Estate & legacy planning
Wealth that holds together across generations.
We work with affluent families, business owners, and philanthropists across Illinois and Tennessee to design estate strategies that go beyond documents and asset lists, ones built for the long arc of a family's story.
Who this is for
Built for families thinking generations ahead.
Affluent families coordinating estate, tax, and legacy strategy across generations.
Families with estate-tax exposure — including Illinois’s $4M threshold.
Philanthropists who want trust, tax, and family governance handled under one roof.
PRESERVING YOUR LEGACY
For the generations who follow.
Dynasty trusts, family governance, and coordinated estate strategy that preserve what you’ve built — and pass it on with intention.
Our approach
Planning for the family, not just the estate.
Tennessee's trust laws are among the most favorable in the country. Dynasty trusts, directed trusts, and decanting provisions available here create planning opportunities that simply don't exist in most other states. We use this advantage on behalf of every family we serve.
We work alongside your estate attorney, not as a replacement. Our role is to ensure the financial plan, legal structure, and family conversation are all pointing in the same direction, and that nothing falls through the gap between advisors.
At Ftacek Financial Services, we integrate estate planning with your full financial picture: investments, tax strategy, business interests, and philanthropic intent, so the strategy serves its greatest purpose across generations.
Tennessee advantage
One of the most trust-friendly states in America.
Tennessee allows dynasty trusts that can last 360 years, directed trusts that separate investment management from trusteeship, and decanting provisions that allow outdated trusts to be restructured. For families with significant assets, these tools create planning flexibility that is genuinely rare.
Dynasty Trusts
Preserve wealth across multiple generations, up to 360 years in Tennessee. Structured properly, dynasty trusts can help reduce transfer-tax exposure and provide creditor and divorce protection for future generations.
Directed Trusts
Separate the investment advisor role from the trustee role, giving families more flexibility and professional oversight.
Decanting
Modernize outdated trust documents by "pouring" assets from an old trust into a new one, without court approval in most cases.
Charitable Vehicles
Donor-advised funds, charitable remainder trusts, and private foundations structured to maximize impact and tax efficiency.