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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeremy David | Little House Capital | Braintree | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jerry Linebaugh | Prostatis Group | Baton Rouge | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jessica Grande | TFC Financial | Boston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jiaxuan Zhuang | MZ Capital | Bethesda | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jill Schum | Third Eye Associates | Red Hook | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Joel Petersen | Sound Legacy Wealth Advisors | Kirkland | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| John Bell | Thryve Wealth Management | Santa Barbara | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| John Bowers | Brockenbrough | Richmond | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| John Dudley | Means Wealth Management | Bangor | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| John Dunham | Focused Capital Investment | Irvine | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| John Dwyer | Sunpointe Investments | Clayton | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| John Giovannetti | Red Door Wealth Management | Memphis | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| John Harper | Sagace Wealth | St. Petersburg | PFS | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| John Heisler | Quaker Wealth Management | Moorestown | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| John Hollie | Avion Wealth | Shenandoah | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| John Imbusch | BMSS Wesson Wealth Solutions | Birmingham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| John Jones | Vandalia Wealth | Charleston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| John Jones | Wisdom Planning Group | Orlando | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| John Joyce | Joyce Wealth Management | Houston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| John Klein | Lockshield Partners | Glasgow | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| John Lauer | Lauer Wealth Management | Valparaiso | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| John Lorenz | Arlington Financial Advisors | Santa Barbara | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| John Malone | Apex Investment Group | Dedham | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| John Merrill | Tanglewood Total Wealth Management | Houston | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| John Simms | Piedmont Trust | Greenboro | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| John Steiner | Welon | Montgomery | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jolie Tixier | Westwind Capital | Las Cruces | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Jon Duane | Brock Hill Wealth Management | Newton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jonas Rees | CapTrust Wealth Advisors | Holland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jonathan Carter | KEB – Kerber, Eck & Braeckel | Springfield | PFS | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jonathan Cottrell | Mascoma Wealth Management | Portland | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Jonathan Cox | Acorn Financial Services | Reston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jonathan Dockery | LeConte Wealth | Maryville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Jonathan Hoyme | Awaken Wealth Partners | Houston | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jonathan McGraw Bentley | Choate Wealth | Boston | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jonathan Moore | Financial Avenues, LLC. | Nixa | Not listed | Hourly, Fixed fees |
| Jonathan Smith | DT Investment Partners | Chadds Ford | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jonathan Stambaugh | Red Door Wealth Management | Memphis | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jonathan Stirling | Westwind Capital | Centennial | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Joplin Wallace | Mascoma Wealth Management | Burlington | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Jordan Bryant | Coastline Complete Wealth | Bluffton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jordan Fee | Allium Financial Advisors | Lake Oswego | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jorden Bastien | LifeSteps Financial | Claremont | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Joseph Bakaysa | Apex Investment Group | Hudson | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Joseph Ceasar | 11 Financial | Lufkin | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joseph Cefalu | Downtown Wealth Studios | Miami | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Joseph Charles | Apex Investment Group | Hudson | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Joseph Chrisman | Monograph Wealth | Manhattan Beach | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joseph Jennings | Brockenbrough | Richmond | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Joseph Lawrence | ARIA Wealth Management | Huntsville | 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.