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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephen Way | Setarcos Wealth Advisors LLC | Philadelphia | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Steve Engle | Asbury Capital | Glen Mills | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Stratton Harrison | Vita Wealth Management | Chicago | CFP, EA | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Susan Peck | Evolution Financial LLC | Madison | CFP, RLP | Percentage of assets |
| Thomas Knowlton | Luminvest Wealth Management LLC | Scottsdale | CFP, CTFA, MBA | Percentage of assets |
| Tim Carpenter | Rhodo Wealth Management | Geneva | CFP | One-time planning fee, Percentage of assets |
| Tim Witham | Balanced Life Planning LLC | Villa Hills | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Timothy Kirch | Nashville Financial Planning | Franklin | CFP | One-time planning fee, Ongoing planning fee |
| Tina Mistry | Portfolio Advisors, Inc | Fresno | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Tom Duffy | Jersey Shore Financial Advisors LLC | Red Bank | CFP, CDFA, MBA, CRPC | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Tracy Sherwood | Sherwood Financial Management | Williamsville | CFP | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| Travis McCullough | Forthright Financial Services | Weatherford | BS, CFP, MST | Hourly, Ongoing planning fee |
| Trent White | Luminvest Wealth Management LLC | Scottsdale | CFP, JD | Percentage of assets |
| Trevor Gunter | Four Pines Financial LLC | Atlanta | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Tyler Landes | Tandem Financial Guidance, LLC | Kansas City | AIF, CFP | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| Tyler Smith | BBK Wealth Management | Fishers | CFP, M.Ed. | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Wade Brittingham | Stock Plan Advisory Group LLC | Alexandria | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Warren McIntyre | VisionQuest Financial Planning LLC | Troy | CFP, MBA | Fixed fees |
| Zach Reyes | Circadia Financial Planning | Westlake | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Zachary Zwillinger | ZZ Planning LLC | New York | CFP, JD | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Aaron Brickley | Brickley Wealth Management | San Mateo | CFP, CPWA | Percentage of assets |
| Alex Perkins | Perkins Wealth Advantage, LLC. | Fishers | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Alissa Maizes | Amplify My Wealth | Boca Raton | CFP, JD | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| Allison Meers | Pebble Valley Wealth Management | Western Springs | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Ally Ecklund | Zestiny Wealth | Denver | CFP, CPA, CPWA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ally Jane Ayers | Brooklyn FI, LLC | Brooklyn | CFP, EA | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Anandi Krishnamurthy | AKrish Financial Advisory | Cupertino | CFP | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| Andrew Hunt | Hiley Hunt Wealth Management, Inc. | Omaha | CFP, MBA, CAP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Andrew Mastro | Wrought Financial Planning | Haddonfield | CFP, CFA | Ongoing planning fee, Flat fee or retainer |
| Angela Wetzig | Sage Wealth Consulting, LLC | Sarasota | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Barbara Clemons Personal financial planning and money education workshops that address both the technical and emotional sides of financial decisions. | Clemons Financial Education Company | Fairport | CFP, CLU, ChFC, CASL | One-time planning fee, Hourly |
| Ben Jacobs-Nichelson | Fully Financial | Athens | CFP, EA, MSFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ben Raikes | Mason & Associates, LLC | Newport News | CFP, CPA, CPA/PFS, Master of Science Accounting | Ongoing planning fee |
| Ben Wacek | Guide Financial Planning, LLC | Shoreview | CFP, CKA | One-time planning fee, Ongoing planning fee |
| Betsy Hutchins | Forward Financial Planning | Germantown | CFP, CRPC | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Bill Mulvahill | Trailhead Planners | Edina | CFP, CPA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Blair Garner | Garner Financial Management | Franklin | CFA, CFP, MS | Percentage of assets |
| Brandon Amaral | Amaral Financial Planning, LLC | San Jose | CFP, EA | Ongoing planning fee, Percentage of assets |
| Brandon Davies | Objective Financial Partners Inc. | Markham | CFP (Canada), CFP (U.S.), CIM, CLU | Flat fee or retainer, Hourly |
| Brandon Renfro | Belonging Wealth Management | Longview | CFP, EA, RICP | Percentage of assets |
| Brent Hoskins | Focal Point Financial Group | Prairie Village | CFP, RICP, CKA | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| Brett Croft | Croft Financial Planning | Newbury | CFA, CFP, CTFA | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| Brett Koeppel | Eudaimonia Wealth LLC | Buffalo | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Brett Polzin | Eight Peaks Wealth Management | Parker | CFP, EA | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Brian Canning | Brave New Wealth | Westlake Village | AIFA, CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brittany Brinckerhoff | Hilltop Wealth Advisors, LLC | Chapel Hill | CFP, CSLP | Percentage of assets |
| Brittany Wolff | Wolff Financial | Greenville | CFP, AAMS | Ongoing planning fee, Percentage of assets |
| Caroline Nalbantoglu | CNal Financial Planning Inc. | Montreal | C.Adm.F.P., CFP, RFP | Not listed |
| Case Belger | rebel Financial | Groveport | AIF, CFP, ChFC, CLU | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Celia Brugge | Dogwood Financial Planning | Memphis | CFP, MBA | Hourly, 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.