Estate planning for high-net-worth families requires more than legal paperwork. It demands a careful understanding of how wealth is built, preserved, and ultimately passed on. Tax strategies, investment accounts, real estate portfolios, and family-owned businesses all need to be considered when crafting a comprehensive plan. For many Tennessee families, finding an attorney who understands both the law and the financial complexities can feel like a challenge.
That’s where attorney Kelly Champagne-Deutekom provides a unique advantage. Prior to establishing Champagne Law Firm, Kelly began her career in the financial sector while studying at Vanderbilt University. She went on to become one of the youngest licensed financial advisors in the United States, working with one of the nation’s leading firms. Her work as a financial advisor included investment analysis, private equity exposure, retirement planning, and guiding clients through high-level asset management decisions. This experience gave her firsthand knowledge of the opportunities and risks families face when managing significant wealth.
Now, as an estate planning attorney, Kelly combines that financial expertise with legal strategy. She helps high-net-worth clients structure trusts that minimize taxes, protect assets from liability, and ensure that wealth is transferred smoothly to the next generation. For business owners, she designs succession plans and buy-sell agreements that secure continuity while preserving value. For families with charitable ambitions, she develops giving strategies that align with both legacy goals and financial prudence.
Estate planning can often create tension within families, especially in cases involving blended households, multigenerational expectations, or unequal asset distributions. Kelly’s dual perspective enables her to anticipate these challenges and offer solutions that are legally sound and financially realistic. Her approach emphasizes clarity, reducing the likelihood of conflict or confusion later.
What sets Kelly apart is her ability to act as both counselor and strategist. Many attorneys focus exclusively on documents, while financial advisors focus solely on markets. Kelly’s background allows her to bridge that divide, offering high-net-worth families a level of guidance that accounts for both the legal framework and the financial realities that support it. Her dual expertise allows her to work closely with a client’s financial advisor, CPA, and other trusted representatives to ensure that every plan is both legally enforceable and financially sound.
With offices serving clients in Nashville, Sevierville, Gatlinburg, and Rogersville, Kelly and her team at Champagne Law Firm are dedicated to helping Tennesseans protect what they’ve worked so hard to achieve. Her clients know they are getting more than a standard estate plan—they are gaining the benefit of an experienced attorney with the uncommon combination of financial and legal insight.
For high-net-worth families, estate planning is about more than transferring assets—it’s about protecting a lifetime of effort and securing a future for the next generation. With Kelly Champagne-Deutekom’s unique dual background, families across Tennessee can move forward with confidence, knowing their legacy is in capable hands.
