Family offices have now cleared three hurdles in the regulatory actions considered as a result of the Dodd-Frank repeal of the SEC’s old system for exempting family offices from regulation. If they fulfill three basic qualifications established by the SEC, they can avoid registering as investment advisors with the SEC and avoid registering as a commodity pool operator (CDO) and a commodity trading advisor (CTA) with the CFTC.

When forming a family office, much attention is paid to benefits impacting the family's financial capital and issues of investment management, trust and estate services, tax and financial planning and strategic wealth management. Unfortunately, in many cases, less consideration is paid to the family's human, intellectual and social capital, which are often more important to the long-term success of the family wealth and legacy.

It takes effort for a young adult leaving the family nest to become independent and self-reliant. However, the reward is the knowledge that you are self-sufficient, responsible, mature and self-aware. Here are some pointers to help you along your journey.

Couples entering into matrimony often have to make difficult decisions associated with emotionally-charged issues such as a prenuptial (or “prenup”) agreement. If one is going to be implemented, knowing when and how to communicate the request to sign a prenup aids in its effectiveness.