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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Timothy Macguire | Eagle Bay Family Office | Maplewood | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Timothy McGukin | Arkos | Houston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Timothy Wood | Foster & Wood | Lake Oswego | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Toby Wolfe | Wealth Advisors Northwest | Portland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Todd Newell | Miller Financial Group | Portland | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Todd Potter | Greatdane Investment | Moline | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Todd Shears | BlueSail Advisors | Mclean | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Tommy Willams | AssetBuilder | Allen | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Toney Falkner | Private Wealth Management of NC | Henderson | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Tonye Wokoma | Mainsail Financial Group | Bellevue | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Tracy Galloway | Holmes Investment Management | Wrentham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Tracy Shackelford | Tenzing Financial | Williamsburg | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Travis Maus | S.E.E.D. Planning Group | Binghamton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Travis Wall | Fidelis Wealth Advisors | Castle Rock | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Tressia Marino | Boden Wealth | Lemoyne | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Trevin Harris | Avondale Wealth Advisors | West Lake Hills | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Trevor Harris | Arkos | Houston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Trevor Hedge | Barnes Wealth Management Group | Bakersfield | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Tristan Pantano | Affinity Wealth Management | Wilmington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Tristan Thoms | Arkfeld Wealth Strategies | Omaha | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Troy Sommerfeld | KOM Wealth Management | Appleton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Tyler Jennings | Clear Investment Research | Alpharetta | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Tyler Johnson | Wealth Advisors Northwest | Portland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Tyler Jouret | Keen Wealth Advisors | Overland Park | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Tyler Kanne | Convergence | Omaha | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Tyler Rima | FORM Wealth Advisors | Lake Geneva | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Tyler Sherven | S.E.E.D. Planning Group | Binghamton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Tyler Skutnik | LRC Aviation Advisors | Milwaukee | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Tyler Talman | Carrington Group | Dallas | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Tyler Woods | Alta Strada Wealth | Lincoln | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Vick Khoboyan | Harold Davidson & Associates | Los Angeles | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Vicki Aycock | Austin Money Management | Austin | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Vickie Chrisman | Lees Monsour Group | Shreveport | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Victor Gitau | Balentine Wealth Advisors | Atlanta | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Vincent Savio | Beck Bode | Dedham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Walter Robertson | Brockenbrough | Richmond | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Ward Williams | Better Tomorrow Financial | Seattle | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer |
| Warren Barnett | Barnett & Company | Chattanooga | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Wayne Best | Tamalpais Asset Management | La Conner | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Wes Poole | FSG Wealth Advisors | Memphis | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Wesley Yuhnke | FCA | Houston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Wilfred Henderson | Legacy Wealth Management | Ridgeland | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| William Bennett | Whitney & Company | Rochester | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| William Dagley | Private Wealth Partners | Mill Valley | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| William Davidson | Park Wealth Management | Greensboro | Not listed | Hourly |
| William Draper | Craner Capital | Bountiful | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| William Dunn | Charter Research & Investment Group | Southport | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| William Gardner | Arkos | Milton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| William Gorgol | Brightstone Advisors | Fishers | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| William Harrigan | Polaris Financial Partners | Westerville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
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.