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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joseph Plume | Oliver Wealth Management | Towson | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Joseph Recznik | Integritas Wealth Strategies | Charleston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joseph Schmitt | Incline Financial Planning | Mars | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Joshua Angell | Poinciana Advisors Group | Palm Beach Gardens | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Joshua Graham | Westview Investment Advisors | Burlington | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joshua Shaffer | Trinity Financial Advisors | Columbus | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Joshua Stipcich | Tidemark Financial Partners | San Diego | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Percentage of assets |
| Julie Purcell | Wissahickon Wealth Management | Philadelphia | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Justin Smallwood | The Financial Resource Center | Covington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Justin Souder | Acorn Financial Services | Reston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Justin Vargas | Cannon Capital Management | Salt Lake City | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Kaitlin Jordan | Stone Pillars Wealth Management | Franklin | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kaleen Anderson | Skyline Financial NW | Portland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Kaleigh Prentice | Prentice Financial Planning | Olympia | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kanaka Szabo-Cummings | Gates Pass Advisors | Los Altos | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kara Branson | Singer Wealth Management | Seattle | Not listed | Hourly |
| Karen McCloskey | CMH Wealth Management | Portsmouth | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Kari Haanstad | Modus Advisors | Excelsior | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Karla Saez | Avion Wealth | The Woodlands | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Karsten Walker | Blue Barn Wealth | Orem | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Katherine Davis | RiversEdge Advisors | Wilmington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Katherine Fonville | Covenant Wealth Advisors | Richmond | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Katherine Groce | Prostatis Group | Hanover | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Katherine Letsos | Joyce Wealth Management | Houston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kathleen Campbell | Campbell Financial Partners | Fort Myers | Not listed | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Kathleen Cefalu | Downtown Wealth Studios | Ipswich | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kathryn Lester | Vandalia Wealth | Indianapolis | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kaylan Adams | BMSS Wesson Wealth Solutions | Birmingham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Keaton Schnell | Schnell Financial Group | Sedalia | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kelsey Sullivan | Choate Wealth | Boston | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kenneth Gillespie | Hermosa Wealth Management | Hermosa Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kenneth Littrell | Equity Advisors of Kentucky | Lexington | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Kerry Pennington | The Financial Resource Center | Carmel | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kevin Blocker | Linkside Financial | Charlotte | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Kevin Deans | KFA Private Wealth Group | Tyson | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kevin Dodgson | Shetland Financial | Center Valley | CFA | Flat fee or retainer |
| Kevin Hoyle | Kaiyo Wealth | Couer D Alene | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Kevin Londergan | BayRock Financial | Friendswood | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kevin Painter | LeConte Wealth | Maryville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Kevin Pummill | Strong Retirement Solutions | Bremerton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kevin Schwall | Tillman Hartley | Denver | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Khristopher Torres | RiversEdge Advisors | San Antonio | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kim Berger | North Berkeley Wealth Management | Berkeley | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Kim Nordmo | Artience Capital | Gardnerville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kimberly Ball | Ball Wealth Management | Atlanta | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kimberly Overby | Lindsey & Lindsey Wealth Management | Irvine | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kloe' Schnell | Schnell Financial Group | Sedalia | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kody Williams | Saling Wealth Advisors | Louisville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kristine Pattison | CapTrust Wealth Advisors | Holland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kurt Gunter | Lake Hills Wealth Management | Austin | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
Guides
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.