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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benjamin Fookes | Fiduciary Financial Group | San Rafael | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Benjamin Hall | Elevate Wealth Advisory | Athens | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Benjamin House | Stonehearth Capital Management | Danvers | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Benjamin Hunter | Harvest Financial Advisors | West Chester | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Benjamin Wood | BDC Capital Management | Glen Allen | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bernard Tan | Modernist Financial | Portland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Besart Beluli | Round Rock Advisors | Wilton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Blake Chrisman | Gibraltar Capital Management | Tulsa | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Blake Farmer | asendo wealth | Columbus | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Blake Welch | Arete Financial and Legal Solutions | Goodyear | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bogdan Niciu | 4-C Wealth | Creve Coeur | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Bonnie Courtney | Cambridge Financial Group | Tucson | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Bradley Ortego | SOW Advisors | Youngsville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brailyn Robertson | The Aranda Group | Jenkintown | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Brandon Baker | Sage Financial Group | West Conshohocken | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Brandon Lew | Kera Capital | Los Angeles | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brandon Trank | TradeWinds Wealth Management | Portland | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Brenda Lammers | Altus Wealth Group | Colorado Springs | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Brendan King | Wavvest | Chicago | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Bret Breibeck | Gibraltar Capital Management | Tulsa | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bret Hoffman | Green Peaks Planning | Surprise | ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brian Quintana Guzman | Nicholas Hoffman & Company | Atlanta | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Brian Rudisill | Novare Capital Management | Charlotte | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Brian Seay | Mill Capital Management | Concord | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Brian Sigler | Westshore Wealth | Newport Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bridget Johanson | Main Street Research | Greenwich | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Bridgette Hodge | EverPar Advisors | Tulsa | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Bruce Beckett | My Financial Coach | Midland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bruce Mason | Harvest Financial Advisors | Cincinnati | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bryan Courchesne | DAiM | Palm Beach Gardens | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bryan Kocen | Kocen Financial Group | Rancho Mirage | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Bryce Anderson | Intermountain Wealth Management | Idaho Falls | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Caleb Kelso | Paradiem | Covington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Camden Newton | Pallas Capital Advisors | Braintree | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Cameron Clemens | Grand Wealth Management | Grand Rapids | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Cameron Simonds | Nicholas Hoffman & Company | Atlanta | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Carl Bader | Sanderson Wealth Management | Buffalo | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Carl Drury | Paradiem | Covington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Carson Rich | Paradiem | Covington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Cary Allison | Kera Capital | San Jose | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Cathleen Phelps | Monument Wealth Management | Alexandria | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Chad Onufrechuk | Cascade Wealth Planning | Belmont | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Chad Seegers | Insight Wealth Strategies | San Ramon | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Chad Young | Young Financial Planning | Lafayette | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Percentage of assets |
| Charles Brinkman | Integrity Investing | Daleville | ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Charles Copeland | Elevage Partners | Marsing | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Charles Evangelakos | Pallas Capital Advisors | Braintree | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Charles Hruby | Journey Wealth | Cleveland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Charles Kimmel | Councilor | Gaithersburg | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Charles Powell | Powell Wealth | Cornelius | 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.