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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quincey Bernard | Adams Brown Wealth Consultants | Wichita | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Reese Little | Key Client Fiduciary Advisors | Fairfield | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Richard Feely | Little House Capital | Braintree | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Richard Flora | Key Client Fiduciary Advisors | Fairfield | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Robert Mehlin | Key Client Fiduciary Advisors | Fairfield | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Robert Stimson | Little House Capital | Braintree | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Rolando Perez | Animus Wealth Management | Mcallen | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ryan Barnes | Barnes Pettey Financial Advisors | Clarksdale | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Samuel Khalil | Wide Eye Capital | Vancouver | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Shannon Kirkpatrick | Selective Wealth Management | Forest | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Stephen Chaney | Chaney Capital Management | Lynnwood | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Stephen Varlotta | ProAthlete Wealth Management | Boca Raton | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Steven Maide | Key Client Fiduciary Advisors | Fairfield | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Stuart Schrenzel | Key Client Fiduciary Advisors | Fairfield | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Thomas Dubois | Dubois Capital Management | Saratoga Springs | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Tim McMahon | Wisdom Planning Group | Naples | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Timothy Woodhouse | Aries Wealth Management | Portland | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Todd Sullivant | Adams Brown Wealth Consultants | Hutchinson | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Tommy Le | Adams Brown Wealth Consultants | Wichita | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Victoria Morin | Aries Wealth Management | Portland | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Vincent Van Doorn | i-Cthru | Sint Maarten | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Whitney Baniewicz | RDG Capital Management | Pittsford | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| William Ross | North Forty Two & | Lake Oswego | 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.