A great deal of focus has been placed on the next generation of business leaders, beneficiaries, and philanthropists. Rarely discussed, however, is the next generation of trustees that will guide them through so many crucial life decisions. Serving as trustee is a natural extension of an estate planning role, and the next generation of trustees knows that in-depth knowledge of the nuts and bolts of estate planning is only one part of the foundation needed to be a truly trusted advisor to families.
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In recent years the rise in prominence of smaller, typically seed stage focused venture funds has transformed the landscape of early stage investing. At the same time, mobile innovation has spawned new business models that in a short period of time can achieve great scale and reach. It becomes even more essential to have access to top venture capital firms, which can be hard, but understanding micro VCs track record may get you the same access to the top portfolio companies.
Everything is more complicated for families with a loved one with a disability. From finding the right doctors, the right schools and obtaining necessary therapies and services. Nothing is easy. Developing an estate plan is also more complicated than it is for “typical” families.
If your boat was in lay-up over the winter, you’ll need to take care of a few things before it’s ready to go, including conducting a complete safety and maintenance review. As a boat owner, you’re responsible for knowing the condition of your boat and its equipment. Knowing and implementing the important safety measures and other recommended tips will help ensure your vessel is ready for a successful launch and a safe and relaxing season.
The expression “an elephant in the room” is readily recognized to mean an uncomfortable situation not talked about but clearly known to all. When elephants make unwanted appearances—at family dinners, social gatherings, meetings—people get uncomfortable and begin to shut down. When this happens, they begin to operate from assumptions and draw conclusions based on their own perceptions. Overtime, these actions may cause family relationships to erode.
All business owners will transition their business at some point in the future. Whether it is a transfer within their family, such as to the next generation, or to an existing business partner or employee, or sold to a competitor or outside investor, transition will occur. Just as successfully run businesses do not happen overnight, transitioning well cannot happen without devoting the necessary focus and intentionality.
Families of significant wealth often own a diverse mix of assets, including multiple residences, less liquid alternative or private equity investments, and valuable collectibles, all of which requires more sophisticated planning. They also have somewhat different emotions about their wealth that can include, among others, fear that wealth can have a corrosive effect on future generations. Because no single advisor, no matter how talented, can serve their diverse needs, working with ultra-wealthy families requires a team approach and a well-integrated wealth management plan.
While wealthy families prefer to pass nearly two-thirds of their wealth to their children, grandchildren and other heirs, they grapple with a fundamental question: Can their wealth benefit their generation and be passed on to future generations while also having a positive impact on those future generations? Experience shows that sustaining family wealth is indeed possible when families begin to see their wealth not only as a series of activities that need to be performed, but also as an enterprise that needs to be managed.
If a premarital agreement is a prerequisite to getting married, doing all you can to ensure that your agreement will be upheld against a future challenge should be your guiding priority. Accordingly, there are some helpful tips—the do’s and don’ts—to consider with respect to a premarital agreement. When thoughtfully negotiated and wisely drafted, a premarital agreement should ultimately satisfy both parties. However, if this is not possible to achieve, other alternatives may be available to provide adequate protection of your premarital assets.
A much anticipated and, perhaps, over-hyped news conference rolling out the Trump Administration’s tax reform plan generated very little “new news.” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and National Economic Director Gary Cohn presented an outline of a plan that is very similar to the talking points the President promoted on the campaign trail. Perhaps the most interesting tidbit of information from the 23-minute briefing was a change in the Administration’s proposal for the treatment of itemized deductions for individual taxpayers.