Family Matters On Line
A WORLDWIDE Charitable INITIATIVE OF INDEPENDENT EXPERTS
The charitable not-for-profit foundation and website Family Matters On Line has been created with the help and input of dozens of top independent experts from high profile and succesful law firms all around the world. We all have vast experience with matters that are important for families worldwide. Family Matters is committed to making our collective experience freely available to anyone looking for ideas and solutions for their important family matters.
Together, we provide help through our short articles on various topics. Our goal is to answer questions that families have about matters such as planning and protecting their estate, running and transferring their family business, and organizing medical proxies and emergency measures.
These days, many people are worried and ask themselves questions like, “Who is my family, and what should each of them receive and when?” “Should we prepare and train the next generation to take responsibility for the business?” and “How should we organize our family, and what if something happens to one of us?”
Family matters now more than ever, and families need answers. So, we will help because everyone matters.
Why
Family Matters
Over time, families tend to grow and so do their assets if they are well-planned and managed. The older generation will eventually have to hand over control of their estate, and the new heads of the family must be identified, groomed, and accepted. This process takes time and effort, especially since the rest of the family must accept and support the new leaders. This raises questions such as “What do we tell those who will not have leadership roles? What role, information, and influence should non-leaders have?”
Family Matters On Line website
This website by our charitable not-for-profit Foundation shares practical answers and experiences about this process. It also provides brief explanations of suitable and flexible structures, such as Foundations, Trusts, and Waqf, to manage and finance the family, its assets, and its philanthropy.
Suggestions are given for secure estate and safe tax planning, and the ways in which families can be organized and governed for example through family offices and with the help of family governance through documents such as a family charter with the relevant core family values, culture and understandings within the family. These and many more topics with which families are often confronted, are covered.
Many authors have addressed issues related to people moving from one country to another and the risks and opportunities that come with it.
A few of our most recent articles
Stuck with a Liechtenstein Foundation? – You’ve got Rights!
Most Liechtenstein foundations function properly. But what if yours doesn’t? What if you don’t feel comfortable with the transparency level of your foundation or if you are uncertain about the actions of the foundation board? If you are a beneficiary of a dysfunctional Liechtenstein foundation,...
Discretionary Trusts and Motivating Children of Means
Motivating children of means is a challenge for families around the globe when they come to transferring wealth to the next generation, and is an issue that cuts across cultures and geographies. Many attempt to tackle it by planning for transfers to take place over the long term, using trusts...
Beware, Bitcoin-Millionaire! – How Liechtenstein foundations help to ensure personal and financial safety
How Liechtenstein foundations help to ensure personal and financial safety Bitcoins – No, it’s a scam! It’s a bubble! Bitcoin is not real… These warnings have echoed through the internet and mainstream media for over a decade. Are they true? I don’t know. I’m not in a position to give a...
Why should I make an English Will?
Why should I make an English Will? Surely I don’t need a Will if I want everything to pass to my partner and/or children? This is a common assumption of people who come from civil law jurisdictions, where the general succession laws often reflect how most people want to leave their assets and...
Mergers and Acquisition Transactions Through a Holistic Lens: Legal Strategy Meets Preventive Counseling and Positive Culture
M&A Transactions Through a Holistic Lens: Legal Strategy Meets Preventive Counseling and Positive Culture Mergers and acquisitions are more than technical deals—they are transitions involving people, vision, and values. At the intersection of legal precision and human experience stands a...
Who counts as “family” when it comes to decision-making and inheritance?
“The first generation builds it, the second maintains it, the third destroys it.” This phenomenon—known as “shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations”—reflects a common truth: unless legacy is consciously protected and passed on with structure and intention, it often erodes. Wealth and...
Estate Planning for Testators without Direct Descendants
Estate planning and business succession planning for (ultra) high-net-worth individuals (UHNWI), entrepreneurs and top executives is traditionally centered around their core family, often consisting of direct descendants and sometimes spouses. However, an increasing number of testators either...
Another missed opportunity for the correct interpretation of Trusts in the Italian Tax System
Recognition of Foreign Trusts in Italy Trusts are not regulated by Italian civil law provisions. Foreign trusts (i.e. regulated by a foreign law) are recognized in Italy pursuant to the Hague Convention dated July 1st, 1985 which has been implemented in Italy in 1989. The aim of the Hague...
Professionalising Family Business – Appointing Non-family Board Members
Family-owned businesses are the backbone of economies worldwide, contributing to employment and innovation. However, as these businesses grow, so do their complexities given the technicalities. One critical challenge Family-owned businesses face is professionalising governance while maintaining...
Key Aspects to Consider When Setting Up a Family Holding Structure
How can a family best structure its affairs? Setting up a family holding structure requires: careful planning to balance control, governance, asset protection, and flexibility. The structure should be well-established, tested over time, and allow family members to remain actively involved in...
Is Finland to eliminate inheritance taxes; when and how?
Finland is one of the high-taxed jurisdictions in Europe. With progressive earned income taxation, rather uncompetitive capital gains tax rates as well as inheritance and gift taxation, the tax advise often focuses on outbound – rather than inbound – relocation. Finland is a country well known...
What makes someone a tax resident in Latin America and Europe?; Part IV
Where to be a tax resident or not? That is the question for Colombian Private Client Families and Working Nomads (AND OTHERS). In conclusion, tax residence plays a crucial role in the process of evaluating an immigration alternative in the case of Colombia’s private client segment, executive or...
What makes someone a tax resident in Latin America and Europe?; Part III
The tax residency criteria in Spain for nationals and foreigners Individuals residing or entities domiciled in Spain are subject to Spanish income taxes on a world-wide basis. Individuals are considered tax residents in Spain when: They spend more than 183 days of physical presence in Spain...
What makes someone a tax resident in Latin America in Europe?; Part II
The tax residency criteria in Mexico for nationals and foreigners Similarly to Colombia, in Mexico, being considered a tax resident means that both individuals and legal entities are required to pay taxes on all their income, regardless of the location of the income source. However, unlike...
What makes someone a tax resident in Latin America and Europe?
What is tax residency? The Colombian approach Tax residency can be defined as a force of attraction criteria between a State and its taxpayers with immediate effects on taxes. In most cases, being considered a tax resident in a particular country results in the obligation to file and pay taxes...
Belgium’s new “10% capital gains tax in disguise ”
Hold on to your waffles! With the start of Belgium’s new government on January 31, 2025, several tax reforms have been proposed. This includes, amongst others, the introduction of a 10% capital gains tax on financial assets disguised as a “solidarity contribution”. What is it? The government...
Is my real estate in Spain an economic activity for Spanish tax?
It is common knowledge that one of the main areas where high-net-wealth-individuals invest is real estate, and Spain is precisely a country which attracts an important share of this investment because of a combination of nice weather, vibrant culture, quality of life, safety and other aspects which this kind of investors seeks. However, the tax framework for this kind of [...]
How to Evaluate and Select Professional Wealth Managers
Investing is a full-time commitment. Given the complexity of financial markets and the overwhelming amount of information that must be reviewed and analyzed, a part-time or occasional approach by an individual investor offers little chance of achieving sustained long-term success. For those...
Family Pacts (Patti di Famiglia): A Valuable Tool for Succession Planning in Family-Owned Businesses
Italy stands out in Europe for its high number of family-owned businesses. Within these businesses, the overlap and interference of family and business relationships creates unique challenges and opportunities. Statistics show that only a minority of Italian family businesses survive to the...
Family businesses and ESG transition
The focus on ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) metrics as part of the management of a company is an important area of focus for all stakeholders in the business. As ESG metrics capture a wide variety of items (from CO2 emission targets to minority representation in leadership...
Information Management in Family Businesses and Preventive Measures for Conflict Avoidance
The acquisition and dissemination of information play a central role in the management and control of family owned businesses. The Austrian Governance Code for family businesses highlights the importance of a structured flow of information, as it is essential for acceptance and the smooth...
Capital Gains in Switzerland: A Global Perspective for (U)HNW Families
Switzerland has long attracted international families and investors due to its location at the heart of Europe, its strong legal framework and its reputation for political stability. Although it partners extensively with the European Union, it has retained autonomy on key matters of taxation...
Is Professional Wealth Management Worth It?
For many, financial success is the result of years of hard work, sacrifice, and careful decision-making. However, a common misconception is that building wealth automatically equates to being able to manage and preserve it effectively. In reality, most wealth creators excel in their own fields,...
Effective strategies for generational handover
Planning for generational handover is crucial, even if not immediate. In family-owned businesses, the next generation often participates in the operations already long before the formal transition. Early involvement, understanding the legal and financial aspects, and considering options like...
