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In "How To Talk With Your Family About Wealth," we discussed the importance of the family conversation when it comes to planning a legacy—and how quickly wealth can be lost when these conversations don’t take place. Yet despite their importance, these discussions can still be difficult, especially if your family doesn’t regularly talk about money. ...

Many families are not aware of important legal issues that affect their 18 – 21-year-old children. Parents are often so focused on the fact that the drinking age is 21 that they do not realize that their 18-year-olds are, for most other purposes, adults in the eyes of the law. Parents no longer have the same access to information or control over th...

To effectively serve as a trustee, it's crucial to understand your fiduciary duties. Even trustees with the best of intentions can create liability for themselves by being unprepared for the job or by not fully understanding their obligations. Learn more about some of the common mistakes family trustees make that can lead to lawsuits and other...

Serving as a trustee for your family can be a valuable experience for you, while also providing an important service to your family. But before you accept the position, make sure that you understand the role you will play for the family and are willing to accept the responsibilities and liability that come with it.

For a variety of reasons, Americans tend to be reluctant to discuss the specifics of their wealth—especially with adult children. While there may be discomfort around talking about wealth, there are several good reasons and ways to have these critical conversations. For more insights and tips on ways to set the stage for better family comm...

Ultimately, how well your wealth transfer plan fulfills your legacy and meets the needs of the next—and future—generations depends on whom you name as your trustee(s). This makes your trustee selection one of the most critical aspects of an already complex wealth planning process. To help navigate this selection process, work with a framework built...

When a family unit is comprised of multiple generations, conflicting perspectives and ways of being often come into play. While these generational differences can challenge unity and harmony, they also offer valuable insights and unique contributions when it comes to navigating important family matters. So how do families leverage these differences...

Successful family meetings are an essential component of managing a family-owned business, especially for wealthy families. Such gatherings are not only about ensuring the smooth operation of the business, but also about facilitating family harmony and ensuring that relationships and the family’s legacy continue through generations. Learning from e...

Engaging and preparing the rising generation is often top of mind, as the wellbeing of future family leaders is of great concern. Setting out to understand the needs and wants of the rising generation, this research tapped into the wisdom and experience of 55 families, 28 future family leaders, and 38 family office executives. The practical advice ...

Even if you are not yet ready to share the family's wealth numbers, communicating your intentions to the next generations promotes family harmony and is a best practice for successfully sustaining and transferring family wealth. It may also be time to schedule a family meeting for this purpose. There is no right way to conduct this meeting, bu...

Everyone has a relationship with money. However, money itself is neutral as a tool used to get what you need and want. And yet it impacts nearly every aspect of life, beginning with how parents teach their children about money. From this view, there’s also a need to recognize its resulting effect. While money is powerful, you are in charge of that ...

For most families, a large part of multigenerational success hinges on how they approach challenges and create opportunities. In unprecedented times of social distancing and school closures, there are ways you can use this unexpected “family time” to your advantage, including enhancing education for younger generations and foster family communicati...

All parents have reasons for why they do or do not share their wealth with their children, and neither option is without challenges. The key for parents is to find the balance between sharing everything and sharing nothing while also passing along the skills required to ensure their children become responsible inheritors and/or beneficiaries. ...

As parents, you hope your kids will become safe and courteous drivers. But, it will not happen on its own. Learn the 10 things you can do to help them become safe drivers.

Research tells us communication is the most essential ingredient for sustaining wealth across generations. But, cross-generational communication can be particularly challenging, especially within families of wealth. Each generation’s habits, beliefs, and ideals are influenced by very different experiences, traditions, and societal norms. So how do ...