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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glenn Young | Concentrum Wealth Management | San Jose | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Grace Trewartha | MAPT Capital | Madison | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Greg Hartenbower | John Moore Associates | Albuquerque | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Gregory Davis | RBG Wealth Advisors | Memphis | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Gregory Goff | Goepper Burkhardt | Greenville | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Gregory Johnson | MOR Wealth Management | Philadelphia | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Gregory Middendorf | HCM Wealth Advisors | Cincinnati | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Gregory Nelson | Soulence Wealth Management | Pleasant Grove | ChFC | Percentage of assets |
| Griffin Baker | CJM Wealth Advisers | Falls Church | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Gwen Straley | 3rd Creek | Incline Village | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Hannah Farrow | RightWise Wealth | Las Vegas | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Harold Carmean | Creative Wealth Management | Punta Gorda | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Harold Philipsen | Tenzing Financial | Williamsburg | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Hart Williams | Cloud Capital Management | Seattle | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Heather Coulter | William Howard & Co. Financial Advisors | Memphis | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Heather Quintero | Carter Financial | La Jolla | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Heidi Arneson | Precedent Wealth Partners | Katy | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Helen Graf | Graf Financial | Baton Rouge | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Henry Preston | Veteran Wealth Planning | Ferrisburgh | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Hope Broucek | Financial Planning for Real People | Seattle | ChFC | Hourly, Percentage of assets |
| Ian Beardsley | Walkner Condon Financial Advisors | Verona | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Ian Weinstein | Regimen Wealth | Atlanta | ChFC | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Ilinda Parham | FSG Wealth Advisors | Memphis | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Isabel Biondi | Greatdane Investment | Franklin | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ivan Hernandez | Omnia Family Wealth | Aventura | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jack Miller | Jamison Private Wealth Management | Milton | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Jack Waltman | PYA Waltman Capital | Knoxville | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jackson Miller | Fiduciary Benefits Group | San Diego | CFP | Flat fee or retainer |
| Jacob Alden | Aurelius Family Office | Bedford | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jacob McKinney | Clark Wealth Partners | O'Fallon | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jacqueline Thompson | Allium Financial Advisors | Lake Oswego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jake Butcher | HCM Wealth Advisors | Cincinnati | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| James Ahlschwede | Round Table Investment Strategies | Lincoln | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| James Brilliant | Century Management Financial Advisors | Austin | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| James Brown | Meritis Wealth Management | Potomac | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| James Burns | OnTrack Wealth Management | Plymouth | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| James Campbell | Campbell Asset Management | Chattanooga | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| James Cox | Peak Wealth Management | Saratoga Springs | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| James Dunphy | Dunphy Wealth Management | Cincinnati | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| James Eutsler | HCM Wealth Advisors | Cincinnati | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| James Hall | Affinity Wealth Management | Wilmington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| James Harrington | Bluesphere Advisors | East Norriton | CFA | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| James McGlone | KOM Wealth Management | Appleton | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| James Mellon | Canter Wealth | La Jolla | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| James Nelson | Affinity Wealth Management | Wilmington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| James Olsen | Malvern Capital Management | Malvern | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| James Shellenberger | Elevate Wealth Management | Sheridan | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| James Sutton | Echo45 Advisors | Walnut Creek | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Jamie Lapin | RMG Advisors | Rockville | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Janet Griffith | AssetBuilder | Allen | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
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.