This week, we are pleased to share an article by Bilal Zein examining the topic of risk management in family enterprises.

Thank you to this week’s contributor, Randy Waesche, for this thought-provoking examination of the influence that money and financial independence can have in the succession process.

When family business owners are evaluating non-family ownership succession options, often their advisers may suggest two primary options; selling the business to a “strategic buyer” or a “financial buyer.” However, this week’s edition presents an alternative option – selling the business to the employees, a “friendly buyer,” through an ESOP. Thank you to this week’s contributor, Dan Bayston, for sharing his analysis of ESOPs and the role they can play in a non-family ownership succession plan.

Thanks to Mitzi Perdue for this week’s article addressing an international phenomenon impacting life insurance dividends and returns. Rather than putting life insurance policies in the proverbial “bottom left hand drawer,” her research recommends that, especially in a reduced interest rate environment, all of your client’s life insurance portfolios be evaluated to check and monitor their performance to avoid an “economic time bomb.”

This article explores the potential risks and rewards and provides suggestions for family business and their advisors who decide to engage in the practice.

When a family-owned business needs to recruit a non-family CEO or COO, a well-structured Long Term Incentive Program (LTIP) is essential in attracting an outstanding candidate. However, LTIPs can make some family business owners uncomfortable.

Thanks to Jane Glover and Karen Vinton, FBR assistant editor, for this podcast on Sustaining the Family Business with Minimal Financial Rewards: How Do Family Farms Continue?

Thanks to this week’s contributor Laurent Roux of Gallatin Wealth Management for his thoughtful and informative article on the Private Trust Company (PTC).

For many women in family enterprises adapting to new situations such as marriage, partnership, motherhood, widowhood, divorce, loss of a loved one, moving, or job transition can be stressful.

This issue is a blog from The Practitioner highlighting Base of the Pyramid, Circular Economies, and a framework for assessing the “sustainability mindset of executives”.

The 2015 FFI Global Conference theme of “myths and realities” provides an excellent opportunity to focus attention on how best to advise family enterprises for the long-term success of the family and the enterprise.

Wealth. It’s a cornerstone word in the family business vocabulary. But is its use on point?

This issue is a primer on recent IRS programs focused on foreign financial assets of U.S. citizens and green card holders. Thanks to Ron Drucker for this timely piece.

This week’s guest blog features a discussion of how and why the location of a trust established for US-based clients is critical.

...advantages of an interdisciplinary collaboration when helping families create an integrated approach to the ownership of shared assets.

ESOPS are frequently used by family companies to provide shareholder liquidity. This week’s article is a case study from Martin Staubus of The Beyster Institute at the Rady School of Management at the University of California San Diego.

This blog by Kirby Rosplock of GenSpring Family Office raises some critical issues for advisors to consider when suggesting a family bank to their clients.

When it comes to trust and estate planning for family enterprises, prudent tax strategy is king.

Today’s blog entry and accompanying article bring you something different: a granular investment idea that advisors can bring to their clients.

The chicken and the egg. A snake eating its tail. A Möbius Strip. What do all of these images have in common?