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Based on a FOX Research, the average family office spends about 32 percent of its time on financial administration and reporting. That’s almost 17 weeks a year spent on collecting, verifying, analyzing, and consolidating financial information. For some family offices, these jobs took up as much as 75 percent of their time, which left them with litt...

A common question that a family often asks prior to building a family office is “What is a family office anyway and does my family actually need one?” The answer depends on the family’s goals, as well as understanding the four different types of family offices that are commonly used: (1) single family office, (2) family business office, (3) family ...

Cybercriminals targets the financial industry 300 times more frequently than any other industry, resulting in mega breaches and millions of records stolen through hacktivism, malware, social engineering, phishing, and other applications. The harsh consequences of remaining vulnerable to cybersecurity breaches are costly, and the number one threat t...

Strong cybersecurity for protecting sensitive client data is a critical capability for any Registered Investment Advisor firm. In 2013, Hardy Reed—one of the first firms to earn the Center for Fiduciary Excellence certification—considered cloud services as an option for its IT needs. They wanted to look at alternate options to replacing...

After 17 years of declining or fairly constant tax rates, investors face a changing environment of much higher tax rates on investment income starting in 2013. This brief from BNY Mellon Wealth Management details the coming changes in taxation and offers strategies for greater tax efficiency for business owners, investors and corporate executives.

Families who employ private staff are wise to conduct periodic audits and adjustments of their hiring processes, says a new paper from Mahler Private Staffing. A close examination of hiring protocols may reveal gaps that should be closed to protect employers and employees as well as to optimize the search process.

Due to new money market regulations and other structural changes in the cash markets, institutional and retail investors are reviewing their short-term investment options and liquidity needs. This paper provides an overview of money market funds, the recent changes in 2a-7 money market regulations, and our view of the impact on money markets.

The Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, signed by President Obama, includes a number of provisions that will have a significant impact on domestic and non-U.S. fund managers and investment advisers.

When a family needs to add to their domestic staff, they often call upon their family office for assistance in overseeing the process. This paper from Mahler Private Staffing provides an overview of the steps involved in hiring domestic staff, as well as questions to ask when assessing search firms.

Deutsche Bank details the benefits, rationale and structures for short selling in making the case for the United States and European Union arriving at an equivalent regulatory framework for short selling. Currently, varied rules raise the cost of compliance, complicate assessment of market conditions and increase legal risks, the authors say.

Organizations that invest in leadership development perform better than those that don't. Challenging economic times underscore this fact even more, according to independent reports collected by the Center for Creative Leadership. Studies show investment in leadership development improves financial performance, attracts and retains talent, driv...

A short article from HUB International highlights changes in the new federal health reform law, with a focus on issues affecting employer health plans (An individual mandate also applies.) The firm has detailed information available, including effective date discussions, that it plans to post to its website (www.hubinternational.com/reform).

The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to hear a case this spring that addresses employees' right to free speech and privacy on company-owned cell phones. Among the questions raised is whether employers have the right to examine employees' cell phone records and obtain lists of their cell-phone conversations. Willis North America explores the i...

Purchasing or building a yacht can be a time-consuming and complicated process, particularly for buyers who are unfamiliar with the industry and the specifics of yacht construction. The Global SuperYacht Group explains the role of a maritime advisor and how he or she can streamline the process and protect the buyer.

This PriceWaterhouseCoopers study of global private banking and wealth management provides insight into the themes and trends affecting the world of wealth management as well as practical suggestions for actions wealth managers should be taking. The study is conveniently divided into six sections covering performance, client service, products and s...