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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brandon Hodgeson | Cambridge Financial Group | Tucson | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Brandon Jaquis | Warburton Capital Management | Tulsa | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Brett Detterbeck | Detterbeck Wealth Management | Palatine | CFP, CFA | Ongoing planning fee |
| Brett Fellows | Oak Capital Advisors | Mt. Pleasant | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Brian Berkenhoff | Birch Investment Management | Brookings | CFA | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Brian Cunningham | Gibraltar Capital Management | Tulsa | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brian Grant | Warburton Capital Management | Tulsa | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Brian Hennessy | Stage Harbor Financial | Westwood | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Brian Proses | Rational Investment Management | Mill Valley | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Brian Stormont | Insight Wealth Strategies | San Ramon | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brittany Kalsky | Brandywine Oak Private Wealth | Kennett Square | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Bryan Buchert | Kera Capital | Sacramento | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bryan Costin | Journey Wealth | Cleveland | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Bryan Koslow | Clarus Group | New York | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bryan Moylan | Traverse Private Wealth | Radnor | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brynne Speizer | Corvus Wealth Advisors | San Luis Obispo | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Cade Schacher | Woodmont Investment Counsel | Nashville | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Caleb Jennings | Sanderson Wealth Management | Buffalo | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Calvin Wiersma | Grand Wealth Management | Grand Rapids | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Cameron Ressetar | Concord Financial Group | Allen | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Carolyn Catlin | Lynx Investment Advisory | Washington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Carolyn Herzog | Corvus Wealth Advisors | San Luis Obispo | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Cary Laudadio | GoalFusion Wealth Management | Austin | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Cassidy Murphy | Fiduciary Financial Group | San Rafael | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Chad Goodchild | Kickstand Wealth Advisors | Pittsford | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Chad Hileman | Gibson Capital | Wexford | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Chad Valchar | R.I.T. Wealth Advisors | Santa Barbara | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Chad Wauschek | Pathway Advisor | Fallbrook | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Chanley Christman | Quest Wealth Solutions | Mansfield | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Charles Angle | Rssic | San Francisco | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Charles Crouch | CMC Wealth Management | Lexington | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Charles Meeks | Meeks Capital | Winter Park | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Charles Weidman | Heritage Financial Counselors | Bedminster | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Charles Wood | Cardea Capital Advisors | Vero Beach | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Chase Deters | Deters Wealth Management | Gilbert | CFP, ChFC | Ongoing planning fee |
| Chaz Fahrner | Sierra Wealth Strategies | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Chen Li | GoalVest Advisory | New York | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Christa Hudak | CoCreate Financial | Bozeman | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Christian Patterson | QuadCap Wealth Management | Frisco | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Christina White | Kilter Group | Columbia | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Christopher Dyson | MBR Financial | Houston | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Christopher Inman | Inman Jager Wealth Management | Hattiesburg | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Christopher Purcell | Kelman-Lazarov | Memphis | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Christopher Schumacher | asendo wealth | Columbus | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Christopher Sidoni | Gibson Capital | Wexford | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Clint Thomas | Integrity Wealth Solutions | Denver | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, One-time planning fee |
| Cody Beaumont | HFG Trust | Gilroy | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Cody Kirk | Wild Rye Financial | Bigfork | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Colin Arnold | Atticus Wealth Management | Palm Beach Gardens | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Colleen Echausse | Heritage Financial Counselors | Bedminster | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
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.