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2020 was a chaotic year for many industries and the COVID-19 pandemic created a host of challenges for providers in the home health and hospice space. For investors and business owners in that space, the year ended with robust M&A activity in the hospice sector while the home health M&A activity remained dormant. Looking at the trends and challenges of 2020, what can investors and business owners expect in 2021?

Regardless of the sector, nearly every healthcare organization has made significant investments in technology, as data and computing became essential in the healthcare setting during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the pandemic, healthcare IT saw an uptick in M&A activity in certain sub-sectors. For those looking at potential investment deals in the healthcare sector, what can they learn from the trends in 2020 and what can they expect in 2021?

The decisions made regarding ownership of the family office or closely-held business may not necessarily be the same decisions that are required for leadership and management. It’s critical to understand and acknowledge the different elements that proper succession planning entails, which includes robust governance practices and being proactive in safeguarding the family legacy for generations to come.

The pursuit of stability remains the order of the day for family offices. With the aid of additional clarity after the tumultuous year of 2020 and COVID, wealth owners and their advisers have an opportunity to turn measured responses into more meaningful, longer-term action plans. Against this backdrop and the need to adapt, we take an in-depth look at how wealthy individuals and their advisers are meeting a myriad of challenges and preparing for what the future may bring.

A Net Income with Makeup Charitable Remainder Unitrust (NIMCRUT) is a unique wealth planning strategy and is an effective means to maximize after-tax returns, as well as benefiting charities in certain circumstances common to high net-worth families and individuals. This article outlines some ideal circumstances and illustrates the significant difference this strategy can produce to sustain wealth while also benefiting a donor's chosen charity upon death.

New regulations proposed by the IRS seek to address the basic exclusion amount for estate and gift taxes which was doubled in 2017 under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The doubling of the exemption is scheduled to sunset on January 1, 2026. When this occurs, how can a donor lock in the increased exemption for years 2018 through 2025? New proposed regulations issued April 27, 2022, provide some insights to possible solutions.

As families consider their family legacy and ESG strategy beyond philanthropy, they are moving toward long-term stability and practices that benefit people, the planet, and the needs of future generations. It’s an enterprise mindset that understands the importance of establishing a robust governance framework and providing family members with tools for positive communication, collective decision-making, and processes to implement their strategies.

Wealth does not build itself, but it can be built, nurtured and preserved—not just for you and your generation, but for generations to come. In an unprecedented study into the insights of wealthy families, clear evidence of new wealth management strategies has emerged. There are signs of more inclusive decision-making within the family. Many are looking beyond the balance sheets as they redefine what success means to them. And, importantly, they’re relying more and more on their business acumen to adopt a systematic approach to wealth management.

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.

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.