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For many families, discussing wealth transfer and inheritance issues can be challenging. Fear of demotivating heirs can cause wealth holders to withhold vital information. But the rewards can prove significant when family members work together to overcome their fear by improving communications and strengthening trust. While every family is unique, there are some best practices among families who have decided that having an inheritance plan—including responsible ownership education—is better than no plan at all.

The legal qualifications for a trustee are simple: the person must be over the age of 18 and legally competent to manage his/her own affairs. The practical qualifications, however, are much more complicated. Most importantly, a trustee must have the skill set to properly administer the trust and meet the needs of the beneficiaries and must possess and exercise good judgment.

As individuals progress in their careers, success becomes tied more to their ability to collaborate, engage, and mobilize others than on the individual skills and abilities that may have fueled early-career advancement. Given this progression, there are five top areas and leadership skills that next generation leaders should focus on to position their organizations for future, sustainable success.

We are living through a fundamental transformation in the way we work. Automation and 'thinking machines' are changing the skills workers need, while demographic changes promise a talent shortage, longer lifespans, and other significant shifts that will affect the workplace. These changes raise huge organizational and human resource challenges at a time when business leaders are already wrestling with unprecedented risks, disruption and political and societal upheaval.

Few, if any, roles are more significant in ensuring a foundation's success than that of the board chair. This may be why many people find assuming this position a daunting project. And yet the successful businessperson who serves as chair of a family foundation dedicated to a cause that was dear to his or her parents' hearts or the community leader who serves as chair of an independent foundation that provides deserving youth with life-changing opportunities will tell you that few roles are more rewarding.

Mentorships are valuable relationships at any age or walk of life. As you begin your career, you may wonder what mentorships are, how they work and where you should look to find a mentor. Mentorships shouldn’t be shrouded in mystery, but there isn’t one accepted guidebook for them either. There are, however, several keys to remember to begin a successful mentorship.

Due diligence often focuses heavily on financial and operational issues. Often the new or combined organization’s cybersecurity does not receive the attention it deserves. As a result it places the company at risk from a cyber incident, which can detrimentally impact the organization’s reputation and financial security. The risk is higher if you are collecting, storing, or transmitting personal, financial or health information.

Most people prefer to age in place. If you have a beautiful and gracious home that you love, why leave it? Yet common features in many homes—steeps stairs, “classic” plumbing fixtures, even hardwood floors—can actually make life less comfortable, or sometimes even dangerous, as you get older. Fortunately, there are many attractive home décor options that are also age-friendly.

Millennials have surpassed the Baby Boomers as the nation’s largest demographic segment. And with more than $30 trillion passing to them through inheritance over the next 30 years, Millennial investors are determined to make an impact and use their wealth to reshape not just markets, but the world.

The field of philanthropy has primarily been built around the more tactical aspects and the how of giving while taking the why for granted.