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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Donald Gresh | Glassman Wealth | Vienna | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Douglas Augenthaler | Palumbo Wealth Management | Great Neck | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Douglas Babcock | Professional Financial Management, Inc. | Bozeman | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Douglas Loftus | Wealth Dimensions Group | Cincinnati | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Dudley Simms | BMSS Wesson Wealth Solutions | Birmingham | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Duke Cope | Cope Private Wealth | Birmingham | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Edward Kramer | SSB&T Wealth | Fredericksburg | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Elizabeth McCollum | Prosperity Financial Planning | Celebration | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Elizabeth Yoder | Dependent Financial Planning | Edgewater | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Emily Hermeno | Prosperity Road | Santa Ana | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Emin Nabiyev | TriFlame Capital | Roseville | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Emma Foulkes | Collective Wealth Partners | Atlanta | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Eric Callahan | Thryve Wealth Management | Santa Barbara | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Eric Dunner | Glassman Wealth | Vienna | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Eric Felty | Equity Advisors of Kentucky | St Pete Beach | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Eric Furey | Accretive Wealth Partners | Parsippany | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Eric Loftus | Wealth Dimensions Group | Cincinnati | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Eric Saling | Saling Wealth Advisors | Louisville | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Eric Scruggs | Covenant Wealth Advisors | Richmond | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Erica Ryberg | Montoya Wealth Management | Prescott | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Erik Smith | Wealth Dimensions Group | Cincinnati | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ernest Moosherr | Canopy Wealth Management | Middleton | ChFC | Percentage of assets |
| Evan Lane | The Financial Resource Center | Carmel | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Felipe Quaassdorff Molina | Walkner Condon Financial Advisors | Verona | CFA | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Felix Tankersley | BMSS Wesson Wealth Solutions | Birmingham | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Fon Rogers | Equity Advisors of Kentucky | Lexington | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Frank Gallo | Investors Portfolio Services | Puyallup | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Frank Yozwiak | Ballast | Lexington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Gary Ribe | Accretive Wealth Partners | Parsippany | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Gary Shirman | Boulder Wealth Advisors | Boulder | ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Genadi Slavov | Sigma Investment Counselors | Northville | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| George Hemsley | Hemsley Advisors | Barrington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| George Sugden | Sugden Wealth Management | Denver | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Gerald Vanderlugt | JVL Wealth Strategies | Wyoming | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Giovanna Leyva | Tidemark Financial Partners | San Diego | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Percentage of assets |
| Grant Steffes | Steffes Financial | Overland Park | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Gregory Benner | Vertex Planning Partners | Downers Grove | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Gregory Bradstreet | Farnam Financial | Peoria | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Gregory Farland | Alliance Private Wealth | Alton Bay | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Gregory Norris | Apex Investment Group | Georges Mills | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Gregory Syrios | Syrios Wealth Management Group | La Jolla | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Haley DeHaan | JVL Wealth Strategies | Wyoming | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Hannah Santa Cruz | Pathfinder Financial Planning | Missoula | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Hany Ahmad | Teamwork Financial Group | Houston | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Harlan Freeman | BrightPath Financial | Deerfield Beach | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Heath Hamrick | H Cubed Financial Solutions | Granbury | CFP | Flat fee or retainer |
| Heath Hightower | Financial Synergies Wealth Advisors | Houston | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Heidi Phan | Rebalance | Palo Alto | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Hope Dogbevia | Keystone Financial Services | Omaha | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Irvin Schorsch | Pennsylvania Capital Management | Huntingdon Valley | CFP | 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.