What do people really mean when they talk about “impact investing?” Why do people make impact investments, and how do they do it? What counts, and what doesn’t? This primer provides family enterprises with clear explanations of the “why,” “how,” and “what” of impact investing. Whether families are just dipping their toes in the water, or ready to dive in, families can make more impact investments more effectively.
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While many families are expending effort on important concepts such as improving financial literacy, defining family shared values, and creating family mission statements, such efforts are likely to be lost if families do not first focus on one fundamental aspect of a successful family: Communication. Effective communication is an ongoing effort that requires continuous attention. Learning a few tips and tricks can go a long way to helping families connect their wealth and purpose.
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.
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.
In light of the high conflict nature of many divorces, and the cost and time associated with divorce litigation, many couples attempt to pre-plan for the possibility of a later divorce by executing a pre-marital agreement. The past, present and future of pre-nups and post-nups highlight a process that attempts to minimize a couple's stress during the planning and negotiating phase prior to a marriage while affording both parties future protection, security and predictability in terms of the outcome.
Charitable planning can be an important part not only of managing income and estate taxes, but of engaging the family and strengthening family values. Adding in a multigenerational component can make it even more meaningful and compelling. Just as every family is unique, so is the philanthropic approach where communication is key and there is more than one way to involve a family in philanthropy.
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.
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.