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Whether a family office wants a global custodian to be the sole asset servicer or the gatekeeper of data from aggregators and brokers, the role of a global custodian goes far beyond safekeeping. This paper makes the case for global custodians, pointing out their strengths in risk management, operational efficiency, accuracy and access to data, and ...

Analysis shows alternative strategies and funds are far from equal in the diversification benefits they provide. Investors who want to use alternatives to reduce portfolio risk are wise to explore the performance characteristics of individual funds as well as consider how they are likely to perform under varying conditions.

With incidents of Internet crime surpassing 300,000 annually and continuing to grow, computer users are wise to watch for the warning signs that their computers are being hacked and to be proactive in protecting themselves. This article provides best practices for preventing security breaches as well as a checklist to help maintain your personal se...

Understanding what drives behaviors is a starting point for establishing acceptable family norms as well as addressing the unacceptable. It also may provide insight that can help reduce conflict, establish better communication patterns, and increase levels of trust among family members.

Life insurance policy owners should take heed as continued low interest rates result in lower investment returns credited to policies over time. This can be particularly troublesome for those who do not regularly review and benchmark their policy performance. This bulletin examines the impact of a low interest rate environment on insurers, the perf...

Although another round of quantitative easing now looks less imminent given the recent economic strength, investors still expect Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke to come to their rescue with QE3 should economic growth falter. However, the flexibility for QE3 becomes more limited if crude oil and gasoline prices continue to escalate into the su...

While the stress has not been completely removed from the system, today’s housing prices provide a meaningful opportunity for the patient investor. Median home prices have historically exhibited a strong relationship with median household income. Although this relationship became quite stretched during the real estate bubble, it has since reverted ...

We continue to favor high income strategies in an environment where traditional bond yields are extremely low and dividend payouts are generally stingy. U.S. equity markets are fairly valued. Internationally, emerging market equities and debt have been strong performers in 2012 and have further long-term upside. We remain on the sidelines in Europe...

Although a multitude of risks remain, including the unresolved situation in Europe, geopolitical risks from Iran, and fiscal austerity in developed nations around the globe, markets are enjoying the moment, allowing risk assets to flourish and volatility, at least as measured by the VIX index, to retrench to a seven-month low.

Equity valuations are at historically cheap levels given slowly recovering growth in developed markets, robust emerging market demand, global monetary easing, and signs of an improvement in corporate earnings prospects. We believe that this interesting combination of circumstances will underpin continuing buoyancy in equity markets, particularly in...

“I’m not the only rich kid worried about the voodoo of inherited wealth.” With these words, 21-year-old Jamie Johnson, heir to the Johnson & Johnson fortune, set out to record his peers’ angst over coming into vast inheritances.

Educating the children of wealthy families can be an extremely difficult challenge. Today, more and more family offices are recognizing the compelling need to assist in the effort to educate heirs.

Financial families who have accumulated great wealth face unique challenges associated with passing that wealth productively to future generations, and/or philanthropic recipients. Being invested together in multiple financial and business opportunities requires a sophisticated structure for managing the family’s financial enterprise.

With the world changing so quickly, the role of the family as a bulwark of stability and support becomes increasingly important. In response to this growing educational need, Family Office Exchange in 1998 formed the FOX Foundation. Operating as the Family Learning Center, the Foundation will serve as a resource to facilitate all aspects of "famil...

Creating an educational experience that fosters peer exchange and involvement entails more work and risk than a simple lecture, but family members will leave the session with practical skills, deepened relationships and enjoyable memories.