Affluent individuals and families are increasingly becoming targets of criminal activity, such as stalking, kidnapping, theft, harm and vandalism. Does your family use any wireless communication devices? Do you regularly check for spyware on your computers? How do you dispose of sensitive information? These are just some of the potential vulnerabilities that exist. Unfortunately, these circumstances are real, and you need to be prepared for the unexpected.
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Be sure that your heirs have the information they need to access your online accounts.
In the post-Madoff era, the foundation and non-profit sector continues to struggle with how to invest philanthropic assets most appropriately and how to ensure that boards and staff are managing investments prudently.
In an age of increased travel, easy access to information and global economic instability, personal security is a major concern for all wealth-owning families. In this 2010 FOX Financial Executives Forum presentation, a family office executive shares her experience in coordinating a security audit with a professional risk consultant to determine areas of family vulnerability, outline potential risk mitigation strategies and establish a process for evaluating potential security threats on an ongoing basis.
In this presentation given at the 2010 Financial Executives Forum, John Benevides presents key findings from a recent FOX survey of more than 100 single family offices, providing new insights on standard and best practice in the provision of insurance services to wealthy families, perceived risks and liability issues affecting ultra-wealthy clients and the utilization of insurance services in integrated planning and wealth management activities.
Portfolio volatility needs to be considered in making asset allocations at a given level of risk, and that volatility can take on extreme values that depend on the volatility of volatility, or vovo. This paper from the National Association of Active Investment Managers explores vovo-related concepts and offers insights on tactical asset allocation.
A simple, periodic verification of the credit-worthiness of an insurance company and the adequacy of the policy funding is not sufficient to fulfill the requirements of the Uniform Prudent Investor Act. A paper from J.R. Katz recommends that reviews of policy suitability include financial strength and claims paying ability, cost competitiveness, pricing stability, cash value liquidity and historical performance of invested assets underlying policy cash values.
When implemented responsibly, a successful foreign exchange hedging strategy can go beyond mitigating foreign exchange risk to actually improving the bottom line of a global business, according to a paper from SVB Capital. The author addresses the impact of currency exchange rates as well as best practices for implementing a hedging strategy.
The case of Agbaje v Agbaje is the first time the justices of the Supreme Court (formerly the House of Lords) have been asked to consider under Part III of the Matrimonial and Family Proceedings Act 1984 the circumstances in which a spouse may seek an additional financial award in England where the divorce has been concluded elsewhere. In the light of the judgment on 10 March, it is likely to lead to far more applications of this nature.
While a life insurance agent/broker may be a valuable resource and advisor, the very nature of today's products and compensation structure, coupled with the lack of transparency, create substantial conflicts of interest between what is best for the client and what is best for the agent. What are the conflicts, how meaningful are they and how can families protect themselves? This paper from Pelagos Advisors advocates a fiduciary standard for agents to ensure accountability.