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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Carter | Carter Capital Management | Houston | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| David D'Alessandro | Axiom Private Wealth | Charlotte | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| David Epps | Integral Wealth Management | Modesto | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| David Juliano | Stonehearth Capital Management | Danvers | ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David Mattern | Mattern Wealth Management | Lawrence | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David McNeely | Darden Wealth Group | Ann Arbor | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David Nelson | Monument Wealth Management | Alexandria | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| David Olson | Journey Wealth | Cleveland | ChFC | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| David Powell | Powell Wealth | Cornelius | ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David Sheiman | The Ellerson Group | Annapolis | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David Stitt | Curry Webb Wealth Management | Indianapolis | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| David Teas | Heritage Investment Group | Pompano Beach | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| David Thompson | Petra Wealth Management | Fredericksburg | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David Tracey | Pathway Financial Advisers | Auburn | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David Tsow | Pandora Wealth | Las Vegas | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Debra Allison-Aasby | Great Lakes Financial Strategies | Oshkosh | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Derek Hartman | Global Financial Private Client | Sarasota | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Derek Jones | Scratch Capital | Boise | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Derek Nutter | Pine Grove Financial Group | Woodbury | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Derrell Crimm | Walton Financial | Birmingham | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Dixie Klaibert | Beacon Hill Wealth Management | Victoria | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Dominic Garris | Peak Retirement Planning | Columbus | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Donald Debernardi | Sierra Asset Management | Oakhurst | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Donald Laurence | Naviant Partners | San Antonio | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Douglas Richards | Crest Financial | Elmira | CFP, ChFC | Flat fee or retainer, Hourly |
| Douglas Smorag | CM Wealth | Beachwood | PFS | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Duncan Miller | Legacy Wealth Management | Memphis | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Dylan Stockwell | Blue Chip Partners | Farmington Hills | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Dylon Woolwine | Peak Retirement Planning | Columbus | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| E Jalenak | Legacy Wealth Management | Memphis | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Edgerly Roberts | Eagle Bluffs Wealth Management | Columbia | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Edward Heintz | Heintz Wealth Management | Scottsdale | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Elizabeth Brennen | A.G. Campbell Advisory | Baltimore | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Emily Green | Ellevest | New York | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Emily Petty | Windward Private Wealth Management | Overland Park | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Emily Richard | Pallas Capital Advisors | Braintree | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Emily Weed | Emerald Advisors | Bellevue | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Emma Hostetler | Peak Retirement Planning | Columbus | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Endrit Lloshi | Wealthy & Wise Family Office | Columbia | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Erica Arroyo | MA Private Wealth | San Carlos | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Ethan Brown | Cox Capital Management | Andover | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, One-time planning fee |
| Evan Ryan | Marathon Mission | Latham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Frederick Kort | Cura Wealth Partners | Chicago | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Frederick Maclean | Heritage Investment Group | Pompano Beach | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Frederick Maclean, Jr. | Heritage Investment Group | Pompano Beach | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Frederick Ravid | Chartered Financial Services | Denver | ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Frenise Mann | Mann Financial | Chattanooga | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Gabriel D'Angelo | Rademacher Financial | Lawrence | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Gary Martin | Nicholas Hoffman & Company | Atlanta | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Gavin Forrest | Schaefer Financial Management | Centennial | 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.