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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geoffrey Frazier | Global Financial Private Client | Sarasota | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| George Kimball | Needham Advisory | North Andover | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Gina DiGirolamo | Blue Chip Partners | Farmington Hills | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Grayson Hofferber | Millennial Wealth Management | Broomfield | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Gregory Anderson | GRAnderson Wealth Management Group | Denver | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Gregory Cadger | Cadger Wealth Advisors | Carolina Beach | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Gregory Estes | Councilor | Bethesda | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Gregory Hart | Haddon Wealth Management | Haddonfield | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Gregory Vogel | O'Keefe Stevens Advisory | Rochester | Not listed | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Hallie Peyton | Legacy Wealth Management | Memphis | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Harrison Oakes | Cox Capital Management | Andover | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, One-time planning fee |
| Harry Martin | GoalVest Advisory | New York | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Hayden Kibbey | Blue Chip Partners | Farmington Hills | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Heidi Morshead | Shira Ridge Wealth Management | San Rafael | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Henry Schaefer | Schaefer Financial Management | Centennial | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Holger Berndt | Rssic | San Francisco | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ian Browning | Peddock Capital Advisors | Braintree | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Isaac Martin | Members' Wealth | Media | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jack Dupuy | Woodmont Investment Counsel | Nashville | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Jacob Becker | Portland Private Wealth Management | Portland | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jacob Phelps | Strong Wealth | Colorado Springs | Not listed | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Jacob Thibault | BGM | Bloomington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jaden Verrico | Ankerstar Wealth | Leander | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| James Boucher | Wilson + Boucher | Orinda | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| James Fonzi | Breakwater Capital Group | Stoneham | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| James Langer | Wavvest | Chicago | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| James Oliger | Wealthquest | Cincinnati | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| James Redman | Gibraltar Capital Management | Tulsa | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| James Stechschulte | THOR Wealth Management | Cincinnati | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jan Hilfer | Eisenhilfer Capital | Lincoln | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jane King | Fairfield Financial Advisors | Wellesley | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Janis Sleeter | Ruggaard & Associates | Oak Brook | CFP | Percentage of assets, Performance-based fees |
| Jared Uribe-Sullivan | Legacy Advisors | Plymouth Meeting | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jason Dongelewic | Marathon Mission | Latham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jason Eliason | Waller Financial Planning Group | Columbus | CFP, ChFC, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jason Farris | Waller Financial Planning Group | Columbus | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jason Hemeon | Argo Wealth Advisory | Mclean | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jeff Realejo | Heritage Investment Group | Pompano Beach | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Jeffrey Barnett | Fintegrity | Tenafly | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| Jeffrey Buck | Nicholas Hoffman & Company | Atlanta | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jeffrey Camarda | Camarda Wealth Advisory Group | Fleming Island | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jeffrey Fortner | Geometric Advisors | Seattle | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Jeffrey Lamarca | Marcellus Capital Management | Skaneateles | CFA | Percentage of assets, Performance-based fees |
| Jeffrey Notaro | Notaro Wealth Advisory | Tokyo, Japan | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Jeffrey Schaefer | Schaefer Financial Management | Englewood | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jeffrey Sevy | Peterson Wealth Advisors | Orem | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Jeffrey Yoakum | Yoakum Wealth Management | South San Francisco | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jeffrey Zappone | Chair Six Financial | Financial Planning | Spokane | PFS | Hourly, Fixed fees |
| Jenny Burns | Wealthquest | Cincinnati | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jillian Brooks | Cox Capital Management | Andover | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, One-time 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.