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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benjamin Nostrand | Westview Investment Advisors | Burlington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Benjamin Rinkey | Illumination Wealth Management | San Diego | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Benjamin Tuscai | Sunpointe Investments | St. Louis | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Benjamin Weaver | BSW Wealth Partners | Boulder | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bernard Murphy | Arista Advisory Group | Albany | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Beth Verdoorn | C.H. Dean | Beavercreek | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Bixby Gilbertson | Petros Family Wealth | Bloomington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Blair Shein | Compass Financial Group | Deerfield Beach | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Blaise Stevens | Strategic Advisory Partners | Greensboro | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Blake Martin | Cloud Capital Management | Seattle | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Brad Williams | WS Wealth Management | Sandpoint | PFS | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bradley Blackburn | Blackburn Financial | Cashmere | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bradley Fine | Four Seasons Investment Management | Rehoboth Beach | Not listed | Hourly, Percentage of assets |
| Bradley Johnston | Fiduciary Benefits Group | San Diego | CFP, ChFC | Flat fee or retainer |
| Bradley Lacore | Cogent Private Wealth | Orlando | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Bradley Sherman | Sherman Wealth | Gaithersburg | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brady Storhoff | Walkner Condon Financial Advisors | Verona | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Brandon Ivy | Saxon Financial Group | Houston | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brandon Steele | Mainsail Financial Group | Bellevue | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Brandon Vanlandingham | Perissos Private Wealth Management | Bethany | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Brandon Williams | FCA | Calgary | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brayden Zettle | FORM Wealth Advisors | Lake Geneva | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Breanna Jensen | Petros Family Wealth | Bloomington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Brenton Armstrong | Weatherly Asset Management | Del Mar | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Brett Goverman | Goverman Financial Solutions | Dedham | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bretton Williams | Saxon Financial Group | Houston | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brian Barthol | William Howard & Co. Financial Advisors | Memphis | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brian Cochran | John Moore Associates | Albuquerque | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Brian Jones | CJM Wealth Advisers | Falls Church | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Brian Kopp | Canopy Wealth Management | Middleton | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Brian Lichtenheld | BSW Wealth Partners | Boulder | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brian McGivern | Stonestreet Financial | Stoughton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Brian Presti | TFC Financial | Boston | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brian Talbott | OLIO Financial Planning | Mclean | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Brian Thomson | Affinity Wealth Management | Wilmington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brian Ward | W&S Management Services | Rochester | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brian Wyatt | Wyatt Wealth Management | Arlington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brian Zellers | Econ Wealth Management | Harrisburg | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Brianna Ferguson | Cerro Pacific Wealth Advisors | San Luis Obispo | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Britt Bazemore | KingsMark Private Financial Advisors | Albany | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brittany Moran | Lincoln Capital | East Greenwich | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Bronwyn Mirretti | Mirretti Perryman Wealth Strategies | Skokie | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brooke Bees | Wick Capital Partners | Wayne | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Brooke Kelly | Weatherly Asset Management | Del Mar | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Bryan Glancy | Spinnaker Financial Group | Independence | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Bryan Kabot | Regency Wealth Management | Ramsey | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Bryan Llewellyn | Llewellyn Financial | Charlotte | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| Bryan Molinar | Atlas Legacy Advisors | Los Angeles | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bryan Smith | Infinite Wealth Advisors | Mooresville | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bryce Schuler | Tableaux Wealth | Great Barrington | 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.