C Matthew A. Smith - a Jacksonville, Madison (IL) Estate Planning Lawyer

Jacksonville Estate Planning Lawyer

Updated: 03/02/2026

Areas of Practice

Estate Planning 40%
Probate & Estate Administration 30%
Taxation 20%
Real Estate 10%

Attorney Information

Overview

C Matthew A. Smith joined Bellatti, Fay, Bellatti & Beard as a partner in 1997. Mr. Smith is now partially retired, having assumed Senior Counsel status as of January 1, 2020. He continues to maintain limited office hours to serve existing clients. Mr. Smith practiced law as an associate with the law firm of Terwilliger, Wakeen, Piehler, Conway & Klingberg, S.C., in Wausau, Wisconsin, from 1978 to 1981. He joined the Elliott State Bank in Jacksonville, Illinois, as a trust officer in 1981. He held various trust department and management positions with the bank culminating in a promotion to Executive Vice President and Trust Officer in 1994. He was named by Governor Jim Edgar to serve on the Illinois Fiduciary Advisory Committee. In 1997, he was named Senior Vice President (in charge of Personal Trusts) of FFG, Inc. where he served until joining the Bellatti Law Firm in September. FFG was a Financial Services subsidiary of Firstbank of Illinois Co. FBIC was the parent company of the Elliott State Bank in Jacksonville.

Mr. Smith graduated from the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point (B.S. in Political Science and Philosophy, 1975). He was named a James H. Albertson Award Winner in 1975 and was a four-year varsity basketball letterman. He received his juris doctor from Southern Illinois University School of Law (1978). He was elected all three years to the Ethics Council. He is licensed to practice in the State of Illinois and is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association and the Morgan County Bar Association (President, 1994-95).

Mr. Smith has been active in the Jacksonville community and has served on the Sherwood Eddy Memorial YMCA Board of Directors (President, 1988-89), the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce Board, the Morgan-Cass County Chapter of the American Red Cross Board (Chairman, one year), the Prairieland United Way Board, the Jacksonville Country Club Board, the Board of Directors of the Illinois Foundation for Deaf Children, Inc., the Jacksonville Public Schools Foundation Board and the Board of Directors of Passavant Area Hospital.In his nine years on the Passavant Board he served two year terms as Treasurer, Vice-Chairman, Chairman and Past-Chairman. He was a member of the Kiwanis Club of Jacksonville (President, 1990-91 and Kiwanian of the Year, 1991-92) and currently serves as chairman of the Investment Committee of the Board of Trustees of Grace United Methodist Church and is a member of the Investment Committee of the Bob Freesen YMCA.

Awards and Honors

Honors

Kiwanian of the Year, Kiwanis Club of Jacksonville, 1991 - 1992

Education

Legal Education
- Southern Illinois University School of Law, Carbondale, Illinois, May, 1978
  Juris Doctor
Non Legal Education
- University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point, 1975
  B.S.
  Honors: James H. Albertson Award Winner, 1975
  Honors: Four-year varsity basketball letterman
  Major: Political Science
  Major: Philosophy

Current Employment Position(s)

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Senior Counsel
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Past Positions

Terwilliger, Wakeen, Piehler, Conway & Klingberg, S.C., Wausau, Wisconsin, Associate, 1978 - 1981
Elliott State Bank, Jacksonville, Illinois, Trust Officer, 1981 - 1984
Elliott State Bank, Jacksonville, Illinois, Assistant Vice President and Trust Officer, 1984 - 1987
Elliott State Bank, Jacksonville, IL, Vice President and Trust Officer, 1987 - 1989
Elliott State Bank, Jacksonville, IL, Senior Vice President and Trust Officer, 1989 - 1994
Elliott State Bank, Jacksonville, IL, Executive Vice President and Trust Officer, 1994 - 1996
FFG, Inc., Senior Vice President (in charge of Personal Trusts), January 1, 1997 - August 31, 1997

Pro Bono Activities

Sherwood Eddy Memorial YMCA Board of Directors, President, 1988 - 1989
Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce Board, Past Member
Morgan-Cass County Chapter of the American Red Cross Board, Past Chairman
Prairieland United Way Board, Past Member
Jacksonville Country Club Board, Past Member
Illinois Foundation for Deaf Children, Inc., Board of Directors, Past Member
Jacksonville Public Schools Foundation Board, Past Member
Board of Directors of Passavant Area Hospital, Past Member
Passavant Area Hospital, Past Offices, including Treasurer, Vice-Chairman, Chairman and Past-Chairman
Kiwanis Club of Jacksonville, Past Member
Kiwanis Club of Jacksonville, President, 1990 - 1991
Grace United Methodist Church, Investment Committee, Chairman
Bob Freesen YMCA, Investment Committee
Grace United Methodist Church Board of Trustees, Past Member
Grace United Methodist Church, Legal Counsel

Bar Admissions

Illinois, 1982

Other Affiliations

Illinois State Bar Association, 1982 - Present (Member)
Morgan County Bar Association, 1982 - Present (Member)
Morgan County Bar Association, 1994 - 1995 (President)
Wisconsin Bar Association, 1978 - June 30, 2013

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Contact

Jacksonville, IL

816 West State Street
Jacksonville, IL 62650

Directions

Phone: 217-245-7111

Fax: 217-245-2832

Email: Send a message

Website: https://www.bellattilaw.com

Hours: Monday - Friday: 8am - 12pm 1pm-4:30pm

Credit Cards Accepted
Free Consultations

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C Matthew A. Smith - Jacksonville, IL