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Through a survey and series of interviews with members of 20 U.S.-based, multi-generational family philanthropic systems, researchers found that as families evolve, they face common dilemmas regarding their philanthropy—most critically, the choices they make about balancing the individual philanthropic priorities of their members with a collective family philanthropic endeavor. The study’s standout finding was that the creation of a robust family philanthropy “system” was vital to providing outlets for families’ increasingly diverse philanthropic interests.

The explosion of the use of philanthropic vehicles, coupled with massive intergenerational wealth transfer, means that affluent families are giving in more ways, both collectively and individually. Taking a deeper look, researchers found that as families evolve, they face common dilemmas regarding their philanthropy—most critically, the choices they make about balancing the individual philanthropic priorities of their members with a collective family philanthropic endeavor.

For families with substantial diversified portfolio investments, costs are an important consideration when devising an overall wealth management strategy. While there are a range of cost estimates drawn from real world examples, each family’s wealth management cost formula is different when analyzing it through a framework and analysis of four parts: the evaluation of costs; factors that can cause costs to fluctuate; key questions to ask when evaluating wealth management costs; and best practices.

Choosing a trustee is a major decision—one that may impact you and your family in many ways for generations to come. Essentially, when you establish a trust for the benefit of others, you are handing down your values through the terms of the trust and your contributed financial assets. And with an increasing number of trusts lasting for multiple generations—and even into perpetuity in some states—it’s important to understand the role of a trustee, how to select a trustee, and the advantages to naming both a corporate trustee and an individual trustee.

Gender equity investing seeks to invest for financial return while promoting gender diversity throughout the workplace. Though most public market strategies have remained focused on “women in leadership” metrics at the senior management and board of directors’ levels, the field of gender equity investing has expanded to encompass broader outcomes for employees, including resources, policies, and programs that support gender diversity at all levels in the workplace. As gender equity investing evolves, investors can look to three key areas to see what’s next.

For every business, risk management is a critical component of business resilience, profitability, and success. In 2023, there are some signs of insurance market stability and rate moderation. Businesses with a preferred risk profile will be in the strongest position to get the best rates and terms. The same can be said for individuals in the personal lines and private client space.

For one reason or another, many families are reevaluating and modifying their fiduciary structures. To assist in these discussions, a reference summary of state laws is provided for consideration when establishing wealth transfer plans and structures, including taxation, trust laws, asset protection, and regulated and unregulated private trust companies. This updated summary includes a broader aggregation of top U.S. trust jurisdictions, including Wyoming, Alaska, Delaware, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, and Tennessee.

All parents have reasons for why they do or do not share their wealth with their children, and neither option is without challenges. The key for parents is to find the balance between sharing everything and sharing nothing while also passing along the skills required to ensure their children become responsible inheritors and/or beneficiaries. Here are some best practices for striking that balance without losing the opportunities that come with significant wealth.

While the banking stress has largely subsided after the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, there’s expectations of uneven trajectories of economic growth and inflation that will continue to drive market volatility. Learn what this will mean for asset allocation in this Investment Perspective.

Leaders of founder-owned businesses likely know that the buyer universe essentially breaks down into two main categories—strategic buyers, who focus on synergies and operational integration, and financial sponsors, who emphasize cash flow generation and growth potential in the underlying market. For any founder-owner looking for an optimal outcome in a liquidity event, it’s a good idea to know your audience and its motives.