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In March 2014, the Chinese Government announced the launch of its National New Urbanization Plan. The plan will transform China and will present opportunities in almost every sector—health care, entertainment, construction, energy, urban planning and many others. The New Urbanization Plan is a key part of the Government’s economic strat...

“Why can’t we all just get along?” If you say that often, perhaps it’s time to find the answer. People who work with successful families know that financial resources, social status, career or educational opportunities and even intact marriages do not guarantee family harmony. All families are subject to conflicts, pressures...

Something significant occurs when people are in a dispute, especially an angry one – they stop communicating. Or they communicate primarily in an aggressive or passive aggressive manner. Effective long-term dispute resolution practices require the parties in a dispute, or potentially in a dispute, to learn how to listen actively, show underst...

The process of effective dispute resolution requires the participants to be able to identify four types of communication and conduct: passive, aggressive, passive aggressive and assertive. A goal of dispute resolution is to encourage assertiveness in communication and conduct.Passive communication and conduct, such as silence, sulking and other for...

As we enter the ninth year since the Federal Reserve Bank slashed interest rates in response to the Great Recession, many Wealthy Families are looking for ways to deploy cash into the fixed income markets. This comes at a time when most market pundits are predicting that the Federal Reserve Bank will finally begin to raise interest rates at the sch...

Last week, markets were caught on the wrong foot by the latest package of measures by the European Central Bank (ECB). There was no headline increase of monthly asset purchases, which are currently at EUR 60bn. Since then, investors have grown used to ECB President Mario Draghi over-delivering, earning him the nickname “Super Mario”. Wh...

The real estate industry is going through an unprecedented phase of institutionalization as it formalizes processes, outsources noncore activities and takes proactive steps to managing increased regulatory oversight. This trends report for the coming New Year provides some surprising changes in the real estate private equity market. Some of t...

Geopolitics aside, economic data outside the United States displayed modest improvement based on ‘flash’ purchasing manager surveys for Europe and Japan, which pointed to stronger activity, Quantitative easing (QE) by the European Central Bank (ECB) and Bank of Japan (BoJ) have supported both economies, although recent signs of soft inf...

It is a common understanding that when investing in international assets, there are two sources of risk, first, the volatility that comes from the underlying asset itself (typically equities or bonds) and second, the volatility of the currency in which the international asset is denominated versus the base currency of the portfolio.Institutional in...

The economic outlook may be better than many think, with U.S. growth in 2016 likely remaining well above the long-term trend of 1.5 percent. The economy is expected to grow near 2.6 percent, with the household sector and residential investment being the two primary drivers. The recent Washington D.C. policymaker agreement, which resulted in a lifti...

There is rarely any dissension over the assumption that future investment results are shaped by present-day conditions. Underpromising, or assuming future returns will fall below historic averages, may appear unduly pessimistic. Yet, adversity is best confronted when it is expected. With prudent expectations and some guidance, your investment portf...

It can be surprising to hear that just 30 percent of families successfully sustain their wealth beyond three generations. The reasons for wealth transition failures are generally personal rather than technical—resulting from a breakdown of communication within the family, inadequate preparation of heirs, and lack of a shared family vision. Su...

Families with significant wealth often assume that requiring a prenuptial agreement should be expected, but frequently have questions on the impact the discussion can have on current and future family relationships. Through effective communications and careful development, a prenuptial agreement can enhance and clarify a couple’s financial re...

With the recent changes in the transfer tax laws, it is possible to transfer greater wealth and reduce income taxes through POAST. This innovative approach and integrated trust technique allow a wealthy individual (the donor) to provide benefits to both parents and descendants. A properly structured POAST can accomplish multiple objectives, includi...

While election-year politics will dominate legislative action in 2016, comprehensive tax reform remains a priority for many businesses. President Obama and the Republican leaders of Congress will face key tax policy issues, including tax reform, global tax controversy, IRS challenges, new regulatory projects, and other tax policy matters of importa...