Succession Planning is key to reducing the risks to family wealth. It’s an important area for clients to consider as most family fortunes fail to survive more than 3 generations. Reasons for such failure are varied but largely are attributed to loss in clear leadership, poor communication and misunderstanding on the risks facing families with substantial holdings and interests.

Expert wealth planning and structuring helps the client to safeguard their personal assets giving them confidence in the future financial security of their family. Maintaining an element of control or income from their assets, while conducting an orderly transition of their estate to future generations, can be a complex and contentious task.

Our team of experts will work with the client to establish who will benefit from the estate, and the timing of the transfer to them. Often a successful family business will play an important role and require special consideration, particularly if other family members are involved in its management or the client’s intentions are to transfer control to others in due course. At any stage of this process, observing good family governance is key. As part of our succession planning service we can undertake a Wealth Review that involves a comprehensive fact-find process and an in-depth analysis of our client’s individual estate, their personal circumstances and the future needs and direction of their business and family.

Our solutions can range from simply organising adequate life assurance to cover Inheritance Tax exposure right up to the establishment of a family investment company and trust structures, for clients wishing to maintain control over family wealth whilst directing how the wealth is passed on to future generations. These services can all be implemented in house via our family office and fiduciary services businesses.