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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patrick McGough | Geometric Advisors | Arlington Heights | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Patrick Paxton | truFP | Cumming | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Paul Bush | Steadfast Financial Services | Green Cove Springs | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Paul Clark | Mill Capital Management | Concord | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Paul Saunders | Riverbend Wealth Management | Myrtle Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Peter Kim | Brandywine Oak Private Wealth | Kennett Square | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Peter Landini | RBP Investment Advisors | Alamo | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Peter Messina | ABG Consultants | Cottonwood Heights | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Peter Thoms | Sierra Wealth Strategies | Coronado | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Peter Tomassi | Tomassi Financial Planning | Derby | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Phillip Frattali | Sanderson Wealth Management | Buffalo | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Phillip Mitchell | Kroon & Mitchell | Grand Rapids | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Phillip Rademacher | Rademacher Financial | Lawrence | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Rabih Dimachki | Dentist Advisors | Salt Lake City | CFA | Ongoing planning fee |
| Randy Garcia | The Investment Counsel Company of Nevada | Las Vegas | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Randy Siegel | Aletheian Wealth Advisors | Prescott | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Rebecca Aardal | Schaefer Financial Management | Centennial | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Rebecca Rawlinson | Legacy Wealth Management | Memphis | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Renn Olsen | The Norden Group | Provo | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Richard Hammond | MJP Wealth Advisors | Farmington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Richard Moldenhauer | Moldenhauer & Associates | Orchard Park | ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ricky Winslow | StackStone Wealth | Dubuque | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Robert Deal | LifeFocus Financial Advisors | Walla Walla | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Robert Fezekas | Elevate Wealth Advisory | Athens | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Robert Helgeland | Curtis Wealth Management | Henderson | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Robert Heykoop | Traction Financial Partners | Encampment | ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Robert Mitchell | Concord Financial Group | Wilmington | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Robert Shappee | Harris Wealth Management | Meridian | PFS | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Robin Sievers | Legacy Wealth Management | Memphis | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Roger Roble | Roble Belko & Company | Sewickley | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Ronald Sanders | ONE Advisory Partners | Overland Park | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee, Percentage of assets |
| Ronan Sramek | Rademacher Financial | Lawrence | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ross Gobel | BGM | Bloomington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Russell Adelmann | Adelmann Financial | Colorado Springs | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Ruth Gretz | MJP Wealth Advisors | Westport | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ryan Bohm | Andina Advisors | Logan | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ryan Briggs | Paragon Advisors | College Station | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Ryan Keating | StackStone Wealth | Dubuque | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Ryan Key | Pine Grove Financial Group | Woodbury | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Ryan Kraus | Sage Financial Group | West Conshohocken | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Ryan Stout | Theory Financial | Fort Collins | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Samuel Nordquist | Peak Retirement Planning | Columbus | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Samuel Webb | BentOak Capital | Katy | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Sara Faurer | Ellevest | New York | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Sarah Pierce | Watershed Private Wealth | Oak Brook | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Sasha Childers | Three Arch Wealth Management | Irvine | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Scott Heath | Heath Capital Management | Bloomfield Hills | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Scott Muhlestein | Peterson Wealth Advisors | Orem | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Scott North | Clearpath Legacy Planning | Denver | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Scott Rendle | Waller Financial Planning Group | Columbus | 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.