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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rachel Lysne | Aspen Capital Management | Boise | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Rachel Rademacher | Rademacher Financial | Lawrence | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Rachelle Dillingham | The Norden Group | Centerville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Rachelle Morris | The Norden Group | Provo | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Raony Zica de Carvalho | Carvalho Investment Group | Austin | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ray Lombardo | Clearview Investment Partners | Costa Mesa | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Raymond Johns | The Norden Group | Provo | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Remy Solves | Fortitude Family Office | Scottsdale | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Richard Ambrose | Axia Wealth Management | Bend | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Richard Matthews | Matthews Wealth Management | Greenville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Richard Ringwald | Powers Advisory Group | Highland | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Richard Spadaro | WLTH Capital Management | Gilbert | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Robbie Johnson | CSH Investment Management | Taylorville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Robert Eilers | MJP Wealth Advisors | Farmington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Robert Jones | The Investor Advisory Group | Charlotte | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Robert Kristof | Casey Wealth Management | Orland Park | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Robert Kuftinec | Auour Investments | Woburn | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Robert McCarver | Heritage Investment Group | Pompano Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Robert Moskowitz | Chatham Wealth Management | Chatham | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Robert Norton | Capstone Wealth Advisors | Salem | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Robert Reichwein | Wealthquest | Cincinnati | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Robert Schneeweis | Yes Wealth Management | Mahtomedi | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Robert Snelgrove | Kiker Wealth Management | Jasper | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Robert Wurster | Legacy Advisors | Plymouth Meeting | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Roger Cox | Rademacher Financial | Lawrence | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Roger Ratzlaff | Waterfront | Advisors | Overland Park | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ronald Johnson | Corundum Group | Colorado Springs | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ryan Becker | Legacy Advisors | Plymouth Meeting | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ryan Bradley | Holder Wealth Management | Champaign | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ryan Gorski | Pacific Point Wealth Management | Carlsbad | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Ryan Knebel | ABG Consultants | Collinsville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ryan Ruggaard | Ruggaard & Associates | Hudson | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Performance-based fees |
| Sam Winter | Fortitude Family Office | Scottsdale | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Samuel Martinez | Wealthquest | Cincinnati | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Samuel Taylor | Heritage Investment Group | Pompano Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Sapphira Santibanez | Del Mar Wealth Management | Del Mar | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Sarah Lynch | Prowell Financial Management | Exton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Scott Burns | River Raisin Investment Partners | Monroe | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Scott Freund | Family Office Research | Bethesda | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Scott Neubauer | Wisdom Investments | Lake In The Hills | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Scott Walton | Walton Financial | Birmingham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Scott Warner | Aspen Capital Management | Boise | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Simon Perna | Cascade Financial Partners | San Diego | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Sophie Kaluziak | Vista Financial Planning | Oak Park | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Stacey Willenbring | StackStone Wealth | Dubuque | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Stacy Bliss | Heritage Investment Group | Pompano Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Stephen Saddock | Saddock Wealth | Dallas | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Stephen Topley | Lansing Street Advisors | Ambler | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Stephen Wilchins | Family Fiduciary Services | Beverly | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Steven Abernathy | The Abernathy Group II Family Office | New York | 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.