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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keith Southwick | StraitGate Financial | Northville | CFP, ChFC, CLU | Ongoing planning fee |
| Kenneth Robinson | Sax Wealth Advisors, LLC | New York | CFP, JD, CPA, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kevin Arruda | Cornerstone Financial Management LLC | Providence | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kurt Dupuis | Root Wealth Management | Decatur | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Lauri Salverda | Castle Rock Financial Planning, Inc. | Mendota Heights | AIF, CFA, CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Leslie Merrithew | Merrithew & Thorsten | San Diego | CFP, EA | Ongoing planning fee |
| Liem Hoang | Stillforest Wealth Management | Houston | CFA, CFP, JD | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Lisa Crivella | Ivy League Financial Advisors LLC | Rockville | CFP, AIF, BA, BS | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Lori Eisel | Arcadia Financial Partners | Pickerington | CDFA, CFP, EA, MS | Hourly, Flat fee or retainer |
| Marc Vorchheimer | Integrated Financial Consulting | Monsey | CFP | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| Mark Kelly | University Financial Strategies, LLC | Raleigh | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Marshall Groom | Groom Financial Advisory | Virginia Beach | CFP, JD | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Matt Pruitt | Exhale Wealth Management, LLC | Minneapolis | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Knoll | The Planning Center | Chicago | CFP, MBA, CAP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Schell | Pathway Financial Advisors, LLC | Atlanta | CFP, EA, CPA/PFS, MBA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Misty Lynch | Sound View Financial Advisors, LLC | Newton Center | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Morgann Zimmer | Goodman Financial Corporation | Houston | CFP, CPA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Nathan Nicolaisen | Redspire Wealth Management, LLC | West Des Moines | CFP, MBA | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| Niamh Douglas | Financial Symmetry, Inc. | Raleigh | CFP, BS, CEPA, BBA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Nick Fazio | Chattahoochee Wealth | Cumming | CFP, CPA, CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Paul Pfeiffer | NorthPoint Financial Planning LLC | Maineville | CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| R Brian Werner | Winthrop Partners | Doylestown | CFA, CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Rebecca Krieger | Accredited Investors Wealth Management® | Edina | CFP, CPA, CPA/PFS | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Reggie Fairchild | Flip Flops and Pearls, LLC | Mount Pleasant | CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Rodney James | Vineyard Family Wealth, LLC | Houston | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Ryan Dunn | Novi Wealth Partners | Princeton | CFP, CRPC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ryan Kelly | Aries Financial Navigators | Lititz | AIF, CFP, CRPC, EA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ryan Murphy | Pacific Coast Investment Advisors, LLC | West Linn | AIF, CFP, MSFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ryan Shannon | R.M. Shannon Wealth Management, LLC | Saint Paul | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Sage Vincent | PortSalus Wealth Management | Metuchen | CFP, CFS, CIMA, CMT | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Scott Monk | Charis Legacy Partners | Bryan | CFA, CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Sergio Abarca | Personal Financial Partners | Chevy Chase | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Sharon Bloodworth | White Oaks Wealth Advisors, Inc. | Minneapolis | CFP, CPA, PFS | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Stacey Hyde | Envision Financial Planning, LLC | Memphis | CFA, CFP, CPA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Stephen Maggard | Abacus Planning Group, Inc. | Columbia | CFP, MS, CAIA, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Steven Kane | Kane Company Wealth Management, Inc. | Johnston | CFP, CPA, PFS | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Thomas Cloud | Third Act Retirement Planning, Inc. | Marietta | AAMS, CFP, ChFC, CSA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Thomas Donnelly | Donnelly Investments | West Hollywood | CFP, JD | Percentage of assets |
| Thomas Fisher | Fisher Financial Strategies | Cambridge | CFP | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| Todd Calamita | Calamita Wealth Management | Charlotte | CDFA, CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Trent DeBruin | MD Wealth Management | Chelsea | CFA, CFP, MBA | Ongoing planning fee |
| Trishul Patel | Investing Forever Advisory | West Palm Beach | BS, CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Uchechi Kalu | Greenlight Financial Planning | Los Angeles | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| William Goldstein | Lifestages Financial Planning Services Ltd. | Whistler | QAFP | One-time planning fee, Hourly |
| William Whitaker | Vawter Financial | Columbus | CFP, MS | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Zach Gentry | Gentry Financial | Fishers | CFP, CKA, CPA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Zach Palmer | Ark Royal Wealth Management, LLC | Charlotte | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Adam Fisch | Stewart & Kett Financial Advisors | Toronto | JD, CFA | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| Alexa Bodel | Chalten Fee-Only Advisors Ltd. | Vancouver | CFA, CFP(Canada & US), MBA | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Andy Lawson | Freshfield Investments | Plano | BA, CFP, MS, PhD | 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.