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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Leary | asendo wealth | Columbus | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ryan McGuire | Westshore Wealth | Newport Beach | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ryan McNamee | Traction Financial Partners | Encampment | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Rydan Case | Ironwood Wealth Management | Chandler | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Saadia Ahmed | Kaizen Financial Strategies | Pleasanton | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Saket Sengar | Better Financial Services | Federal Way | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Samuel Deane Financial advice for startup founders and tech employees with equity compensation. | Rora Wealth | Atlanta | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Percentage of assets |
| Sara Amparan | Deters Wealth Management | Gilbert | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Sarah Creath | BCK Partners | Corning | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Sarah Huie | Oak Advisors | Bluffton | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Sarah Irving | Meridian Financial Partners | Warrenton | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Sarah Yakel | Meridian Financial Partners | Warrenton | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Scott Cawood | Arbor Investment Advisors | Winston Salem | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Scott Jones | Arbor Investment Advisors | Winston Salem | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Scott Keipper | Highland Investment Advisors | Brookfield | PFS | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Scott Peterson | Peterson Wealth Advisors | Orem | ChFC | Ongoing planning fee |
| Sean Griffeth | Dentist Advisors | Salt Lake City | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Sevasti Balafas | GoalVest Advisory | New York | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Shane Farina | Box Hill Private Wealth | Scottsdale | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Sharon Khan | DeDora Capital | Napa | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Sharon Nassirzadeh | AIRE Advisors | Beverly Hills | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Shelby Newell | Ironwood Wealth Management | Chandler | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Stacey Nickens | Elm3 Financial Group | Alpharetta | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Stephan Zehner | Atticus Wealth Management | Palm Beach Gardens | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Stephanie Anderson | Councilor | Bethesda | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Stephen Andrusko | Integrated Capital Planning | Bend | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Stephen Detweiler | Whelan Financial | Fresno | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Stephen Nelson | Mills Wealth Advisors | Southlake | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Stephen Reeves | Private Advisory Group | Lehi | CFP | Percentage of assets, Performance-based fees |
| Stephen Wintermeier | Lynx Investment Advisory | Washington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Steven Clifford | Share The Harvest Partners | Canton | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Steven Mullooly | Mullooly Wealth Planning | Clover | CFP | One-time planning fee, Percentage of assets |
| Sylvia Kwan | Ellevest | San Francisco | CFA | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Taylor Sutterfield | Dentist Advisors | Salt Lake City | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Taylor Whelan | Whelan Financial | Fresno | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Thomas Curtis | Wealth Management Partners | Tucson | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Thomas Fletcher | Napier Financial | Braintree | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Thomas Jennings | Keen Capital | Westminster | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Thomas Kopelman We help high net income/ high worth business owners manage their entire financial life. | AllStreet Wealth | Carmel | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, One-time planning fee |
| Thomas Manetta I take great pride in having built a business that truly honors my clients best interests without interference from anything. This allows me to help my clients, without hurting them. | Manetta Wealth Management | San Ramon | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Thomas Mullen | Breakwater Capital Group | Paramus | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Thomas Schulte | Napier Financial | Santa Clarita | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Thomas Smith | Vita Wealth Advisors | Manhattan Beach | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Thor McIlrath | McIlrath | Eck | Arlington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Timothy Burkett | Keeler & Nadler | Dublin | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Timothy Dillow | Dillow Wealth Management | Oak Brook | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Timothy Domino | Sanderson Wealth Management | Buffalo | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Timothy Dukeman | TSN Wealth & Tax Management | Brownsburg | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Timothy Raftis | Insight Wealth Strategies | San Ramon | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Timothy Ziemba | IRON Financial | Northbrook | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Performance-based 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.