Rethinking the physical family office space is complex, especially in the new world of hybrid workstyles, and family offices may be wondering why the design of office space matters at all.The answer to this question lies in the approach. Transitions and disruptions are inevitable, but if approached in the right way and with the right resources, redesigning family office space can directly impact the family office’s level of success - both now and for generations to come.
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It's essential to understand the role that the right custodian can play in helping ultra-high net worth families build, maintain, and protect their wealth. By choosing a master global custody model, family offices can gain operational efficiencies, increased security, economies of scale, and a streamlined administration process.
Attracting and retaining talent was a significant problem for many organizations before the COVID-19 pandemic, and it continues to be a major issue across most industries. While the pandemic complicated matters, business leaders should look at the talent challenge as an opportunity to reposition itself and take the necessary steps—including leveraging technology and supporting local apprenticeship and school outreach programs—to thrive in the short term and to enjoy success in the long term.
Among its many provisions, the American Rescue Plan COVID relief addresses paid sick and family leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) and makes temporary but significant changes to COBRA coverage. A short (and high-level) summary of the changes are provided to show the effect on covered employers and employees.
Singapore has been trending upward—becoming the place that is increasingly synonymous with family offices. Since 2019, Singapore has seen a growing number of high-profiled businesspeople establish family offices there. In addition to tax incentives, interest in Singapore is fueled by the potential growth in Asia, where many see the island nation as a gateway to the region. Apart from tax and other external driving forces, Singapore has attractive investment incentives available for family offices or family investment vehicles.
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an acceleration of adoption of cloud solutions and other remote access tools. However, hasty adoption of any new technology that is not combined with robust security frameworks, policies, and controls can leave businesses vulnerable. A formal vendor management process and having specific controls in place can mean the difference between a cloud solution being a huge advantage to agile solutions or leaving the business open to attacks and unauthorized access.
The Corporate Transparency Act (the CTA) is the first significant update to the U.S. anti-money laundering laws in 20 years and gives FinCEN significant authority to adopt necessary regulations to implement the provisions of the CTA. Under this new compliance environment, there will be new burdens—including the filing of “beneficial ownership” information—imposed on many entities operating in the U.S. and will likely to have major implications for foreign and domestic businesses.
With the IRS increasing their funding and enforcement, upper income taxpayers should expect the IRS audit coverage to increase dramatically on them. It’s important to prepare for the tax changes that are coming—and coming quickly. Along with having a team of professionals on your side, there are steps you can take to protect yourself. Now is the time to review and perhaps recalibrate your risk tolerance for tax strategies.To learn more about the coming changes, listen to the podcast recording here with Waller’s Leigh Griffith.
The more we use social media to share updates, pictures and videos with friends and family, the easier it can be for cybercriminals to steal our information. See how you can use social media safely to protect yourself and your private information from cybercriminals.
There’s no doubt that leveraging new technologies and cloud-based solutions offers family offices opportunities to innovate, lower spending, and align their overall technology strategy to current and future-state needs. But the selection and implementation process can be a challenge. Having a structured approach around it will be critical in ensuring a successful outcome.