A family office is usually structured around the individual needs and preferences of the family involved, and an increase in private wealth is fostering the creation of more and more single family offices (SFOs).
The space is shifting rapidly, and with it comes the changing face of the family office and new definitions of what this means. One pervasive mistake is not developing a deep understanding of the goals, objectives and agendas of the wealthy family. Some multi family offices (MFOs) and even SFOs are using a cookie-cutter approach, which works against the whole idea of a family office.
Rather, family office purpose, mission and vision statements should be crafted according to the family’s service needs. These can act as the foundation for strategic decision making, and link to measurable results.
Virtual FOs are rapidly proving to be a superior alternative to traditional MFOs as they offer a greater level of flexibility. In addition, private MFOs are forming, which enable groups of families to pool their resources and leverage co-investment opportunities.
Consider This: Have you considered whether/how a family office could be beneficial to your family? If you already have one, how do you review its performance and whether it is meeting the needs of the family? How often do you review the arrangement, with consideration of how the family’s needs evolve over time?
Original articles:
- Could Now Be The Right Time For The Virtual Family Office?
- Family Office 2020…Going Strong
- Emerging Forms Of The Family Office
- Rise of the ‘virtual family office’
- Russ Prince: A Critical Mistake To Avoid When Setting Up A Single-Family Office
- Bobby Gill on Family Offices: How to protect wealth for successive generations
- Considering A Family Office? How To Choose A Fitting Form.
- 6 Best Practices For Single Family Offices
Here is more on reading on family office structure.
