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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| W. Kern | Wealthquest | Cincinnati | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Wade Daniel | Wealthquest | Cincinnati | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Wendiguiata Ouedraogo | McIlrath | Eck | Arlington | ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| William Adelmann | Adelmann Financial | Colorado Springs | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| William Barton | The Investment Counsel Company of Nevada | Las Vegas | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| William Cox | Cox Capital Management | Andover | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, One-time planning fee |
| William Friederichs | BGM | Bloomington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| William Hammond | TechView Wealth Advisors | St. Petersburg | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| William Jobes | Live Oak Wealth Advisory Group | Houston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| William Lewis | W.H. Lewis Financial | Eugene | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| William Malloy | Sage Financial Group | West Conshohocken | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| William Morrison | Highland Investment Advisors | Ponte Vedra | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| William Reeve | Kastel Capital | Wellesley | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| William Sempolinski | Five Corners Financial Services | Easton | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| William Snider | ONE Advisory Partners | Highlands Ranch | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee, Percentage of assets |
| Zachary Kratofil | Clayton Financial Group | St. Louis | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Zachary Swenson | Peterson Wealth Advisors | Orem | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Zeta Russell | Tuggle & Russell | Richardson | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Aaron Beeson | Seek First | Ellensburg | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Aaron Coates | Relevant Financial Advisors | Elkhart | CFP | Fixed fees |
| Aaron Hardy | S.E.E.D. Planning Group | Knoxville | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Aaron Marks | Amplius Wealth | Blue Bell | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Aaron Sams | PYA Waltman Capital | Knoxville | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Abigail Demirovic | Avion Wealth | The Woodlands | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Adam Skousen | Harvard Avenue | Gilbert | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Aidan Banner | Covenant Wealth Advisors | Richmond | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Alajahwon Ridgeway | A.B. Ridgeway Wealth Management | Lafayette | Not listed | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Alberto Crespo | Crespo Capital | Jacksonville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Alex D'Attilio | Acorn Financial Services | Reston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Alex Soderberg | Burton Enright Welch | Walnut Creek | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Alexander Amundson | Avion Wealth | The Woodlands | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Alexander Bowers | Pinestar Capital Advisors | Portland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Alexander Hoover | Precision Wealth Strategies | St. Louis | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Alexander Means | Means Wealth Management | Bangor | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Alexander Orlando | Key Client Fiduciary Advisors | Fairfield | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Alexander Thompson | Fairscale Capital | Nashua | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Alexander Wasiunec | Mendel Money Management | Northbrook | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Alexander Willard | LeConte Wealth | Maryville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Alexander Yaftali | Monograph Wealth | Manhattan Beach | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ali Saltagi | Zaki Financial | Indianapolis | Not listed | One-time planning fee, Hourly |
| Allen LeMay | Strong Tower Wealth | Minneapolis | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Allen Tyndall | Seaside Wealth Advisors | Plano | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Alyson Shaw | Alliance Private Wealth | North Reading | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Amanda Farrar | PMG Family Office | Plano | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Amanda Sletmoe | Skyline Financial NW | Portland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Amanda Spencer | Mascoma Wealth Management | Hanover | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Amilka Delgado | Wisdom Planning Group | Orlando | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Andre Baldanza | Diamond Client Group | The Woodlands | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Andrew Aran | Regency Wealth Management | Ramsey | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Andrew Ashton | Prostatis Group | Hanover | Not listed | 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.