Family meetings require thoughtful planning in advance. While family togetherness is beneficial, a productive family meeting will have defined goals and objectives.
Author: Mark Shiller
Not that long ago, I was part of a panel discussion on the subject of how professionals of various disciplines (accounting, law, investment planning, insurance, etc.) might best work together. It’s not a new subject, and one that will continue to be a subject of much discussion in the financial services…
I love to see families become closer, healthier, more productive and more impactful. I love having a role in helping them move forward. I love having success stories to lean on and learn from. But of course not every family experience goes perfectly. If success is measured by improved relationships,…
How you approach this commonly considered question may dramatically alter your answers.
Estate and financial planning are complicated. Your goals probably aren’t. So why does everything about planning seem so complicated? Achieving your goals may require you to deal with some complications. However, things are likely to seem more complicated if your actual goals are never articulated or do not receive the…
It is somewhat easy to look to the size of the donation, but a poor woman long ago may have something to say about the right way to value a giver’s generosity.
Wealthy parents of young children, or even of young adult children, are typically desperately concerned about the financial maturity of their children. They don’t want to raise or create trust fund babies, and they don’t want to raise spoiled brats. Yet many are at a loss as to why, despite…
How young adults in particular approach pre-nuptial agreements must be considered whenever parents recommend or insist that their child enter a pre-nup.
In the last few months, the topic of allowance for teens and minor children has come up quite a bit. It’s certainly not an unimportant topic. Frankly, it is a major opportunity for parents to interact with their children in a very direct way regarding money. But allowance is often…
Philanthropy is often touted as a tool to encourage certain values and stewardship skills in the next generation — and there is an element of truth and sensibility to that point of view. That said, fostering character through philanthropy is best achieved through the initiative and interest of your child…