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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kayla Tweedy | Financial Management | Ardmore | Not listed | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| Kelly Cappello | Argo Wealth Advisory | Mclean | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kelly Hansen | Legacy Advisors | Plymouth Meeting | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kelly Schwigel | StackStone Wealth | Dubuque | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kenneth Doerr | Auour Investments | Woburn | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Kenneth Hobbs | Clearview Investment Partners | Costa Mesa | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kenneth Ouellette | Orca Wealth Management | New Port Richey | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kenneth Schrauben | Retirement Capital Services | Grand Blanc | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kevin Lane | Lane Brothers Investment Counsel | Prescott | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kevin Mellinger | Pace Financial Advisors | Hillsboro | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kevin Michael | Rademacher Financial | Lawrence | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kibwe Cuffie | Portland Private Wealth Management | Portland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kristin Greenleaf | Fortitude Family Office | Scottsdale | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kurt Leeney | Infinium Investment Advisors | Denver | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kyle Kiser | Sikorski Wealth Management | San Diego | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Kyle Krasker | Olivar & Greb Capital Management | Maitland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kyle Thompson | Leetown Advisors | Ankeny | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Lawrence Miller | Family Fiduciary Services | Newton | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Lindsey Colaco | JL Bainbridge | Sarasota | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Lisa Gamble | Walton Financial | Birmingham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Logan Hauschild | Green Peaks Planning | Omaha | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Louis Tranquilli | Tranquilli Financial Advisor | Clinton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Lynn Elliott | Fortiter Wealth Management | Houston | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Manish Patel | BluePrint Private Wealth Management | Alpharetta | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Mansoor Ahmad | Global Hill Wealth Advisors | Monroe | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Maranda Barnhart | Aspen Capital Management | Boise | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Mark Conrad | The Investor Advisory Group | Charleston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mark Crowe | Crowe Financial Group | Hillsboro | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mark Dougal | Pacific Crest Wealth Management | Nampa | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mark Frederick | StackStone Wealth | Dubuque | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Mark Naylor | Auour Investments | Woburn | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Mark Prowell | Prowell Financial Management | Exton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Mark Scott | A.G. Campbell Advisory | Baltimore | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mateusz Sudol | Price Financial Group | Portland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Brower | Fortitude Family Office | Scottsdale | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Hekman | Waterfront | Advisors | Overland Park | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Mai | Price Financial Group | Portland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Marchand | Pacific Point Wealth Management | Carlsbad | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Matthew Mendenhall | The Norden Group | Provo | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Matthew Powers | Powers Advisory Group | Highland | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Matthew Slaton | Slaton Capital Advisors | Bartonville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Matthew Smith | Collar Capital Management | Santa Barbara | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Matthew Soucy | Family Fiduciary Services | Beverly | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Matthew Topley | Lansing Street Advisors | Ambler | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Matthew Walker | Fortitude Family Office | Scottsdale | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Wootten | Silver Birch Financial | Middlebury | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Megan Keenan | Lansing Street Advisors | Yardley | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Megan Lane | Lane Brothers Investment Counsel | Prescott | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Megan Mandigo | Silver Birch Financial | Middlebury | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Melanie Johnson | Beck Capital Management | Austin | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
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.