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Multinational families are not a new phenomenon; history is full of noteworthy family trees whose branches have spanned the globe for generations. Increasingly, though, even younger families find that business, marriage, or simply serendipity lead to many family members making their lives in different countries and different cultures. And as the family grows, children with different heritages and experiences become adults who must learn to connect across cultures in order to ensure the family’s ongoing health.

More and more, family members are heading off the beaten path when they travel. Whether the purpose is business, philanthropy, or pleasure, excursions to less-developed areas of the world present a special set of risks to manage – both for the individual traveler and for the family as a whole.

For business owning families, family councils offer opportunities for members to be involved with both the family business and the family system itself. A council can provide structure that helps members productively manage the strengths, challenges, and tensions that arise when a family has both an active operating business and multi-generational wealth. However, many leaders remain unclear about how to design and manage the “right” type of council for their family’s needs and priorities.

The wealth advisory industry is growing at an unprecedented rate as more and more registered investment advisors, financial institutions, and accounting and law firms are attracted by strong client population growth in the ultra wealthy segment. Although there is tremendous market opportunity and barriers to entry are relatively low, service requirements are extremely complex and competition is intense.

According to data from the US Department of Health and Human Services, more than 10% of Americans struggle with some form of addiction and/or mental illness.Most families face these issues at one time or another – but for high net worth family members, personal problems come with an additional layer of risks to the family enterprise. How can the family best handle decision-making, shared wealth management, even the family’s public profile when an at-risk family member is involved?

Ultra high net worth families face the question of whether to keep the financial family together at many points in time. From the first liquidity event through the continued branching of the family tree, family members must regularly determine if and how they should continue their wealth management work together. This complex decision can also surface long-standing conflicts, assumptions, and governance issues — issues that call for thoughtful and informed resolution.

When a family aviation emergency occurs, family offices must be ready to lead rather than observe in the onslaught of activity that inevitably follows.Integrated preparedness is the key to successfully managing and recovering from such emergencies. But creating an appropriate plan is a complex endeavor involving numerous dimensions of family service, from the flight crew themselves to medical, legal, and insurance representatives; public relations, crisis intervention, and security providers; and of course family members themselves.