The investment community is wrestling with the market’s current challenges of being overvalued, with inflation increasing rapidly, and with speculative activity at levels rarely seen over the last 30 years. Nothing is being mentioned about the increasing geopolitical risks. If we are not careful, the United States may be facing a decline, similar to great dynasties of the past, due to our wealth, comfort, and investors’ complacency. Intelligent Investors will keep a wary eye on the world’s developments beyond our shores.

Strategic Philanthropy (SP) has increased in recent decades–particularly among families who wish to leave behind a legacy. As more dynastic families opt to make a greater impact with their fortunes, the old way of passing down assets is evolving in a few ways.

The Giving Pledge, https://givingpledge.org/, started by Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, began recruiting members in 2010. As of May 2019, 204 individuals and couples are participating.

“The satellites of the strategy are the unique investment that most family offices offer, which truly add a level of diversification for each family. It’s a strategy focused on outperforming inflation and being able to sleep at night by investing in opportunities that are not correlated with the global capital markets, yet that will outperform inflation.”

High net worth individuals and families know legal asset protection is keenly important. Dynastic families who hold onto their wealth, generation to generation, often turn to family offices to provide counsel because they trust Family Offices to ensure their assets are legally protected first and foremost.

As populations age around the globe, healthcare models struggle in an attempt to control the increasing costs of healthcare. Economists agree, if there isn’t a radical shift, at some point, the healthcare systems in place today will become insolvent.

In 2014, the Department of Labor (DOL) changed their rules and took aim at 401k Plan sponsors without proper oversight of their companies’ retirement plans. I warned business owners about the potential consequences of this in articles written for Forbes and Medical Economics. It’s time for business owners to pay attention.

If you—or your clients—own a company which offers a 401k plan to employees, we recommend you review the rules and take note of any company practices which may be actionable as soon as possible.

Family Offices don’t have to think of health and medical issues as purely as a cost – there are also ways of investing in these areas to benefit their members and wider society, so the author of this article argues.

Aging and illness is no respecter of wealth and an important of the conversation that should go on among families is keeping physically and mentally well, and if trouble arrives, setting in place plans and resources. This article explores what family offices can do to help members in these areas in sourcing medical and health resources, as well as understanding health-related business and technologies as important economic growth areas.

The Notorious BIG famously wrote, “Mo’ money, mo’ problems.” The same can be said for longer lifespans: the older we get the more likely medical intervention is.

The American Cancer Society’s most recent statistics indicate one in three people will get cancer in their lifetime. Preventative measures may be taken. However, nothing regarding health and wellness creates 100% certainty. Assuring access to world-class healthcare—before its needed—is the latest component intelligent investors are adding to their estate planning strategy.

Reason #1 – It’s not in the client’s best interest to pay for advisers 24/7.

Gaining an informational advantage is how wealth grows, right? True. There are top tier advisers paid to do high level analysis on a fulltime basis. Warren Buffett employs such a group. But not even multi-billionaires are likely to require the time and expertise of ALL the experts they employ 40 hours every single week. The hedge to staying wealthy is have experts available—when you need them.

The last decade brought unprecedented change across the tech industry globally. New York, a key city for several industries including finance, fashion, and art participated in—but by no means dominated—the tech world. However, for investors with the foresight to get involved now, staying connected to the burgeoning tech market across New York City will be an asset.

The combination of tech talent, capital both onshore and offshore as well as being in the world’s financial capital, is creating a rival to Silicon Valley—and the world does not seem privy to this—yet.