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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander Briggs | Oldfield Wealth Partners | Bangor | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Alexander Goldberg | McIlrath | Eck | Anaheim | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Alexander Weiss | Napier Financial | Braintree | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Alexandra Rooney | Main Street Research | Lakeville | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Alicia Klein | Cambridge Financial Group | Tucson | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Alison Dorsman | Brandywine Oak Private Wealth | Kennett Square | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Alison Shannon | Corvus Wealth Advisors | Templeton | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Alixandria Tucci | PCM Encore | Charlotte | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Allison Miller | Armor Investment Advisors | Raleigh | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Alondra Garcia | Ellevest | New York | CFA | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Amy Alpert | Gray Private Wealth | Canton | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Amy Jones | Barlow Wealth Partners | Louisville | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Amy Lorius | CM Wealth | Beachwood | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Andre Fernandes | Stage Harbor Financial | Westwood | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Andrew Barnes | Traction Financial Partners | Encampment | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Andrew Brown | Sage Financial Group | West Conshohocken | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Andrew Gardener | Tanglewood Legacy Advisors | Houston | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Andrew Keeler | Keeler & Nadler | Dublin | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Andrew Leonard | Geometric Advisors | Washington | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Andrew Marchionni | Main Street Research | Lakeville | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Andrew Nelson | Praetorian Guard Wealth Management | Carmel | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Andrew Peapos | Woodmont Investment Counsel | Nashville | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Andrew Pool | Paradigm Wealth Management | Lincoln | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Andrew Russell | Dean Roland Russell Family Wealth Management | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Andrew Zender | Financial Plan | Bellingham | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Andy VandenBerg A boutique wealth management firm focused on holistic support for business owners and entrepreneurs. | VDB Wealth | Savannah | CFA | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Angel Brown | asendo wealth | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ankur Patel | Ellevest | New York | CFA | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Ann Taylor Knotts | Woodmont Investment Counsel | Nashville | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Anna Wunderlich | Camarda Wealth Advisory Group | Fleming Island | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Anne Chernish | Anchor Capital Management | Ithaca | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Anne Gouthro | Napier Financial | Braintree | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Anthony Cortina | Lynx Investment Advisory | Washington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Anthony Leonti | Corvus Wealth Advisors | Templeton | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Anthony Weaver | THOR Wealth Management | Cincinnati | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| April Lowery | Kelman-Lazarov | Memphis | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Arian Nelson | Hill Island Financial | Grand Rapids | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Austin Marrs | TSA Wealth Management | Houston | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Austin Russell | Gray Private Wealth | Canton | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Barbara Norman | Sage Path Solutions | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bartholomew Earley | Manchester Capital Management | Manchester | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Benjamin Forte | Kickstand Wealth Advisors | Pittsford | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Benjamin Hein | OAC Capital Advisors | Miami Beach | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Benjamin Kogan | Sage Financial Group | West Conshohocken | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Benjamin Sampson | Miller Avenue Advisors | Mill Valley | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Bert Bowler | Round Rock Advisors | Wilton | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Bethany Evans | Blue Ocean Capital | West Palm Beach | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bianca San | Monument Wealth Management | Alexandria | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Blake Appell | Hill Island Financial | Grand Rapids | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Blake Curle | Gibson Capital | Wexford | CFP, CFA | 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.