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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Carragher | The Clifford Group | Wayland | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Ryan Cortner | Clearwell Group | Tampa | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Ryan Flynn | Jackson, Grant | Stamford | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ryan McLaughlin | McLaughlin Asset Management | Danville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Ryan Mendoza | Heritage Oak Wealth Advisors | Rogers | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Ryan Motsinger | Harvest Financial Advisors | West Chester | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ryan Volpe | Volpe Investments | Cranford | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Rylee Felice | White Lighthouse Investment Management | Boston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| S Bean | Private Advisory Group | Redmond | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Performance-based fees |
| Samuel Markowitz | Breakwater Capital Group | Havertown | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Samuel Rice | PCM Encore | Aspen | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Samuel Tidd | Scratch Capital | Boise | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Sandra Tackett | Paradiem | Covington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Sandra Turner | Watts Capital | New York | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Performance-based fees |
| Sanjeev Yadav | Rose Capital Advisors | Miami Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Sasha Antman | Eckman Wealth Management | Phoenix | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Saul Greene | Kaizen Financial Strategies | Pleasanton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Scott Allison | Kera Capital | San Jose | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Scott Bennington | Heritage Oak Wealth Advisors | Rogers | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Scott Dynan | Round Rock Advisors | Wilton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Scott Holder | Verus Capital Partners | Ventura | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Scott Leibfried | StackStone Wealth | Dubuque | ChFC | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Scott Schwinger | Ascension Capital Advisors | Houston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Scott Womack | Womack Wealth and Business Management | Manhattan Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Sean Meunier | Holden Family Office | North Palm Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Selene Sullivan | Pacific Crest Wealth Management | Eugene | PFS | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Seth Maier | Heritage Oak Wealth Advisors | Santa Rosa Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Shaina Englund | Ceva Advisors | Woodinville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Shane Bilski | Magnolia Wealth | Spring | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Shannon Markle | Markle Financial | Laramie | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Shaun Scott | Old Forge Wealth Management | Warwick | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Shayne Cooper | Fiduciary Financial Group | Rohnert Park | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Sherry Karlsson | Rssic | San Francisco | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Shivani Patel | DeDora Capital | Napa | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Shummi Jindal | Rose Capital Advisors | Plandome | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Simone Liu | AIRE Advisors | Beverly Hills | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Sinon Bennett | Wavvest | Chicago | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Soojin Hwang | Grange Capital | Beaverton | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Spencer Lademan | Kroon & Mitchell | Grand Rapids | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Spencer Rhode | Corvus Wealth Advisors | San Luis Obispo | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Stacy Anderson | Kooman & Associates | Altoona | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Stephanie Andersen | Main Street Research | Lakeville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Stephanie Holston | Kilter Group | Witchita | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Stephanie Kemp | Corvus Wealth Advisors | Templeton | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Stephen Cohn | Sage Financial Group | West Conshohocken | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Stephen Heitzmann | Bauer Heitzmann | Colorado Springs | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Stephen Kylander | Pallas Capital Advisors | Warren | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Stephen Reeves | HeadInvest | Portland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Steve Maconi | Brandywine Oak Private Wealth | Kennett Square | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Steven Deangelis | Verus Capital Partners | Gilbert | 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.