A new paper from Withers examines a privy council decision upholding, in large part, a post-nuptial agreement made by a wealthy couple. Given the landmark decision in MacLeod v MacLeod, the authors say, some couples may want to clarify the financial arrangements between them by entering into a post-nuptial agreement.
An economic downturn can accentuate the drivers of fraud and misconduct within companies, according to KPMG's third national integrity survey. Researchers found that 75 percent of employees had observed or knew of wrongdoing within their organizations. Ethics and compliance programs seemed to make employees more willing to report the misconduct the...
Individuals give to charitable causes with hopes that they are making a difference. Unfortunately, they rarely are given enough information to assess the success of individual programs. This white paper from Newdea discusses how donors and non-profits can work together to create a standard platform for information so that both know which programs a...
Social campaigning, or advocacy, can bring societal wrongs to light and better humanity. But how can a charity or social group raise government and individual awareness of a societal problem enough to help many people in need and give a voice to the disadvantaged? This report from New Philanthropy Capital offers guidance for charities and their don...
Many officers of family offices serve on boards of directors for family-owned businesses or companies in which they have made equity investments. If these companies move into distressed status, litigation by investors and creditors may follow – and agents of family offices may appear to have the deepest pockets. This report from JD Ford & Company c...
Researchers from the Bank for International Settlements delve into why some companies remain private and how well the philosophy has worked for them. While control seems to be a key factor in companies remaining private, research by BIS shows privately held companies operate as efficiently as those that have gone public.
Entrepreneurs have become increasingly important players in the global economy and have amassed fortunes in doing so. While a worldwide financial crisis would seem to work against them, some entrepreneurs see today's challenging economic environment as the land of opportunity. This report from Barclays Wealth explores what makes entrepreneurs succe...
Family businesses are most at risk for financial troubles based on a lack of formal succession planning and preparation, and on family business owners' personal financial issues, according to MassMutual Financial Group's 2007 American Family Business Survey. The survey also found that family businesses are growing in jobs and revenues, and ...
Although wealthy philanthropists vary in their interests, backgrounds and styles of giving, some patterns emerge. Researchers for Barclays Wealth create profiles for six types of givers – privileged youth, eco givers, altruistic entrepreneurs, reactive donors, cultural inheritors and professional philanthropists – and identify each group's source o...
Gifting may be the place to start in planning a long-term estate planning strategy, according to this paper from Wells Fargo. While gifting can be useful in transferring tax savings, it also can provide a real-time snapshot of the estate plan by allowing the giver to see how beneficiaries accept and respond to the gifts and then to change the estat...
The financial crisis has altered the investment landscape for investment managers as well as for investors. This paper from BNY Mellon looks at the results, such as increased regulatory oversight and demands for greater transparency.
Individuals and businesses can control rising insurance costs only by being proactive and aggressive. This article from Rothstein Kass offers guidance in assessing directors and officers insurance, professional and management liability; key property and liability insurance issues; workers compensation, employee health benefits; and disability and b...
Ecological agriculture is pre-programmed to generate superior climate change performance as measured by soil organic matter, biodiversity, carbon sequestration and materially reduced GHG emissions. This also generates significant opportunities for creating additional and attractive income streams from environmental markets, according to new researc...
A discussion of pre-nuptial, post-nuptial or cohabitation agreements.
This article addresses the complex U.S. tax rules governing cross-border grant-making by private foundations.