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Forging a close relationship among siblings during childhood is hard enough, but as siblings become adults, the development of disparities in wealth can challenge even the strongest relationships. In business-owning families, the potential ramifications not only affect the personal lives of the immediate family, it can also disrupt the alignment of...

Stories that are passed down from generation to generation are a way to create a family legacy that will be remembered long after we are gone. These stories are precious in understanding who we are and where we came from. Too often, the people who hold the keys to family stories lose details to memory loss or pass away before their histories can be...

A common question that a family often asks prior to building a family office is “What is a family office anyway and does my family actually need one?” The answer depends on the family’s goals, as well as understanding the four different types of family offices that are commonly used: (1) single family office, (2) family business office, (3) family ...

With the dramatic expansion of family wealth in the United States and around the world, family offices are a growing part of the global financial landscape. Depending on the family’s mission, service needs, professional skill set of individual family members, and their existing advisor network, a family office may be appropriate. While every family...

While the goals of most family offices remain constant, family office operating models are continually evolving. Learn how current trends and new technologies are giving families unprecedented flexibility when selecting the right family office structure.

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 ...

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, Br...

Real estate as an asset class requires constant attention to ever-changing variables. Implementing a defined, analytical, yet flexible asset management process within your family office’s direct investment function is critical to ensure your portfolio is positioned to meet intended goals.

Many newly wealthy families can credit their expanded fortunes to a major liquidity event, most frequently the sale of a business. For many in this group, recently acquired wealth creates a host of new and, sometimes unexpected, challenges. While the challenges will vary from family to family, the members of this group share some common n...

As families grow their investment function, the Chief Investment Officer (CIO) must provide insight and flexibility to serve varied and changing investment platforms. While much of the CIO’s role is focused on investments and the investment decision-making process, many CIO responsibilities aren’t investment-centric and will impact the long-term su...

The Family Office 5.0 model is changing how advisors deliver services. Strategic partnerships can help family office service providers better focus on delivering core value-added offerings. A roadmap toward that goal will help you meet the evolving needs of family offices and provide best-in-class services.

As family offices have grown in number, size and sophistication, they have increasingly looked to invest directly. Largely, the pursuit of direct investing opportunities has been driven by several factors, including the desire for increased control, better alignment of interests, reduced fees and expenses, and higher returns. While the appeal of di...

In today’s investment environment, family offices require full investment capabilities to achieve the returns required by wealth owners. As there are many non-investment activities happening in a family office setting, the build or outsource approach to investment resourcing should include saving on both the costs and time associated with running a...

As noted in The New Family Office 5.0 Model, a rising number of family offices are allocating resources to direct investments, including building an in-house direct investment function to gain greater control, better diversification, increased flexibility, and income and estate tax benefits. From generating deal flow to due diligence, key cons...

Selecting the right investment vehicle often receives less attention than the other more known investment principles such as the value of diversification. Broadly speaking, investors can access four types of investment vehicles—including separately managed accounts—to avert making a wrong decision that can saddle a family with unexpected taxes, inc...