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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beth Price | Beck Bode | Traverse City | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Billie Paveglio | Northern Edge Wealth Management | Marquette | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Percentage of assets |
| Billy Yeh | Clifford Swan | Pasadena | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Boston Harris | Plan Group | Oklahoma City | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Bradley Bolnick | GCB Private Wealth | Austin | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bradley Eaton | S.E.E.D. Planning Group | Binghamton | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bradley Helms | PYA Waltman Capital | Knoxville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bradley Stephens | Tamalpais Asset Management | Larkspur | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Bradley Totherow | Cadinha & Co | Honolulu | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bradley Turlington | White Oak Wealth Partners | Raleigh | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Brae Beggs | OLIO Financial Planning | Mclean | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Brandie Giffin | Sterneck Capital Management | Kansas City | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Brandon Hagerla | Moment Partners | San Francisco | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Brandon Smith | Wallace Hart Capital Management | Lexington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Performance-based fees |
| BreAnn Weaver | Gragg Financial | Shelby | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brent Neis | Plus Group Wealth Advisors | Belgium | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brent Schneider | LRC Aviation Advisors | Milwaukee | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Brian Carolan | CMH Wealth Management | Portsmouth | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Brian Flanagan | Tim Looney Investments | Longwood | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| Brian Koski | JMR Financial Group | Superior | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Brian Luts | LGG Financial | Bethesda | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Brian Shelton | Shelton Wealth Management | Fort Worth | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brian Wickett | Beck Bode | Dedham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Bridget Wiltse | Petros Family Wealth | Bloomington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Brook Soebbing | KEB – Kerber, Eck & Braeckel | Springfield | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brooklyn Flanagan | Rosemeyer Management Group | Platteville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Bruce Griffith | AssetBuilder | Allen | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Bruce Hulme | Bortolussi Wealth Management | Southborough | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bryan Petry | Stonebridge Wealth Management | Oak Brook | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brynn Albers | Northbridge Financial Group | Tampa | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bryon Brooks | Adaptive Advisory | Olathe | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Caden Heyen | KEB – Kerber, Eck & Braeckel | Springfield | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Camie Quigley | Petros Family Wealth | Bloomington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Caren Ober | Balancing Life Financial Planning | Orange | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| Carl Bradley | Wittenberg Investments | Troy | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Carl Lymangood | Petros Family Wealth | Bloomington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Caroline Caldwell | Balentine Wealth Advisors | Atlanta | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Carolyn Taylor | Weatherly Asset Management | Del Mar | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Carrie Fitzpatrick | USA Financial and Tax Services | Farmington | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Carrie Jorgensen | Wealth Advisors Northwest | Portland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Carson Pope | AssetBuilder | Allen | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Carson Skaggs | Altura Private Wealth | Centerville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Carsten Hood | Redbud Advisors | Austin | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Carter Abbott | LRC Aviation Advisors | Milwaukee | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Carter Klaas | Rosemeyer Management Group | Platteville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Casey Boland | HCM Wealth Advisors | Cincinnati | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Casey Martens | investgro | Brentwood | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Casey Phinney | Generous Wealth Management | Marshfield | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Caspian Campaigne | Blue Heron Capital | Englewood | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Cassandra Conte | Taylor Financial Group | Roanoke | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
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.