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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scott Schlegel | SchlegelDunn | Plano | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Scott Whytock | August Wealth Management | Portland | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Sean McElhaney | Family Office Research | Bethesda | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Seann Dougherty | Dougherty Investment Advisors | Spring Hill | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Sergio De La Torre | Pandora Wealth | Roswell | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Seth Deal | LifeFocus Financial Advisors | Walla Walla | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Seth Merrill | The Norden Group | Provo | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Sevak Khachatoorian | Up&Up Capital | Glendale | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Sophie Young | Novare Capital Management | Charlotte | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Spencer Davies | BGM | Bloomington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Spencer Knickerbocker | Stonebrook Private | Northville | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Spencer Tracy | Principium Investments | Boulder | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Srdjan Nastasic | Augustus Wealth | Long Beach | Not listed | Hourly, Ongoing planning fee |
| Stephen Fedak | Global Financial Private Client | Sarasota | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Stephen Greco | Pandora Wealth | Las Vegas | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Stephen King | Wealthquest | Cincinnati | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Steven Schlegel | SchlegelDunn | Plano | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Steven Schleupner | Councilor | Smithsburg | ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Stoyan Panayotov | Babylon Wealth Management | Walnut Creek | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Stuart Caplan | Members' Wealth | Media | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Sunni Allen | Three Arch Wealth Management | Irvine | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Suresh Raghavan | MBR Financial | Houston | CFA | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Susan Marshall | Arlington Wealth Management | Henderson | ChFC | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Taiyoung Lee | Wealthy & Wise Family Office | Columbia | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Taj Pereira | Aspen Capital Management | Boise | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Taunya Abaya | Abaya Wealth Management | Buffalo | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Taylor Turner Niche, comprehensive financial planning for high-achieving real estate professionals and other specialists. | Taylor Turner Wealth Management LLC | Richmond | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Terin Rundus | BentOak Capital | Weatherford | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Theodore Winders | Yarger Wealth Strategies | Westerville | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Theodore Zamerski | Prosperity Path Advisers | Vero Beach | PFS, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Thomas Braun | Theory Financial | Fort Collins | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets |
| Thomas Challis | Peterson Wealth Advisors | Orem | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Thomas DaMour | Davis Capital Management | Jacksonville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Thomas Fenn | T. Fenn Financial Planning | Chapel Hll | CFP | Hourly |
| Thomas Knightly | American Family Legacy Group | Clearwater | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Thomas Riley | Alpha Capital Family Office | Greenwood Village | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Thomas Watts | Watts Capital | New York | CFA | Percentage of assets, Performance-based fees |
| Timothy Thomas | Members' Wealth | Media | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Todd Macke | Greater Gifts Family Office | Fort Myers | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Trey Touchstone | Lifeway Financial | Plano | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Troy Davis | Davis Capital Management | Jacksonville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Tuvshinjargal Odeh | Shira Ridge Wealth Management | San Rafael | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Ty Kopke | Silver Oak Leaf Financial Services | Bluffton | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Ty Williams | Curry Webb Wealth Management | Indianapolis | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Tyler Batts | Riverbend Wealth Management | Myrtle Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Tyler Nichols | Peak Retirement Planning | Columbus | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Tyler Purcell We handle the heavy-lifting of navigating investment, tax, estate and financial planning so you can focus on the things that you love with the people you love. | Balance Wealth | Columbus | Not listed | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Vijay Patel | MA Private Wealth | San Carlos | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Vincent Parrack | Blue Chip Partners | Farmington Hills | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Vipin Sahijwani | Lynx Investment Advisory | Washington | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
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.