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In addition to having an external mission, many family foundations create an internal one specifying how the foundation will function in family-building, education and the transfer of family values from one generation to the next. Foundation Source offers concrete examples of how some families are using their foundations to make a difference within...

The new health care reform legislation adds a 3.8 percent tax on net investment income for many charitable donors starting in January 2013, while not allowing charitable deductions to be used to offset the tax. This article from Hemenway & Barnes explains how an interest-free loan to a charity can provide the same tax benefits as a charitable deduc...

To realize the social benefits their donors seek, foundations must clearly define their missions, create spend policies that correspond with those missions and set investment strategies that suit those policies.

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 the post-Madoff era, the foundation and non-profit sector continues to struggle with how to invest philanthropic assets most appropriately and how to ensure that boards and staff are managing investments prudently.

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.

This first national study explores the topic of family philanthropy through the family office including opportunities and challenges, perspectives and experiences of practitioners and family members with the family office structure. This is a collaborative project of the National Center for Family Philanthropy, Threshold Group, and FOX.

While family businesses are playing an important role in the economy and studies have regularly shown that in the long-term they outperform other businesses, there is the continual challenge of succession to the next generation. An estate is built up over the generations and the family grows larger. This source of diversity is not without its chall...

For many philanthropic families, successfully engaging the "next generation" proves challenging. This can be especially true if the family supports a specific community or region in which the younger family members do not live. This paper looks at the benefit of allowing the next generation to pursue their interests in more global issues.

Can you lose a charitable deduction for failing to obtain a correct acknowledgement? A recent Tax Court case says yes. As we approach year-end giving season, know the rules, whether you are giving $500 or $50 million.

Why are some families able to pass the legacy of philanthropy from generation to generation while others are not? This white paper by Claudia B. Sangster, director of Philanthropy Services with Harris myCFO, LLC, looks at how to encourage the next generation of givers.

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...