Building a bridge between financial planning and philanthropy

At Tower Trust & Investment Company, President Cody Allen and his team see financial planning as a way to help people think through how they want to live, care for their families, support causes they value, and ultimately leave a meaningful legacy.

Cody Allen, President, Tower Trust & Investment Company

Allen has spent 20 years working with Quad Cities families, and his relationship with the Quad Cities Community Foundation has stood just as long. He has served on scholarship committees, currently manages nine funds through the Signature Investment Program, and in October he will lead a no-cost seminar focused on estate planning strategies.

He sat down to talk about the role advisors can play in helping clients approach philanthropy, legacy planning with greater intention, and what seminar attendees can expect.

Q: What role does philanthropy play in your conversations with clients?

A: It varies tremendously. We have clients who have been giving their entire lives and have made philanthropy part of their family's culture. We also have people who never expected they would have anything left to give, but because they lived conservatively and followed good financial disciplines, they ultimately have the opportunity to make a meaningful gift.

Some people come in knowing exactly what they care about and want to make sure their legacy continues. Others need guidance in figuring out what they want their giving to accomplish.

Q: Where does the Quad Cities Community Foundation fit into the planning process?

A: The Community Foundation brings a lot of different hats to the table. They're involved in so many different parts of the community, which makes it easier to find the right direction and support for a client.

I'm not always the best resource to tell someone about every opportunity that's available, but I can bring the resources to them. The Community Foundation has always been good about coming in, sitting down with clients, and having those conversations. 

Q: What makes the Community Foundation’s Signature Investment Program valuable to your clients?

A: The Signature Investment Program allows donors to recommend their own advisor continues managing their assets, while the Community Foundation administers the fund and distributions. It creates continuity. If I've managed a client's wealth for many years, why wouldn't they want that relationship to continue after they're gone?

We've had situations where we finalize an estate or trust administration, and those dollars move into the Signature Investment Program. We can continue managing the assets while the Community Foundation processes distributions to the causes the client supported. It creates a bridge between the relationship we've already built and the philanthropic legacy the client wants to create.

Q: What do you hope people take away from your October seminar?

A: Organization and communication are the themes I continuously push. Completing a will or trust is important, but there's a lot more that needs to be organized and communicated so the process is easier for the people who eventually have to carry it out.

It can be an uncomfortable subject but making these conversations understandable and user-friendly can make a real difference for individuals, their families, and the legacy they want to leave.

Click here to learn more and register for the no-cost seminar on October 20, 2026.