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Communication is found to be the most important factor for cohesion in families and sustainability of family wealth. As one of the key tenets to happy, healthy, and thriving families, it is essential for family members to dedicate the effort necessary to become better communicators. Practicing effective communications—including being open and ...

Extreme winter weather has been a major issue throughout much of the U.S. in recent years and can result in high insurance claims accounting for millions in losses—the majority of which were due to ice dams and frozen pipes. An analysis of the winter-weather loss claims yielded four common factors and valuable insights that can help you be more pro...

Water damage has consistently ranked as the costliest cause of loss year over year. The largest of these losses have all occurred while no one was home. Whether you’re planning to be away for a short vacation or leaving for the season, there are nine steps you can take to help reduce the chances that you will suffer a water loss.

A chimney fire can be a significant event, in both monetary damages and trauma. The risk is heightened by the fact that chimney fires often begin out of sight, meaning they may not be noticed in time to prevent the flames from spreading to the home or causing serious structural damage. Luckily, a few simple measures can help reduce the damage from ...

One of the most common concerns families have revolves around how to share wealth with family members without encouraging entitlement. With forethought and care, giving well and wisely can bring families together and strengthen the bonds between generations. The steps to giving wisely—and fostering flourishing over entitlement—include clarifying yo...

If you are a newer family foundation with one or two generations on the board, five generations may seem like a long time away. Yet in family philanthropy, quite a few foundations have been operating and thriving for 50, 75, even 100 years. What’s the secret of these family philanthropies that make it five generations, and across family branches? H...

Research tells us communication is the most essential ingredient for sustaining wealth across generations. But, cross-generational communication can be particularly challenging, especially within families of wealth. Each generation’s habits, beliefs, and ideals are influenced by very different experiences, traditions, and societal norms. So how do ...

While many families are expending effort on important concepts such as improving financial literacy, defining family shared values, and creating family mission statements, such efforts are likely to be lost if families do not first focus on one fundamental aspect of a successful family: Communication. Effective communication is an ongoing effort th...

When starting with family philanthropy, a family can choose a donor-advised fund or establish a private foundation. Each option has different requirements and management issues, including start-up costs, privacy matters, control of grants and assets, and flexibility in impact investing. Serving as a general guidance for you and your experienced adv...

One of the many challenges facing wealthy families in today’s fast-paced society is the need to meaningfully involve family members, including the rising generation, in the management of the family wealth enterprise. One way to engage the family is through philanthropic giving where families can derive great benefit from working together to define ...

Even if you are not yet ready to share the family's wealth numbers, communicating your intentions to the next generations promotes family harmony and is a best practice for successfully sustaining and transferring family wealth. It may also be time to schedule a family meeting for this purpose. There is no right way to conduct this meeting, bu...

When it comes to buying a new home, there can be many unknowns. However, uncovering the issues and hidden risks earlier in the process can help you make a more informed buying decision. As part of your lifestyle and property management best practices, there are four important questions—including matters of insurance and geographical risks—that shou...

Professional staff is an essential element of an effective family philanthropy effort; however, it can be a difficult construct to navigate. In this webcast by the National Center for Family Philanthropy, learn how to hire and prepare your staff for success in family philanthropy. Download the transcript and presentation deck for your refer...

Talking about wealth is every bit as important as creating a technical wealth plan—if not more so. Preparing a wealth transfer plan without helping your loved ones understand how to manage those assets in their own lives leaves the true process of sharing wealth incomplete and subject to real, but avoidable, risks. In this guide, you’ll find ways t...

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 t...