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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jake Taylor | Astra Wealth Management | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Jared Hoole | Lakeside Financial Planning, LLC | Windham | CFP, MST | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Jarrod Sandra | Chisholm Wealth Management | Burleson | CFP, CKA, MS, MSFP | Percentage of assets |
| Jason Simpson | Trailway Wealth Advisors | Ottawa | CFP, CIM, CIWM | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Jeffrey Mastronardo | Financial Coach Group | West Chester | CFP | One-time planning fee, Ongoing planning fee |
| Jennifer Bush | INTENTIONAL WEALTH PARTNERS | Cleveland | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Jennifer Daniel | Guided Retirement Planning | Mississauga | CFP, CEA, BComm | Flat fee or retainer, One-time planning fee |
| Jennifer Kang | JWK Financial | New York | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Jennipher Lommen | Wildflower Financial LLC | Santa Cruz | BA, CFP, EA | Ongoing planning fee |
| Jim Crider | Intentional Living FP LLC | New Braunfels | CFP | Ongoing planning fee, Percentage of assets |
| JoAnn May | Forest Asset Management LLC | Riverside | CFP, CPA/PFS, MBA, CPA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| John Anderson | Cypress Wealth Management, LLC | Germantown | AIF, CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| John Bovard | Incline Wealth Advisors | Cleves | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| John Cress | Madison Wealth Partners, Inc. | Manitowoc | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| John Krehbiel | Krehbiel Financial LLC | Satellite Beach | CFP, MBA | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| John Kvale | J.K. Financial, Inc. | Dallas | CFA, CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| John Mason | Mason & Associates | Newport News | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| John Miller | Longview Advisors, LLC | Wichita | CFP | Ongoing planning fee, Hourly |
| John Spoto | Sentry Financial Planning, LLC | Andover | CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| John Underhill | Acorn & Oak Wealth Management LLC | Sanford | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| John W. Bowen | Bowen Financial Services, LLC | Midlothian | CFP, EA, CPA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jon Kutney | Parallel Wealth Financial Group | Langley | CFM, CIM | Flat fee or retainer, One-time planning fee |
| Jon Vance | Vance Financial Planning, LLC | Springfield | CFP, EA | Flat fee or retainer, Hourly |
| Jonas Merrill | Pathlight Financial Planning | Portland | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Jose Armenta | Create Your Path | San Diego | CFP, ChFC, EA, MSBA | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Jose Sanchez | Retirement Wealth Guidance, LLC | Albuquerque | CFP, RICP | Flat fee or retainer, Hourly |
| Joseph Hebert | trueNorth Wealth Advisors | Seattle | CFP, PhD | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Josh Clifford | Quoinage Capital LLC | Austin | CFP, CFA, CPA, MPA | Ongoing planning fee |
| Joshua Duncan | F5 Financial | Venice | CFP, MS, PhD | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Juan Guevara | J.F. Williams Co., Inc. | Denver | CFP, BS, MSFP | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Justin Green | Assist FP | Marlborough | CFP, MSFP | One-time planning fee |
| Karen Richardsdon | Spring Financial Planning | Kenora | QAFP | One-time planning fee, Ongoing planning fee |
| Katherine Fox | Sunnybranch Wealth LLC | San Francisco | CAP, CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Katheryn Lindquist | Lindenwood Financial LLC | Madison | ABFP, AWMA, CFP, MPAS | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kathryn Hankard | Fiscal Fitness, LLC | Verona | CFP, MS, RICP | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| Kathy Longo | Flourish Wealth Management Inc. | Edina | CAP, CDFA, CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Keith Spencer | Spencer Financial Planning, LLC | Spokane | CFP | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| Kelly Pedersen | Caissa Wealth Strategies | Minneapolis | CDFA, CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kimberly Wirtz | John E. Sestina and Company | Columbus | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Kody Brown | Sequoia Financial Group | Pasadena | CFP, CRPS | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kris Draper | Northern Lights Advisors Inc | Seattle | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Kyle Simmons | Simmons Investment Management | Louisville | CFP, CRPC | One-time planning fee |
| Lance Ludwig | Kingdom Financial | South Bend | CFP, CKA | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Lew Christman | Christman Fiancial Advisors LLC | Macungie | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Liz Griffiths | Intera Financial Planners LLC | Avon Lake | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Luke Van de Loo | Sullivan Mermel, Inc. | Chicago | CFP, CPA, MA | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| Mark Humphries | Sentinel Financial Planning, LLC | Edgewater | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Marlene C. Buxton | Buxton Financial For Retirement | Toronto | CFP, CLU, RRC, Chartered Financial Planner | Flat fee or retainer, One-time planning fee |
| Martin Lundgren | Northern Lights Advisors Inc. | Seattle | CFA, CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Marty O'Leary | Stadium Financial LLC | Orlando | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Ongoing 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.