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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martin Lee | Church Organizers Foundation | Mason | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Marty Block | Verus Capital Partners | Scottsdale | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mary Atkinson | Schrum Private Wealth Management | St. Augustine | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Mary Harris | QuadCap Wealth Management | Frisco | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Mary Jule Roginski | Northeastern Financial Consultants | South Abington Township | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mary Patch | Atlatl Advisers | Madison | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Maryam Khoshreza | AIRE Advisors | Beverly Hills | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Masahiro Yamazaki | Oxler Private Wealth | Rye Brook | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mason Rike | Gibraltar Capital Management | Tulsa | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Burnham | Journey Wealth | Cleveland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Matthew Civello | HeadInvest | Portland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Hill | Emerald Advisors | Bellevue | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Matthew Komer | Kera Capital | Mokena | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Pierce | Kastel Capital | Wellesley | PFS | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Savoti | Harvest Financial Advisors | West Chester | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Sullivan | Paradiem | Covington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Teeple | TSN Wealth & Tax Management | Brownsburg | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Theil | Blake Schutter Theil Wealth Advisors | Dayton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| McKenna Rice | Private Advisory Group | Lehi | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Performance-based fees |
| Melissa Manley | StillBlue Financial Partners | Jacksonville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Micah Droescher | Atticus Wealth Management | Palm Beach Gardens | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Micah Gibson | Heritage Oak Wealth Advisors | Santa Rosa Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Micah Wakefield | TrueHaven Capital | Franklin | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Abram | Integral Wealth Management | Turlock | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael Andrews | Verus Capital Partners | Scottsdale | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Beels | Share The Harvest Partners | Canton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Brown | Fox Hill Wealth Management | Dedham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Michael Cropper | Gibraltar Capital Management | Tulsa | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Dieschbourg | Alpha Capital Family Office | Greenwood Village | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael Flanagan | EverPar Advisors | Tulsa | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael George | Watts Capital | New York | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Performance-based fees |
| Michael Horwath | Lansing Street Advisors | Ambler | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael Keeton | Grange Capital | Beaverton | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Michael McCabe | Kera Capital | Bend | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael McFerran | Emerald Advisors | Bellevue | ChFC | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael Paulus | PCM Encore | Aspen | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael Quigley | Beck Capital Management | Austin | ChFC | Percentage of assets |
| Michael Raimondi | Clarus Group | New York | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Ripski | Skipjack Financial | New Orleans | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| Michael Roy | Main Street Research | Lakeville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Michael Ruff | Rainier Family Wealth | Tacoma | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Michael Sondag | Main Street Research | Lakeville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Michael Stock | Boltwood Capital Management | Walnut Creek | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael Tenreiro | Jackson, Grant | Stamford | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michele McCabe | Vestpointe Wealth Management | Scottsdale | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Michelle Contois | Colman Knight | Acton | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Michelle Fulcher | Verus Capital Partners | South Boston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michelle Hams | Heritage Wealth Management | San Diego | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Miguel Rundstrom-Holguin | QuadCap Wealth Management | Frisco | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Miguel Sosa | Rose Capital Advisors | Miami Beach | 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.