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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Rougas | Grand Wealth Management | Grand Rapids | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Mark Ward | Lucien, Stirling & Gray Advisory Group | Austin | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Martin Day | Brexton Family Financial | Grapevine | CFP | Fixed fees |
| Martin Kelman | Kelman-Lazarov | Memphis | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mary Margolis | MBR Financial | Houston | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Matthew Biggar | Stage Harbor Financial | Westwood | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Matthew Brown | Mills Wealth Advisors | Southlake | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Chambers | Private Advisory Group | Lehi | CFP | Percentage of assets, Performance-based fees |
| Matthew Hodges | Napier Financial | Braintree | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Hudak | CoCreate Financial | Bozeman | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Miller | Armor Investment Advisors | Raleigh | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Mulcock | Dentist Advisors | Salt Lake City | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Matthew Northrop | Main Street Research | Greenwich | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Matthew Schwegman | ComposedPro | San Antonio | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Matthew Shriver | Alexander Randolph Advisory | Reston | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Simmons | Peddock Capital Advisors | Braintree | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Snuggs | Pursuit Wealth Strategies | Raleigh | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Snyder | TSN Wealth & Tax Management | Brownsburg | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Max Heintz | MFH Financial Services | Dayton | CFP | Hourly, Percentage of assets |
| Maxwell Gallagher | 24Acres Wealth Management | Redondo Beach | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| McKenna Sheldon | Private Advisory Group | Lehi | CFP | Percentage of assets, Performance-based fees |
| Megan Prochniak | Paladin Partners | Hartland | CFP | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| Meghan Bohlke | Financial Planning Navigators | Maple Grove | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Meghan Mader | asendo wealth | Columbus | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Melissa Montalvo | Atticus Wealth Management | Palm Beach Gardens | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets |
| Michael Andrews | Andrews Advisors | Uniontown | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael Baker | Journey Wealth | Cleveland | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael Dunlap | Pathway Advisor | Fallbrook | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Henley | Brandywine Oak Private Wealth | Kennett Square | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Michael Klubnik | Keeler & Nadler | Dublin | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Manjarrez | Whelan Financial | Fresno | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael Mills | Mills Wealth Advisors | Southlake | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Phillips | Verus Capital Partners | Phoenix | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Ryan | Whelan Financial | Fresno | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael Smith | ProFocus | Phoenix | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michelle Hundley | Trio Wealth Management® | Great Falls | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michelle Myhre | Oak Advisors | Bluffton | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michelle Pimentel | Geometric Advisors | Washington | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Mohua Das | Crimson Oak Wealth Management | Lexington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Molly LaFleche | Financial Planning Navigators | Maple Grove | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Monica Dwyer | Harvest Financial Advisors | West Chester | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Monica Sipes | QuadCap Wealth Management | Frisco | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Nancy Mulvey | Heritage Financial Counselors | Bedminster | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Natalie McMahon | Main Street Research | Lakeville | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Nathan Brown | Brown Financial Planning | Bay City | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Nathan Paulson | Paulson Wealth Management | Wheaton | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Nathan Twining | Financial Plan | Bellingham | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Neil Unger | AIRE Advisors | Beverly Hills | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Nicholas Allgeyer | Worley Banks Group | Creve Coeur | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Nicholas Catlin | CBG & Company | Fishers | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
Guides
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.