Financial advisors for estate planning in Illinois
Which financial advisor should I talk to about estate planning in Illinois?
For estate planning in Illinois, talk to a fee-only planner who coordinates with your attorney. The planner works out what you want to happen and how accounts and beneficiaries line up with it, and the attorney drafts the documents. Records to start with include Elizabeth Geiser of Timothy Financial Counsel, Inc., Renee Collins of Retire Ready Inc. and Patti Hughes of Lake Life Wealth Advisory Group LLC.
Where to start
Chosen from what each record shows: credentials that fit this work and fees on file, one advisor per firm.
- Elizabeth Geiser Timothy Financial Counsel, Inc., Wheaton Holds the CFP and CPA. Fees on file: hourly.
- Renee Collins Retire Ready Inc., Olympia Fields Holds the CFP and CPA. Fees on file: one-time planning fee, ongoing planning fee.
- Patti Hughes Lake Life Wealth Advisory Group LLC, Chicago Holds the CFP and CPA. Fees on file: ongoing planning fee.
- Garrett Chmiola Valeo Financial Advisors, Chicago Holds the CFP and CPA. Fees on file: flat fee or retainer, percentage of assets.
- Charles Horonzy Focused Up Financial, LLC, La Grange Holds the CFP and CPA. Fees on file: percentage of assets, ongoing planning fee.
- Luke Van de Loo Sullivan Mermel, Inc., Chicago Holds the CFP and CPA. Fees on file: ongoing planning fee, one-time planning fee.
How many fee-only financial advisors in Illinois work on estate planning?
The Wellspent public graph lists 174 fee-only advisors for estate planning in Illinois, at 95 firms. We counted every advisor record that lists this work, as of November 2026.
Where are fee-only advisors for estate planning in Illinois located?
Of the 174 fee-only advisors for estate planning in Illinois, 44 are in Chicago, followed by 13 in Springfield and 10 in Oak Brook.
Plus 89 in other cities.
How do fee-only advisors for estate planning in Illinois charge?
The most common fee among fee-only advisors for estate planning in Illinois is a percentage of assets, used by 91% of the 174 with fees on file. Many use more than one: 49% charge fixed fees and 40% charge by the hour.
How much do fee-only financial advisors charge in Illinois?
Fee-only financial advisors in Illinois charge a median of $5,000 a year for ongoing planning. We found this across the published prices of 35 Illinois firms.
How much does a one-time financial plan cost in Illinois?
A one-time financial plan from a fee-only firm in Illinois has a median price of $2,625. We found this across the published prices of 26 Illinois firms.
What credentials should a financial advisor for estate planning have?
For estate planning, look for the CFP and CPA. In Illinois, 44% of the 174 advisors listed hold the CFP.
- CFP44% in Illinois
- The CFP includes estate planning and keeps it tied to the whole plan.
- CPA4% in Illinois
- CPAs help with estate and gift tax filings.
How do Illinois advisors for estate planning compare with the rest of the US?
49% of fee-only advisors for estate planning in Illinois charge fixed fees, compared with 54% of the 6,172 listed across the US. That's the largest difference in the Wellspent public graph between the two groups.
Dark bars are Illinois. Light bars are all US advisors for estate planning.
Does Illinois have an estate tax?
Yes. Illinois has its own estate tax, separate from the federal one, and its threshold can be lower.
What should I ask a financial advisor about estate planning in Illinois?
- Do you review my beneficiary designations and account titling?
- Which estate attorneys do you work with, and how do you split the work?
- How would you plan around the state rules that apply to me?
- How often will we revisit the plan?
- How would you plan for Illinois's estate tax as well as the federal one?
How current is this list of fee-only advisors for estate planning in Illinois?
Wellspent last checked these records against SEC records in October 2026 and firm websites in October 2026. Each advisor's page shows the date for that record.
All 174 advisors
| Advisor | Firm | City | Credentials | Fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garrett Chmiola Valeo is an independent, fee-only financial advisory firm offering objective, independent guidance for one transparent fee | Valeo Financial Advisors | Chicago | CFP, CPA | Flat fee or retainer, Percentage of assets |
| Aditi Kapadia | Wealth IQ | Springfield | CFA, CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Andrea Oliver | One Wild Life Advisors, LLC | Chicago | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, One-time planning fee |
| Charles Horonzy | Focused Up Financial, LLC | La Grange | CFP, CPA | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Jacquelin Liautaud | One Wild Life Advisors, LLC | Chicago | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, One-time planning fee |
| Jessica Merino | Merino Wealth Management | Chicago | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Patrick Bourbon Objective, holistic planning for U.S. residents and cross-border families navigating tax and regulatory rules in more than one country. | Bourbon Financial Management | Chicago | CFA, CFP, MSEE, MSFS | Subscription |
| Patti Hughes | Lake Life Wealth Advisory Group LLC | Chicago | CFP, CPA | Ongoing planning fee |
| Renee Collins | Retire Ready Inc. | Olympia Fields | CFP, CPA, AFC | One-time planning fee, Ongoing planning fee |
| Robert Stoll | Financial Design Studio, Inc. | Deer Park | CFA, CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Stratton Harrison | Vita Wealth Management | Chicago | CFP, EA | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Tim Carpenter | Rhodo Wealth Management | Geneva | CFP | One-time planning fee, Percentage of assets |
| Allison Meers | Pebble Valley Wealth Management | Western Springs | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Dan Wood | Zimmerman Wealth Management, LLC | Evanston | CFA, CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Elizabeth Geiser | Timothy Financial Counsel, Inc. | Wheaton | CFA, CFP, CPA, BS | Hourly |
| JoAnn May | Forest Asset Management LLC | Riverside | CFP, CPA/PFS, MBA, CPA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Luke Van de Loo | Sullivan Mermel, Inc. | Chicago | CFP, CPA, MA | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| John Piershale | Piershale Wealth Management | Crystal Lake | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Emiramis Gjini | MyGen Planning | Chicago | CFP | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| Eric Schlosser | Kisher Capital, LLC | Malta | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| G. Martin Poole | HFH Planning Inc | 283 Nautical Way | ADPA, CFP, RFC, MBA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Knoll | The Planning Center | Chicago | CFP, MBA, CAP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Dave Grant You've worked hard to prepare for retirement. Retirement Matters will guide you through that transition and partner with you as you live out those dreams. | Retirement Matters, Inc. | Barrington | CFP | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Henry Gorecki | HG Wealth Management | Chicago | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Max Novak Flat-fee. Fiduciary. Life-centered planning. | Novak Financial Partners | Carterville | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Subscription |
| Mike Cattapan Affordable, objective advice-only planning for individuals and families at any stage of life or level of wealth. | Abundo Wealth | Chicago | Not listed | Subscription |
| Nathan Eads | Moller Wealth Partners | Chicago | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Robert Finley | Virtue Asset Management | Chicago | CFA, CFP | Percentage of assets |
| James Nash | Clark Wealth Partners | O'Fallon | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Michael Clark | Clark Wealth Partners | O'Fallon | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Thomas Van Spankeren | RISE Investments | Chicago | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Vincent DeCrow | RISE Investments | Chicago | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Christopher Jones | Azalea Wealth Management | Glen Ellyn | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Dustin Javier | Defined Capital | Oak Brook | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Joshi Koneru | Watershed Private Wealth | Oak Brook | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Lauren Hunt | Daybreak Wealth | Hinsdale | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Matthew Furlong | Furlong Investment Solutions | Chicago | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Alexander Hemsley | Hemsley Advisors | Chicago | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bradley Mendel | Mendel Money Management | Northbrook | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Cynthia Mittlestaedt | Vertex Planning Partners | Downers Grove | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| George Hemsley | Hemsley Advisors | Barrington | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Gregory Benner | Vertex Planning Partners | Downers Grove | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jack Hallier | Patrick M Sweeney & Associates | Libertyville | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| John Burns | Factor Wealth Management | Chicago | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| John Ferguson | Patrick M Sweeney & Associates | Barrington | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Julie Hupp | Vertex Planning Partners | Downers Grove | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Patrick Sweeney | Patrick M Sweeney & Associates | Libertyville | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Randolph Hardy | Factor Wealth Management | Chicago | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Scott Sandee | Vertex Planning Partners | Downers Grove | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Tammy Billadeau | Vertex Planning Partners | Downers Grove | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
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