A method for determining the complexity level of a prospective client and evaluating if they are a good fit for the firm's services.
In our 1st Quarter 1991 newsletter, FOX interviewed the Laird Norton family office, which at that time had become a Private Trust Company and had been serving outside clients for several years. Now a firmly established Multifamily Office, Larid Norton discusses how their firm has evolved.
Social media has moved from the fringes of techno geek culture to the mainstream with astonishing speed. The terms “social media” (or “social networking” or “Web 2.0”) is a catch-all for a variety of digital services, usually free to users and carrying advertising. Technology has always outpaced regulation and social media is no exception. Regulato...
Just a couple of decades ago a fortune of $50 million was more than sufficient to justify directly employing a staff of accountants and investment managers to keep track of the family finances, including the holdings of various trusts and foundations. Today, the “break even” point is closer to $250 million and climbing. Hence, many former single-fa...
Once a “fad” for tweens, teenagers and young adults, social media has morphed into a long list of websites and other applications that are frequented and used by people of all ages. Used correctly, social media can reap many benefits for families of wealth and their businesses. However, inappropriate use can wreak havoc on families' reputations and...
This study finds many companies still using divestments as a short-term tactical tool, often to raise cash or pay down debt. That’s no surprise given the difficulties many businesses have faced in terms of cash and credit since the financial crisis. However, in this prolonged period of low growth, divestments are likely to play a more strateg...
This paper answers frequently asked questions on how health care reform will affect companies with more than 50 employees. The report includes sections on options available to employers, penalties for non-compliance and the industries impacted the most.
In a family enterprise - particularly in a multigenerational family business - the company is often the dominant aspect of the family's identity. Adding a philanthropic track to the enterprise not only creates a significant return on investment in terms of the company's relationship with its customers and employees, but also can affirm the core val...
For financial advisors, starting or expanding family office services can be a challenging task, especially when considering the multi-family office model. This report examines how traditional financial advisors are confronting growing demand for family office services among their wealthy clients.
Family offices of all sizes face document management challenges for a number of reasons: Increasing regulatory compliance requirements are revealing existing document management gaps/deficiencies. As FOs increase advisor productivity in client service and business development through advanced CRM systems, the deficiencies...
The time to consider the reinvestment risk of selling a family business is before, not after, the sale. A reinvention plan can help by taking into consideration the remaining ties to the business, estate and tax planning issues related to the sale, and personal reinvention for family members as they continue on without the business.
The sale of a business can be one of the most significant events for families of wealth. Often, family members have devoted substantial time and resources to building a successful enterprise.While the sale of the business may be viewed as the successful culmination of years of work, it may also cause concern for the owner, who feels there is not en...
The loss of a spouse to either death or divorce is one of the most traumatic experiences anyone can go through. Life will change irrevocably in many ways for the surviving spouse or separated partners. This article reviews often-neglected steps that may lessen the burden and financial issues that you and/or your spouse may face when this painful lo...
It is frequently suggested that that family offices should mimic institutions and adopt an institutionally disciplined and process-oriented approach when managing their investment portfolios. Through a process-oriented approach, institutions and family offices can be more effective and produce more efficient long-term results.While this concept is ...
Case management, a new concept in the addiction and behavioral health field, can significantly increase the likelihood of sustained recovery for individuals who suffer from chronic diseases such as alcoholism, drug dependence, depression and other addictive and behavioral disorders.