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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenneth Cala | Lowery Thomas | Alameda | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Kenneth Carraro | Financial Planning Northwest | Portland | CFP | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| Kenneth Petrashek | EverPar Advisors | Tulsa | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kevin Campbell | McIlrath | Eck | San Luis Obispo | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kevin McLoughlin | Trio Wealth Management® | Sterling | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kevin McPeek | Journey Wealth | Cleveland | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kevin Nelson | Corus Family Wealth Advisors | Mckinney | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kevin Roth | Tanglewood Legacy Advisors | Houston | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kraig Mickelsen | KRM Financial Services | St. Charles | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kristen Goodman | Ellevest | New York | CFA | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Kristofer Harrison | Northeastern Financial Consultants | South Abington Township | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kyle Boucher | PCM Encore | Colorado Springs | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kyle Goupille | Oldfield Wealth Partners | Bangor | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kyle Gowen | Duncan Williams Asset Management | Memphis | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kyle Moerschbacher | Kooman & Associates | Altoona | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kyle Wagner | Wagner Wealth Management | Conyngham | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Lance Jamerson | Westshore Wealth | Dallas | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Larren Odom | Chastain Wealth Management | Atlanta | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Laura Barnard | Wealth Management Partners | Tucson | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Laura Cook | Flourish Financial Life Planning | Anderson | CFP | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| Laura Kuntz | Laurel Wealth Planning | Edina | PFS | Ongoing planning fee |
| Lauren Maclaren | Journey Wealth | Cleveland | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Lauren Matthiessen | LeClair Wealth Partners | Dublin | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Lester Detterbeck | Detterbeck Wealth Management | Palatine | CFP, CFA | Ongoing planning fee |
| Lindsay Youngbauer | Woodmont Investment Counsel | Nashville | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Lindsey Meredith | Heritage Wealth Advisors | Cincinnati | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Lisa Kirchenbauer | Omega Wealth Management | Arlington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Lisa More | Concord Financial Group | Allen | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Lisa Quadrini | Brandywine Oak Private Wealth | Kiawah Island | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Ljubisa Vrcelj | Camarda Wealth Advisory Group | Fleming Island | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Logan Bennett | Brexton Family Financial | Grapevine | CFP | Fixed fees |
| Lori Ong | Whelan Financial | Fresno | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Lucile Steitz | Sage Financial Group | West Conshohocken | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Lukas McCalla | Kelman-Lazarov | Memphis | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Maclean Barach | Stage Harbor Financial | Westwood | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Madeline Barconi | Breakwater Capital Group | Denver | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Manan Patel | Ample Wealth Partners | Saint Cloud | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Marc Berman | Colman Knight | Acton | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Marc Henn | Harvest Financial Advisors | Cincinnati | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Marc Roland | Dean Roland Russell Family Wealth Management | San Diego | CFP, PFS | Percentage of assets |
| Marc Wehmeyer | Praetorian Guard Wealth Management | Arlington | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Margaret Nickens | Elm3 Financial Group | Alpharetta | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mariette Campbell | Osprey Private Wealth | New York | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Mark Beaver | Keeler & Nadler | Dublin | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mark Farrelly | Cairn Wealth Management | Vancouver | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mark Hildebrand | Nearside Advisors | Indianapolis | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Mark Hill | DeDora Capital | Napa | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mark Jackson | Brandywine Oak Private Wealth | Kennett Square | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Mark Moberg | Green Ocean Global | San Francisco | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Mark Olsen | TSN Wealth & Tax Management | Zionsville | 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.