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SFFamily Governance Basics To Build A Wealth Enterprise®

Families are emotionally connected within a complex system and, like any system, any subtle change can have an effect, either positive or negative, on the entire system. Lack of trust, communication break down or conflicts can disrupt even the most cohesive family, sometimes for the short term, but often for years or even decades. These disruptions can result in misunderstandings that often lead to the delay or termination of critical decisions, affecting all members of the family, and potentially endangering the overall sustainability of the family’s wealth enterprise®. In this paper we discuss three best practices that families can follow to improve communication and establish a basic family governance framework for decision making.

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Beyond Wealth Transition: Role Transition

In our experience working with wealthy families, it is not uncommon to find a situation in which there is division of labor between husband and wife around the many different aspects of the couple’s life. And when it comes to oversight and management of the family’s wealth enterprise®, in a marriage in which the husband has been financially successful, it is also not uncommon for him to take on the primary decision making role around the financial affairs of the family, with his wife taking on the primary decision making role in other areas of the couple’s life. This division of labor often works for a long period of time, and the family has a strong sense of financial security and high standard of living. But what happens if and when he stops playing that role?

This paper addresses and identifies an important but not often discussed subset of women: wives in ultra-affluent families and the challenges they encounter when, by choice or circumstance, find themselves transitioning into a leadership role in the family wealth enterprise®.

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Illiquid Investments to Provide Diversification in Uncertain Times

Much has been said, and written, recently regarding the end of the “Golden Age” of fixed income. Since the late 1970’s, we have seen a continuous increase in bond prices, coupled with decreasing interest rates across all developed countries. However, since overcoming what was arguably the most catastrophic economic crisis to occur in the last 50 years in the United States, a gradual increase in the cost of money is to be expected. This increase will have a potentially significant impact on nearly every other financial asset and investors will be wise to understand these broad impacts on their own portfolios and investment strategies.
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Illiquid Investments

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Cut Through The Clutter! How Independent is Your Advisor? (Part 3)

In this series of white papers, we have discussed how a family can “cut through the clutter” to first determine what kind of financial service provider they are working with, and second, what are the implications of working with each type. In general, there are three types of advisors: Manufacturers, Distributors, or Independent, Fee-only Fiduciaries (IFOF). Depending on what your family is looking for, each type of advisor probably has a place in a family’s roster of financial service providers, but it’s important to be aware there are significant implications to working with each type.

How Independent Is Your Advisor

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Cut Through The Clutter! What Does It Mean For You? (Part 2)

In this paper, we take a step further to help families differentiate between the various kinds of wealth management firms, and also to understand the practical implications of working with each of the three main types of advisors. Our objective is not to recommend one type over another, but rather to help families understand the business model and interests of each type so that their choice of which firm or firms to work with is an informed one.

What Does It Mean For You

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Cut Through The Clutter! How to Tell The Difference Between Advisors (Part 1)

Independent. Same side of the table. Conflict-free. These buzz words are common place as new trends in wealth management take hold. With all the marketing noise, how is a family supposed to know with certainty what kind of adviser they are really working with? Or what kind of adviser would be right for them? Our white paper sheds some light on this confusing but critical subject for investors.

How To Tell The Difference

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White Paper: Why A Wealth Enterprise®?

What is a wealth enterprise®? Do you need one? This introductory white paper provides an introduction to the wealth enterprise® concept and offers insight into how a wealth enterprise® might help you and your family.

Why a Wealth Enterprise?

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Where Do I Start? What Rethinking Your Wealth Can Do For You

Is your family’s wealth management headed in the right direction? This brief worksheet outlines a few ideas to help you get started re-conceptualizing your family’s wealth. By starting to think of your wealth as a business enterprise, you can begin the process of enhancing your wealth management, one element at a time.

Daily Market Report

WE produces a daily market commentary providing insight and analysis into the global market economy. Our daily review covers world economic news, money market analysis, currency analysis, and a snapshot of the world’s indices. Visit our investment commentary page.

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