Family Wealth Transition Planning: 2009-05-03

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Family Wealth Transition Planning (FWTP)

When families transition business wealth from one generation to the next, things can quickly become complicated. Difficult questions arise, family ties are stressed, and storms quickly spread over what were once were calm waters. In the midst of transition, families turn to the advisers they trust most, be they lawyers, accountants, financial advisers or family business consultants. In Family Wealth Transition Planning, Bonnie Brown Hartley and Gwendolyn Griffith guide advisers down the tumultuous path of transition planning, teaching them how to help a business family find both financial and personal success during succession.

This blog will provide commentary on the book's topics by the authors and members of the family wealth adviser community. The authors will guide discussions by posting questions that will help advisers probe:

>The opportunities and dangers of family wealth transition planning (FWTP)·
>The impact of individual, family and business life cycles on FWTP·
>The role of the family’s financial, social and human capital in FWTP ·
>The needs and expectations of the stakeholders in the family, business, investment and philanthropic systems in FWTP·
>The ways governance structures and processes support family wealth continuity·
>The role of the adviser as a member of an interdisciplinary team.

About the Authors: Bonnie Brown Hartley and Gwendolyn Griffith

Bonnie Brown Hartley, President of Transition Dynamics Inc, works primarily on governance systems and life-long learning systems for client families. She works with family offices, multi-generational business families and their businesses on mapping and implementing transition plans. As part of that process, she mentors multi-generational families and their advisers on communication and relationship management.

Hartley has published four Fire Drill books for building strength and flexibility in families: Sudden Death, Unexpected Wealth, The Dynamics of Aging Families and Health Care Issues of Aging Families (the latter two with co-author John Gibson). Hartley speaks internationally to business families and their advisers.

Hartley serves on the Attorneys for Family Enterprise board. She is a past Family Firm Institute board member, a founding FFI Fellow, and holds FFI’s Certificates in Family Business Advising and Family Wealth Advising. In 2008 she was honored by FFI for contributions to interdisciplinary adviser teams. She is also a member of a national think-tank, Psycho-Social Dynamics of Family Business, and the Collaboration for Family Flourishing.

Gwendolyn Griffith is Of Counsel at the Portland, Oregon law firm of Tonkon Torp LLP, where her business and tax practice includes business formations, reorganizations and dissolutions, as well as the crafting of complex wealth transition structures and governance systems. She has substantial experience representing nonprofit organizations and multi-generational businesses. Gwen is a graduate of Stanford Law School and Rollins College.

Gwen began her career with Akin, Gump in Dallas, Texas. She then taught corporate, partnership, individual and international tax at various law schools, including Willamette University, Florida State University, and the University of Oregon. Prior to joining Tonkon Torp LLP, Gwen was a shareholder in theEugene, Oregon law firm of Speer Hoyt PC. She is the author of several books on taxation and is frequent speaker on tax and business-related topics.

Gwen is a member of the Oregon and California bar associations. She is on the Executive Committee of the Oregon State Bar Taxation Section and is also on the Advisory Board of The Tax Adviser, the monthly publication of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. She is also a trained mediator and arbitrator.

Family Wealth Transition Planning

Bloomberg released Family Wealth Transition Planning August 26, 2009

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Saturday, May 9, 2009

Family Wealth Transition Planning (FWTP)

About the Authors: Bonnie Brown Hartley and Gwendolyn Griffith