Coppertree understands what many firms do not: that financial statements alone do not address the complexity of what your family has. We work with you to assess the human, intellectual, social, and financial capital that constitute your family’s total wealth. Analyzing this total wealth allows us to craft a truly relevant strategic plan, one that is consistent with your family’s strengths, your values, and your goals for the future.
We begin our work with interviews, which gives us insight into the functional style of the family as a whole. These interviews give us insight into the functional style of the family whole.
We encourage the sharing of family history to deepen a family’s sense of identity, how its members are meaningfully connected; what sets them apart from others and distinguishes them as a group. Forging this link to the past builds a family unity that vitalizes and directs the evolving family mission, as well as the process of family governance.
Family governance is a values and mission‐based process by which family members make informed, collaborative decisions with the aim of safeguarding and building family capital for multiple generations. After we have reviewed your family’s capital, Coppertree initiates the governance process by recommending an appropriate governance structure.
We guide you through the drafting of a family constitution that lays out policies and procedures, establishes rules of conduct, and, most importantly, serves as a compact between members within the governance process. The formality of this compact is crucial, enabling mission‐based relationships and procedures that may not have otherwise been forged in the family.
Families vary; so do governance systems. In general though, we’ve found the most successful family governance to be built upon a foundation of shared family values, a commitment to reaching consensus, representative decision‐making, and a mindfulness of change and the constant revision for which it calls.
Providing customized counsel to families is our only business. We build governance according to your family’s complexities and strengths. Our knowledge of your family’s capital – gathered from interviews, research, and analysis – informs the way we approach strategic, multi-generational wealth plans. We promise complete alignment and confidentiality in everything we do.
