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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Lienert | OLIO Financial Planning | Mclean | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| John Maddison | Balentine Wealth Advisors | Raleigh | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| John Salomon | J2 Capital Management | Troy | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| John Schmidt | Faith Investor Services | Scottsdale | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| John Smith | Ten Talents Asset Management | Cincinnati | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| John Taylor | Taylor Financial Group | Roanoke | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| John Wilbourne | Occidental Asset Management | Bellevue | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| John Williams | WealthCrossing | Richmond | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jon Green | Encompass Advisors | Brevard | CFP, PFS | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jon Matlock | American Financial Planning | Roanoke | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, One-time planning fee |
| Jonas Lowery | BCM Advisors | Lafayette | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Jonathan Bailey | WealthCrossing | Richmond | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jonathan Crantz | Precedent Wealth Partners | Houston | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Jonathan Fecko | Elevate Wealth Management | Littleton | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jonathan George | Absher Wealth Management | Chapel Hill | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jonathan Gillett | Wilco Financial | College Grove | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Jonathan White | Analog Capital Partners | Houston | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Jordan Kahn | HCR Wealth Advisors | Los Angeles | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jose Barbosa | Singer Wealth Management | Seattle | ChFC | Hourly |
| Joseph Abboud | Rinzler Capital | Atlanta | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Joseph Darpel | Smart Steps Wealth Management | St. Louis | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Joseph Dimaio | Wick Capital Partners | Wayne | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Joseph Eschleman | Towerpoint Wealth | Sacramento | Not listed | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Joseph Kalmanovitz | Canter Wealth | La Jolla | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Joseph Kolb | Wickford Wealth Management | North Kingstown | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Joshua Brockwell | Azzad Asset Management | Falls Church | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Joshua Hill | Keen Wealth Advisors | Overland Park | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joshua Jenkins | Seaside Wealth Advisors | Mechanicsburg | ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joshua Melda | Cleveland Retirement Planning | Westlake | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Joshua Rigden | Rigden Capital Strategies | Englewood | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joshuah Dains | Milinovich & Company | Clarksville | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Juan Carlos Peralta | Roof Eidam Maycock Peralta | San Francisco | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Julie Martinez | BSW Wealth Partners | Boulder | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Justin Koress | Bondurant Investment Advisory | Evanston | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Justin Lester | Allied Investments | Johnson City | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Justin Mason | KEB – Kerber, Eck & Braeckel | Springfield | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Juwon Hill | Balentine Wealth Advisors | Atlanta | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kaitlin Hewell | Hewell Financial Group | Atascadero | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kaleb Price | BCM Advisors | Lafayette | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Kameron Barzegar | RJ Patterson Group | San Diego | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Karen Blair | CJM Wealth Advisers | Falls Church | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Karen Oeser | Means Wealth Management | Bangor | CFA | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Kathleen Gilmore | Clifford Swan | Pasadena | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kathrin Biscornet | BSW Wealth Partners | Boulder | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kathryn Kokenge | TrueWealth Financial Partners San Diego | Bellevue | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kayle Larsen | Larsen Wealth Management | El Dorado Hills | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Keith Poniewaz | Walkner Condon Financial Advisors | Verona | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Kelli Burger | Weatherly Asset Management | Del Mar | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kelly Dowdy | HC Advisors | Sandy Springs | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Kevin Howard | Faith Investor Services | Scottsdale | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
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.