Resource Search

Although the recent focus has been on public companies and the new requirement to obtain an independent opinion on internal control over financial reporting, this requirement has also brought to the forefront the importance of internal controls at nonpublic entities. Although not less important, internal controls for small companies and family offices offers challenges not encountered in the large company environment.

One private aviation solution that many family offices are discovering is fractional jet ownership. This solution offers owners the ability to enjoy many aircraft ownership benefits at a significantly lower cost of entry than full aircraft ownership. This is made possible by dividing the aircraft into smaller shares (fractions, beginning at one-sixteenth of the aircraft), giving individuals the option to buy the number of flight hours that best fits their needs.

Equity valuations are at historically cheap levels given slowly recovering growth in developed markets, robust emerging market demand, global monetary easing, and signs of an improvement in corporate earnings prospects. We believe that this interesting combination of circumstances will underpin continuing buoyancy in equity markets, particularly in Europe.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission finalized several amendments to the registration and compliance requirements applicable to certain investment companies, including family offices. Family offices that trade futures contracts or even hire managers that include futures contracts in their portfolios would have to register under the Investment Company Act of 1940.

The economic outlook has become slightly more mixed, especially in regard to the manufacturing sector and consumer spending after adjustments for inflation. Driving these inflation statistics and market anxieties higher were oil prices, and with the average price of gasoline in the U.S. nearing $4 per gallon once again, real questions have emerged about their potential impact on global economic growth.

Investors are well advised to take into account the interest rate environment when considering wealth transfer options. Interest rates are important when establishing trusts, reviewing existing estate plans, and lending money to family members. The current rates used to value wealth transfers are near historic lows.

This brief client alert highlights provisions of key 2012 estate, gift, and generation skipping transfer tax provisions and strategies for wealthy individuals to consider in their estate planning.

Whether a family office wants a global custodian to be the sole asset servicer or the gatekeeper of data from aggregators and brokers, the role of a global custodian goes far beyond safekeeping. This paper makes the case for global custodians, pointing out their strengths in risk management, operational efficiency, accuracy and access to data, and technology.

Although another round of quantitative easing now looks less imminent given the recent economic strength, investors still expect Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke to come to their rescue with QE3 should economic growth falter. However, the flexibility for QE3 becomes more limited if crude oil and gasoline prices continue to escalate into the summer.

This Educational Insights defines the most common types of trusts used in asset management and estate planning, and highlights their key features.