chadds Ford | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Ryan Post | James Investment | Xenia | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ryan Retcher | Access Wealth Group | Dublin | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ryan Scharar | FCA | Fort Worth | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ryan Schroer | RFG Wealth Advisory | Argyle | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Ryan Troup | Econ Wealth Management | Harrisburg | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Ryan Tuttle | Signet Financial Management of Southwest Florida | Parsippany | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Sally Eisenberg | Weatherly Asset Management | Del Mar | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Sam Namiri | Ridgewood Investments | Beverly Hills | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Samantha Lavrich | Fairman Financial | Chesterbrook | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Samuel Komitor | Arkos | Milton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Samuel Lees | Lees Monsour Group | Shreveport | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Samuel Mullen | Fairman Financial | Chesterbrook | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Samuel Shelton | Shelton Wealth Management | Fort Worth | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Samuel Vance | True Wave Financial Planners | Sacramento | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Samuel Wisneski | TrueWealth Financial Partners San Diego | Bellevue | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Sara Daly | Beck Bode | Dedham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Sara Hutman | Able Wealth Management | Toms River | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Sarah Ivanovic | Guerra Wealth Advisors | Miami | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Sarah Kovalakides | Tepp Wealth Management | Westfield | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Sarah Lee | Holcombe Financial | Atlanta | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Scot Morris | Z3 Capital Partners | Richmond | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Scott Angell | Angell Capital Management | Centralia | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Scott Barks | Barnes Wealth Management Group | Bakersfield | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Scott Bondurant | Bondurant Investment Advisory | Evanston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Scott Drown | Regency Wealth Management | Ramsey | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Scott Koch | Monograph Wealth | Truckee | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Scott Leabman | Harbor Asset Planning | Belmont | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Scott Shelton | Shelton Wealth Management | Fort Worth | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Scott Thompson | Allium Financial Advisors | Lake Oswego | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Scott Wardrop | SCW Wealth Management | Carolina Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Sean McNutt | KEB – Kerber, Eck & Braeckel | Fenton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Sean O'Brien | Andrew Hill Investment Advisors | Naples | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Sebastian Guerra | Guerra Wealth Advisors | Miami | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Seth Hodes | Able Wealth Management | New York | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Shaun Brookman | The Mass Group | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Shawn Walker | Cornerstone Advisors | Topeka | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Sheree Arntson | Allium Financial Advisors | Lake Oswego | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Shihfang Chuang | Noesis Capital Management | Boca Raton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Simcha Goldberg | Able Wealth Management | Toms River | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Simon Kasbari | Noesis Capital Management | Boca Raton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Skyler Keate | Cadinha & Co | Park City | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Spencer Aufenthie | Plan Group | Oklahoma City | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Stacey Beverley | Compass Financial Group | Deerfield Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Stephanie Chow | Harold Davidson & Associates | Los Angeles | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Stephanie Poche | Onyx Bridge Wealth Group | Lakeside | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Stephen Allen | Blackburn Financial | Cashmere | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Stephen Bunch | Sagace Wealth | St. Petersburg | 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.