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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conner McClure | True North Financial Advisors | Hilliard | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Connor Keller | Live Oak Private Wealth | Wilmington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Connor Martin | Nordwand Capital | Radnor | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Courtney Mimmo | Corundum Group | Colorado Springs | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Courtney Wages | Legacy Wealth Management | Memphis | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Cynthia Shuford-Stover | Global Financial Private Client | Sarasota | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Dan Jessop | Andina Advisors | Logan | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Daniel Boeckermann | BGM | Bloomington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Daniel Frattali | HS Wealth Partners | Nashville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Daniel Greenwald | JL Bainbridge | Sarasota | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Daniel Heth | Preserve Wealth Management | Weaverville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Darin Swall | Pacific Crest Wealth Management | Eugene | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Darrel Rolls | North Shore Capital Group Investment Advisors | Lake Forest | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Darren Spreeuw | Aviator Wealth Group | Denver | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| David Babb | Stone Bridge Asset Management | Chattanooga | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| David Baines | Pantile Investments | Boulder | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| David Beach | Mill Capital Management | Concord | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| David Flanders | Momentum Wealth Planning | Estero | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| David Gibbs | Successful Wealth Strategies | Farmington | Not listed | Hourly, Ongoing planning fee |
| David Grey | Family Fiduciary Services | Beverly | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| David Jackson | Del Mar Wealth Management | Del Mar | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David Kornberg | Attessa Capital | Tucson | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| David Macino | Macino Financial Services | Holland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David Ross | Price Financial Group | Portland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David Thompson | JL Bainbridge | Sarasota | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| David Walsvick | Walsvick Wealth Management | Phoenix | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| David White | Zermatt Wealth Advisors | San Diego | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Dean Norsworthy | Dodds Wealth | Greenwood Village | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Deanna Brown | StackStone Wealth | Rockford | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Deanna Meyer | Dodds Wealth | Colorado Springs | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Debra Meyer | Moonstone Asset Management | Northbrook | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Deep Patel | GenRise Wealth Advisors | Mt. Laurel | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Derek Sinani | Ironwood Wealth Advisors | Scottsdale | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Diane Rice | Read & Powell Financial Services | Elko | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Dina Draguicevich | Beck Capital Management | Austin | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Dmitriy Bolotnyy | Naylor & Company | Medusa | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Donald Hatcher | Solutions4Wealth | Southlake | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Donald Watson | Pacific Crest Wealth Management | Medford | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Drasko Kovrlija | Kastel Capital | Wellesley | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Dustin Decker | North Shore Capital Group Investment Advisors | Lake Forest | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Dylan Bastress | Pace Financial Advisors | Ashville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Edward Farmer | Solutions4Wealth | Southlake | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Edward Jackson | The Investor Advisory Group | Charlotte | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Edward Lewis | Strong Tower Wealth Management | Franklin | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Eldin Foco | Sterling Advisory Group | Southfield | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Emily Gall | Fortitude Family Office | Scottsdale | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Eric Barlow | Andina Advisors | Logan | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Eric Lockerman | Novare Capital Management | Charlotte | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Eric Pirhalla | True Horizon Wealth Advisors | Malvern | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Eric Wiseman | Read & Powell Financial Services | Elko | 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.