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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S Yeyni | Wealth-Builders | Bellevue | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Samantha Vient | Ellevest | Costa Mesa | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Sarah Kvistad | Paragon Advisors | College Station | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Sarah Schwieterman | Peak Retirement Planning | Columbus | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Scott Anderson | GW Financial | Reno | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Scott Rojas | ONE Advisory Partners | Overland Park | CFP | Ongoing planning fee, Percentage of assets |
| Scott Schatzle | Mutual Trust Advisory Group | Estero | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Scott Swartz | AndersonLane Associates | Needham | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Shawn Brunner | Coastal Wealth Advisors | Johns Island | CFP | One-time planning fee |
| Sofia Figueroa | Ellevest | New York | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Stefan Liiste | Lions Gate Sovereign Capital | White Bear Lake | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Stephen McGee | Paragon Advisors | College Station | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Stephen Reh | Invest With Steve | Raleigh | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Steven Ankerstar | Ankerstar Wealth | Leander | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Steven Witter | Bentham Wealth Advisors | Williamsville | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Tanner Castle | BentOak Capital | Weatherford | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Taylor Harwood | Crane Capital Management | Spring Park | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Terra Johnson | Pine Grove Financial Group | Minnetonka | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Timothy Macarak | Members' Wealth | Media | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Troy Lerche | Davis Capital Management | Jacksonville | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ty Johnson | Peak Financial Management | Broomfield | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Tyler Peterson | Runey & Associates Wealth Management | Mount Pleasant | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Tyler Vasquez | Three Arch Wealth Management | Irvine | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Veronica Taylor | Ellevest | New York | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Vj Arjan | ConCap® | Mckinney | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| William Belko | Roble Belko & Company | Sewickley | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| William Tebeaux | Paragon Advisors | College Station | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Yvonne Darby | Sherwood Financial Partners | Westlake Village | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Aaron Hillman | Skyline Financial NW | Portland | CFP | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Aaron Pierce | TrueVine Family Wealth | Naples | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Aaron Sipherd | Sipherd Wealth Management | Lincoln | CFP, PFS | Fixed fees |
| Abigail Gunderson | Tanglewood Total Wealth Management | Houston | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Abigail Waddell | BMSS Wesson Wealth Solutions | California | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Adam Kalender | Milestone Asset Management Group | Pearl River | CFP | Flat fee or retainer |
| Adam Lawrence | Tanglewood Total Wealth Management | Houston | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Adam Smith | Covenant Wealth Advisors | Richmond | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Adam Suwyn | JVL Wealth Strategies | Wyoming | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ahmad Saltagi | Zaki Financial | Indianapolis | CFP | One-time planning fee, Hourly |
| Aiki Altmets | Regimen Wealth | Atlanta | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Alex Graham | Tanara Wealth Management | Lehi | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Alexander Collins | HCR Wealth Advisors | Los Angeles | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Alexander Hemsley | Hemsley Advisors | Chicago | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Alison Yoder | Destiny Capital | Denver | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Allison Beckham | Beckham Financial | Miami | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Allison Meier | Arlington Financial Advisors | Santa Barbara | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Allyson Mangine | Amplius Wealth | Blue Bell | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Amy Amorosso | Ball Wealth Management | Dawsonville | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Amy Stuber | Saling Wealth Advisors | Louisville | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Amy Thacher | Blume Capital Management | Berkeley | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Andrew Casteel | Covenant Wealth Advisors | Richmond | CFP | 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.