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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Todd Wiersum | Encompass Financial Services | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Tony Newman | Quest Wealth Solutions | Mansfield | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Tracy Johnson | Geometric Advisors | Washington | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Tracy McGuire | Brandywine Oak Private Wealth | Kennett Square | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Trent Colledge | Sunset Retire | Provo | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Trevor Bryant | Westshore Wealth | Dallas | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Trevor Scotto | Fiduciary Financial Group | San Rafael | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Tristan Cox | Wealth Span Capital Management | Northfield | CFP | Flat fee or retainer |
| Troy Crutcher | McIlrath | Eck | Arlington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Tucker Weppner | Sanderson Wealth Management | Denver | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Tyler Hunt | Sunset Retire | Provo | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Veronica Fuentes | Audible Wealth Management | Silver Spring | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Vincent Whelan | Whelan Financial | Fresno | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Vinnie Maliakkal | Wavvest | Chicago | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| William Baxter | Paladin Partners | Hartland | CFP, ChFC | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| William Fan | Paulson Wealth Management | Wheaton | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| William Hollan | Arbor Investment Advisors | Winston Salem | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| William Lefavor | Stage Harbor Financial | Westwood | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| William Ryan | Fox Hill Wealth Management | Dedham | CFP | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| William Steinberg | Kelman-Lazarov | Memphis | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| William Wang | HFG Trust | Kennewick | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| William Wolf | Financial Plan | Bellingham | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Zachary Whitchurch | Solidarity Wealth | Lehi | CFP | Percentage of assets, Subscription |
| Aaron Buckholtz | Century Management Financial Advisors | Austin | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Aaron Nolan | PYA Waltman Capital | Knoxville | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Abigail McCloskey | Affinity Wealth Management | Wilmington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Abraham Amador-Lindner | Noesis Capital Management | Boca Raton | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Adam Coughlin | Willamette Wealth Partners | Kalispell | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Adam Kierzek | FORM Wealth Advisors | Lake Geneva | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Adam Magee | Whitney & Company | Rochester | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Adam Mehrer | Wills Financial Group | Newton Square | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Adam Reinking | Redbud Advisors | Austin | CFP, CFA | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Adam Scholl | Henry H. Armstrong Associates | Pittsburgh | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Adrienne Fox | Precedent Wealth Partners | Houston | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Aiden Cox | Canter Wealth | La Jolla | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Alastair Stansfield | Rise Private Wealth Advisors | Tucson | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Alexander Albert | Lincoln Capital | East Greenwich | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Alexander Kochanasz | Gannett Wealth Advisors | Middleton | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Alexander Wilson | Provident Financial Planning | Addison | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Alexis Olian | Treehouse Wealth Advisors | Walnut Creek | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Alicia Singer | Singer Wealth Management | Seattle | ChFC | Hourly |
| Alison Cantley | Boden Wealth | Lemoyne | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Alistair Huong | AdventEdge Financial | Apison | ChFC | One-time planning fee, Ongoing planning fee |
| Allen Trim | Blue Summit Wealth Management | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Allison Kramer | Seaside Wealth Advisors | Mechanicsburg | ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Amanda Ansell | OLIO Financial Planning | Blacksburg | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Amanda Harrell | FPL Capital Management | Metairie | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Amanda Hopkins Clouser | RCS Financial Planning | Annapolis | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Amber Schiffert | TARA Wealth | Durham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Amy Moore | OLIO Financial Planning | Blacksburg | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
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.