Wealth and Family Dynamics

Families who share assets join their emotional system with an economic one, tying their opportunities and their risks together. Learning how to deal with the unique challenges that come from this combination is the focus of our efforts. Money is the most intimate of subjects for families providing fertile ground for confusion and conflict. Parents worry about the impact of wealth on the next generation. Our groundbreaking work on entitlement has led to a unique “Give to Get Equation” for parents to use when thinking about raising the next generation in wealth.

We believe the most important objective in resolving conflicts in family enterprises is to maintain both family relationships and the family’s financial assets. We are expert in preventing potential conflicts by assisting families to establish governance structures and processes to guide their decision-making, and in defusing conflicts that have already developed by providing neutrality and safety for difficult conversations to occur.

Articles

MATTERS OF THE FAMILY: Fights over money can tear families apart. But often, money isn’t really the problem

Money is a charged issue which tends to become connected to the issues of power, control and love. Fredda Herz Brown writes about these issues and how to navigate this complex dynamic and maintain the family bond. Read the Article>>

Systems Thinking: A Practical Lens for Understanding Enterprising Families

Help clients overcome the disruptions caused by emotional ping pong. This article by Rebecca A. Meyer appeared in Trusts and Estates, August 2019. Read the Article>>

Position Open: Chief Collaboration Officer (CCO)

This article by Fran Lotery explores what the present and future enterprising family needs: a modern-day approach from their advisors that is less expert driven and more multi-disciplinary—advisors who can shift their mindset to execute team-based behavior that is both collaborative and cooperative. Read the Article >>

The XX Factor Guidebook: How to Align Financial Investments to Improve the Lives of Women & Girls

In 2017, the Center for High Impact Philanthropy published its first-ever comprehensive framework for philanthropic donors committed to improving the lives of women and girls called the XX Factor. In this Guidebook, we show how our framework can be used not only to guide philanthropic funding decisions, but also to help investors align their financial investments with their goals of improving the lives of women and girls. Read the Article >>

Case Studies

the Challenges of Newly Created Wealth

As a result of the sale of their third-generation business, several members of the family realized significant amounts of wealth for the first time. Read the Case Study >>

equality vs. equity in the family business

A woman began a small environmental testing company, and after just a few years, revenues were $84 million. Her husband retired early from his firm to work full-time in her company. Immediately, they began to fight for control and management. Read the Case Study>>