UBS Family Office Quarterly

Solita Marcelli, Chief Investment Officer Americas, UBS Global Wealth Management

With Kamala Harris and Donald Trump locked in a tight race for the US presidency—each with policies in stark contrast to one another—much is uncertain.

As the election draws near, we address some of the most frequent questions our CIO office receives, covering topics from monetary policy to election dynamics to each candidate’s proposed fiscal policies. 

Julie A. Binder, CAP^® and Heather A. George, CFP^®, Senior Strategists, Family Advisory and Philanthropy Services

Family office professionals are critical guides for stewarding families through the transition of wealth and preparing the rising generations.

By nurturing family culture through intentional, mutual communication, family office executives can help build lasting family cohesion, with clarity around goals and expectations, vision for the future and a shared definition of success. 

Mark R. Tepsich, Family Office Design and Governance Strategist, UBS Family Office Solutions

In estate planning, family office executives often find their clients grapple with how to attach meaning to the assets they will eventually transfer to the next generation.

This is where an ethical will can play a critical role in helping to convey the owner’s values, personal story as well as their hopes, life lessons and aspirations for their children and the world.  

Erin Hulse, Founder and CEO, Deviate Consulting

For family offices embarking on the journey of building a tech infrastructure, hundreds of questions and considerations can arise.

We identify best practices that can serve as a road map for your family office, from identifying a Managed Service Provider (MSP) to selecting software applications to testing to ensuring privacy and security.

Foundation Source

Running a private foundation is an important part of the value a family office provides to prominent families. However, it can also be a daunting task.

Understanding the rules can help you steer clear of some of the most common pitfalls around a charity’s tax status, unrelated business taxable income (UBTI), scholarship grants, fundraising events and more.

Kathleen Yazbak, Founder, Viewcrest Advisors

While families often consult philanthropic advisors, the question can arise in a busy family office about when it makes sense to hire philanthropic support staff.

The answer usually falls into two primary areas: When there’s a substantive strategic or programmatic question that you need to answer or when different and complementary skills are required.

Mark R. Tepsich, Family Office Design and Governance Strategist, UBS Family Office Solutions and Kirby Rosplock, Ph.D., Founder and CEO, Tamarind Partners and Tamarind Learning Partners

Our podcast discussion covers the need to educate family members in the midst of the great wealth transfer underway, why education and family governance go hand in hand, education areas families most need, and resources to get started.