The most problematic challenge wealthy families face is not how to make more money, but how to ensure that it lasts. This requires focusing on something other than money. Successful families, whose wealth lasts for many generations, follow five key practices.
Market research reveals that nearly 70% of intergenerational wealth transfers fail by the third generation and almost 90% by the fourth. These are compelling statistics which have become top of mind concerns for many families as they plan their wealth transition to the next generation. For Australian families, there are three key challenges they face when transitioning wealth. A closer look shows what they are doing to beat the statistics and ultimately succeed, beginning with preserving family harmony and unity.
By fostering the idea of giving from a young age, children can learn the value and joy in helping, sharing, and giving to those who have less than them. Instilling the core ideals of philanthropy in your children's lives can also help them develop a sense of purpose and self. The key is to educate and give them something to emulate.
Nothing says, “I'm not sure our marriage will last,” like asking your new fiancé for a prenuptial agreement. This situation can be made even more touchy if the parents of the bride or groom are the ones insisting on the agreement. However, if approached positively and created thoughtfully, a prenuptial agreement can have benefits for both partners and for the couple's relationship.
Succession is not just about money or property. It means confronting family relationships and taking the time to make sure that the drivers for succession planning connect personal motivations, the purpose of wealth, and specific family issues. It requires an emotional commitment to a process that once started must run its course, including having conversations about fairness, equity, choices about who is in “the family,” and their capabilities for current and future roles.
Many wealth management clients often want to know how to prevent their children from becoming entitled. Specifically, they’re concerned that their children will rely on family wealth instead of forging their own paths to success and will lack an understanding of money beyond how to spend it. Moreover, parents may inadvertently seed entitlement in their children even as they’re trying to avoid it. To sidestep the entitlement trap, here are five consistently identified principles to help parents create more self-reliant children.
Posting fabulous vacation moments on Facebook—from a boat in Belize, to the top of a mountain in Chamonix—might be a fun way to share experiences with your friends, but it’s also a great way to let bad actors know your home is empty and ripe for a break-in. Similarly, broadcasting details of a college semester abroad on Instagram increases the risk of a kidnapping for ransom. With some commonsense ways, families can strengthen their digital security and help their children get smart about their social media usage.
How do you prepare next generation teens, and young adults to be responsible wealth owners? What meaningful activities can you organize to provide the training they need for their future roles as family leaders on the family council or governing board? A well planned education and communication plan for the rising generation can dramatically boost a family’s chances for producing responsible wealth owners.
Jeff Raikes, co-founder of the Raikes Foundation, and Fred Kaynor, Vice President of Marketing and Business Development for Schwab Charitable, discuss a strategy that can help donors increase their charitable impact. Jeff outlines three important tenets:
Families that have accumulated significant assets want to know how to best prepare the rising generation to help them maximize the benefits available to them, while also minimizing the unique challenges that occur when navigating the world of wealth. Younger family members may have different approaches when it comes to wealth. Understanding where these approaches come from is essential when creating an effective family education program. To engage family members of all ages, with disparate beliefs and approaches to money, the best place to start is with what matters most: values.