Wealthy families often take every precaution in preserving their legacies for future generations, with carefully constructed estate plans, wills, and trusts. But they often overlook the hidden factor that can undermine all these plans, and it isn’t investment returns or poor estate planning: It’s family dynamics. Studies have shown that the main reasons wealth fails to transition successfully across generations have little to do with making sound financial decisions—and much more to do with how the family interacts with each other.
Resource Search
In 2022 Dr. Jamie Weiner published The Quest for Legitimacy: How Children of Prominent Families Find Their Place in the World, a collection of qualitative research modeling rites of passage, pathways to individuation, creating trusted partnerships, and addressing family dynamics. Similarly, in 2022 FOX has conducted focus groups and a rising gen study, which affirms what we know about rising gen, and illuminates the methods to ensuring success and fulfillment.
The current next-generation family members are changing the way families view wealth, no longer focusing on creating wealth for wealth’s sake.
We are entering a New Era in Family Wealth. The New Era represents a distinct shift in families’ needs and priorities. Family wealth has long been defined mostly in financial terms, which led to growth and protection of the family’s financial capital as the overriding priority. Today, here is an emerging desire by more families to focus on purpose, education and leadership or the human capital element.
Role definition and preparation is a common challenge for families looking to integrate rising family members into the enterprise. Solving this challenge leads to higher rising gen participation and increased in-law engagement within the family. Using competency-based assessments, families can predict the success of family members in specific roles within the enterprise. Join this session to learn how to shift from forced succession to agreed-upon continuity by embracing the natural behaviors and strengths of family members at all ages.
Join FOX for a moderated keynote with internationally recognized author and consultant, Dr. Jim Grubman. The session will explore an exciting trend and share examples of families that are taking a more positive approach to family leadership transitions, preparing the rising generation, and keeping the family engaged and cohesive. Jim Grubman, Family Wealth Consultant David Toth, Interim Co-President, FOX
When a strategic plan is developed with the family's values and mission in mind, it can serve as a family-endorsed and impactful roadmap. In this event session, hear about FOX's work with developing a vision and mission statement, and from a seasoned family governance expert who has worked with families and family offices to create proven strategic plans that are driven by the core values and mission of the family itself.
This Passages guide is part one of a two-part series on divorce and division in family philanthropy, featuring tips for what board and staff members can do to prepare and cope. This first part includes case studies on family foundations that have navigated divorce, questions to consider when developing board policies, and perspectives on the implications of divorce on assets and grantees.
This Passages is part two of a two-part series on divorce and division in family philanthropy, featuring tips for what board and staff can do to plan ahead for potential change. The second part includes stories and advice from those who have been through, or advised, families as they divided their philanthropy. Learn more by reading part one, Breaking Up: Divorce in Family Philanthropy.
Though being (or becoming) “rich" would seem to be a universal quest, the mixed experiences of those born into, married into, or suddenly rich undermine the fantasy that “rich equals “happy.” Sometimes the guilt, shame, and the complexity of growing up with abundance can create unwanted family dynamics that strain family relationships. In this special educational webinar, Joline Godfrey (author of Raising Financially Fit Kids) joins Robin Petty at Hawthorn and dives deeper into the topic.