Top 10 Family Office Consultants & Consulting Firms
When it comes to managing the complex and diverse needs of a family office, the right consultant or consulting firm can make all the difference. These entities provide not just financial expertise, but also a holistic approach to managing the wealth, legacy, and values of high-net-worth families.
The Value of Family Office Consultants & Consulting Firms
Family office consultants and consulting firms play a key role in managing the multifaceted aspects of wealth for affluent families. Their services extend beyond traditional financial advice, into areas like estate planning, philanthropy, wealth transfer, and even lifestyle management. With their specialized knowledge and experience, they offer a tailored approach to managing significant wealth, ensuring that the family's financial goals align with its values and long-term vision.
These consultants and firms understand the nuances of intergenerational wealth management, are adept at navigating complex regulatory landscapes, and possess a deep understanding of diverse investment portfolios. With the help of their expertise, family offices can make informed decisions, mitigate risks, and optimize the growth and preservation of their wealth.
Choosing the Right Consultant or Firm for Your Family Office
Selecting the right consultant or consulting firm for your family office is a decision that demands careful consideration. It's not just about their expertise in financial management, but also about finding a partner who understands the unique dynamics and values of your family.
The first step in this process is to identify the specific needs of your family office. Are you looking for comprehensive wealth management, specialized investment advice, or support in non-financial areas such as philanthropy and legacy planning? Once you have a clear understanding of your needs, you can look for consultants or firms with a track record of success in those areas.
It's also crucial to evaluate the consultant's or firm’s approach to client relationships. A strong partnership is built on trust, transparency, and communication. Look for professionals who not only have the right qualifications and experience but also align with your family's values and vision. This alignment is key to ensuring a successful and lasting relationship that benefits your family across generations.
TL;DR Top 10 Family Office Consultants & Consulting Firms
Alpha Apex Group: Alpha Apex Group is a top family office consultancy, providing tailored services for high-net-worth families, including wealth management, estate planning, and governance, ensuring long-term success and legacy preservation through expert guidance and comprehensive solutions.
The Sharp Financial Group: The Sharp Financial Group provides comprehensive family office advisory services, focusing on wealth management, tax preparation, and financial strategies tailored to high-net-worth families.
Family Office Exchange (FOX): FOX offers personalized advisory services for wealth management and family dynamics, leveraging research and experience to assist families in managing substantial assets while balancing family and business interests.
The Family Business Consulting Group: This group specializes in assisting family businesses with succession planning, conflict resolution, and strategic development, fostering unified visions and generational success.
PwC Family Office Services: PwC provides tailored family office services focusing on wealth protection, investment risk management, family cohesion, and comprehensive administrative support for high-net-worth families.
CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen): CLA offers a wide range of services for high net worth families, including financial management, strategic planning, wealth advisory, and tax services, all centered around the family's unique values and objectives.
Alpha Apex Group, Leaders in Family Office Consulting
Alpha Apex Group stands out as a leading consultancy in the family office sector, offering bespoke advisory services to high-net-worth families seeking to establish or optimize their family office operations. Their expertise encompasses strategic wealth management, estate planning, governance, and philanthropy, ensuring that family offices are structured to preserve wealth across generations while aligning with the family's values and goals. By leveraging their deep understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities faced by family offices, Alpha Apex Group provides comprehensive solutions that include investment strategy, risk management, and operational efficiency, fostering sustainable growth and legacy preservation.
Key Services:
Family office setup and structure optimization
Strategic wealth management and investment advisory
Estate planning and intergenerational wealth transfer
Family governance and policy development
Philanthropy and impact investing strategies
Risk management and compliance
Why work with Alpha Apex Group:
Engaging Alpha Apex Group for family office consulting ensures that high-net-worth families receive expert guidance tailored to their unique needs and aspirations. Their holistic approach not only focuses on financial wealth management but also addresses the broader aspects of family governance, legacy building, and social responsibility. Alpha Apex Group's commitment to excellence and discretion, combined with their strategic and empathetic understanding of family dynamics, makes them an invaluable partner for families looking to establish or enhance their family office operations for long-term success and legacy preservation.
2. The Sharp Financial Group
The Sharp Financial Group offers sophisticated family office advisory services, focusing on delivering essential insights into clients' financial positions. They cater to high-net-worth families, employing a team of tax, accounting professionals, and investment advisors. Their services are designed to help clients establish financial and personal goals, develop business strategies, and achieve them through comprehensive financial management.
Key Services
Family Vision Planning
Investment Analysis
Tax Planning
Planned Giving
Estate Planning
Comprehensive Financial Reports
Foundations and Charitable Trust Planning
Vendor, Property, and Event Management
Personal Administrative Support
Why Work with The Sharp Financial Group
The Sharp Financial Group stands out for its over 25 years of experience managing the wealth and legacy of high-net-worth families, with a strong focus on growth, stability, and transparency. Their comprehensive approach includes everything from wealth management and accounting to tax preparation.
3. Family Office Exchange (FOX)
Family Office Exchange (FOX) is a prominent consulting firm offering tailored advisory services to families and family offices for nearly 30 years. Their focus lies in assisting families in managing substantial business and financial assets while prioritizing both family and business interests.
FOX’s Advisory Services Team provides a unique blend of wealth management and family dynamics expertise, coupled with a disciplined process rooted in extensive family office experience.
Key Services
Confidential Custom Advisory Services
Strategic Advice and Practical Solutions for Wealth Management
Family Dynamics Consulting
Goals-Based Approach in Consulting
Strategic Family Office Business Planning
Why work with Family Office Exchange
FOX's nearly three decades of experience in family and wealth management, combined with their personalized and research-backed approach, makes them a trusted partner for families seeking to effectively manage their substantial assets while balancing family and business dynamics.
4. The Family Business Consulting Group
The Family Business Consulting Group specializes in addressing the unique challenges faced by family businesses. Established in 1994, they have assisted over 3,000 families worldwide in fostering unified visions and thriving across generations. The group emphasizes understanding the intricacies of family businesses and offers specialized services to enhance business performance and family relationships.
Key Services
Succession & Continuity Planning
Communication & Conflict Resolution
Ownership Alignment
Organizing and Educating the Family
Board Development and Search
Why Work with The Family Business Consulting Group
Their commitment to managing both present challenges and future planning sets them apart. By focusing on shared values, effective communication, and strategic development, they help family businesses strengthen their internal dynamics and business culture, ensuring long-term success and integrity for future generations.
5. PwC Family Office Services
PwC Family Office Services specializes in providing comprehensive support for families seeking to manage their wealth effectively. Tailored to meet the unique needs of each family, their services range from basic administrative support to complete oversight of investments and coordination of financial and lifestyle needs.
PwC's approach involves setting up family offices based on a clear vision and purpose, integrating operations, technology, staffing, advisors, and governance to support the family's legacy. Their holistic diagnostic service reviews strategic planning, processes, and controls to improve efficiency and reduce risk. Additionally, PwC offers related services like board matching, continuity and succession planning, governance, individual tax services, managed services, private company audit and assurance, private company tax services, and support for ultra-high-net-worth individuals.
Key Services
Wealth Protection and Investment Risk Management
Family Cohesion and Generational Transition Improvement
Governance and Wealth Stewardship Clarification
Personal Affairs Management
Comprehensive Family Office Setup and Diagnostic
Board Matching and Continuity Planning
Tax and Audit Services for Private Companies
Why Work with PwC Family Office Services
PwC's extensive experience in wealth management, coupled with their tailored approach to family office services, ensures families receive specialized support to manage their wealth efficiently, aligning with their goals and legacy.
6. CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen)
CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen) is a multifaceted consulting firm that provides a comprehensive suite of services tailored for high net worth families. Their approach prioritizes the client's best interests, offering support ranging from day-to-day financial management to long-term strategic planning.
CLA's wealth advisory services further include business succession planning, business valuation, cash flow planning, divorce financial planning, estate, gift, and wealth transfer planning, as well as financial and retirement planning, and wealth management and investment planning. These services are backed by the expertise of CLA’s CPAs, consultants, and advisors, who possess in-depth financial and tax knowledge.
Key Services
Day-to-Day Financial Management
Long-Term Strategic Planning
Wealth Management and Tax Services
Private Family Management
Private Client Tax Services
Comprehensive Wealth Advisory Services
Why Work with CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen)
CLA’s personalized approach, combined with their wide range of expert services, makes them an ideal partner for high net worth families seeking to navigate the complexities of wealth management and family office administration while ensuring their legacy and values are upheld.
7. EY Family Office Advisory Services
EY Family Office Advisory Services offer a holistic approach to legacy preservation, catering to the creation, separation, or enhancement of family offices. EY's services are designed to secure the family's financial future and legacy for upcoming generations, focusing on long-term sustainability.
Key Services
Family Office Design and Setup
Strategic Planning and Design
Risk Assessment and Planning Support
Technology Planning and Support
Governance Services and Planning Support
Managed Services and Planning Support
Why Work with EY Family Office Advisory Services
EY stands out for its extensive experience and specialized skills in supporting family offices. They have been a trusted advisor to the world's largest family businesses for over 100 years, serving 93% of the top 500 family businesses globally. Their approach includes a defined control environment, regular risk assessment, and dual controls to maintain quality.
8. Brown Advisory
Brown Advisory, initially established as a strategic advisor for prosperous families, now serves individuals, families, and professional single family offices with intricate investment, generational planning, and financial reporting needs. They emphasize tailored solutions for each family, acknowledging the unique requirements of wealthy families. Their services extend to investment management, strategic advice, client service, oversight, and administration, catering to a diverse range of family office goals and needs.
Key Services
Unique Investment Strategies
Strategic Planning
Estate Planning
Generational Wealth Transfer
Financial Education
Philanthropic Planning
Fiduciary Oversight
Why Work with Brown Advisory
Brown Advisory stands out for its personalized approach to family office management, blending careful listening, intellectual capital, and deep experience. Their team, including executives who have managed single-family offices with assets over $1 billion, crafts bespoke solutions that align with each family's distinct goals.
9. RSM US - Family Office Services
RSM US offers comprehensive family office services, focusing on securing financial legacies, safeguarding data, and managing global footprints. Their approach is tailored to the unique needs of high-net-worth families, emphasizing confidentiality, trust, and long-term, multi-generational relationships.
Key Services
New family office creation
Operational excellence for existing family offices
Family governance and education
Technology enablement
Income and estate tax planning
Tax and regulatory compliance
Safeguarding personal and investment data
Finance and accounting
Cybersecurity and risk management
Philanthropy and charitable giving strategies
Global affairs
Why work with RSM US
RSM US is dedicated to understanding and cultivating each family's unique definition of success. They offer a blend of personalized advice, technology tools like FamilySight® for efficient office management, and global capabilities to support families worldwide, ensuring protection of assets and maintenance of financial legacies.
10. Plante Moran - Family Office Services
Plante Moran provides specialized family office services focusing on maintaining the family legacy, optimizing wealth, and coordinating financial affairs tailored to specific family needs and values. Their services cover a range of financial management aspects, including planning, risk mitigation, cybersecurity, and compliance, with a commitment to evolving with the changing needs of their clients.
Key Services
Buy- & sell-side due diligence
Cybersecurity consulting
Customized family office structure design
Full back-office and bill pay services
Information technology consulting
Internal controls
Independent, objective investment consulting
Tax planning and policy development
Why work with Plante Moran
Plante Moran offers comprehensive services that ensure not only wealth protection and tax planning but also emphasize cybersecurity, internal controls, and family education. Their objective approach, free from product selling or commissions, focuses on providing tailored advice in support of family missions, addressing the needs of both mature and newly formed family offices.
11. WS Consultancy
WS Consultancy specializes in providing family office support, catering to the unique investment, personal, and legacy needs of families. They differentiate from family businesses by focusing on the organization and management of family assets and legacy, rather than direct business operations.
Key Services
Investment Management: Developing investment goals, asset allocation strategies, and monitoring investment structures
Record Keeping & Reporting: Analyzing investment performance and managing financial documents
Trust & Corporate Administration: Setting up and managing family trusts and foundations
Finance & Taxation: Offering financial analysis, income management, and tax planning.
Estate & Wealth Transfer: Assisting in wealth protection and succession planning
Charity & Philanthropy Management: Developing strategies and managing charitable activities
Risk Management: Addressing financial, physical, and cyber-security risks
Family Governance: Enhancing family communication and promoting family values
Lifestyle & Concierge Services: Managing properties, travel arrangements, and luxury assets
Why Work with WS Consultancy
WS Consultancy offers a comprehensive range of services tailored to the diverse and specific needs of family offices. Their approach is holistic, covering everything from investment management to lifestyle services, ensuring that all aspects of a family's legacy and wealth are professionally managed and preserved.
Key Factors to Consider When Choosing a Family Office Consultant
Choosing the right family office consultant involves being aware of many factors. Here are some of the key things to focus on during your search.
Look for consultants with a proven history in managing family offices. Their experience in dealing with similar clients will be invaluable.
Ensure that the consultant offers a comprehensive range of services that align with your family's needs, from investment management to estate planning.
Seek feedback from current or past clients to gauge the consultant's effectiveness and reliability.
Choose a consultant who provides tailored solutions rather than a one-size-fits-all service, as each family office has unique requirements.
Confirm that the consultant adheres to the highest ethical standards and is compliant with all relevant regulations.
What Family Office Consultant Will You Choose?
Selecting the right family office consultant requires careful consideration of the consultant's experience, range of services, and approach to client relationships. A suitable consultant not only understands the intricate dynamics of managing a family office but also aligns with your family's values and long-term objectives.
As you weigh your options, remember that the right consultant will serve as a trusted advisor, helping to navigate the complexities of wealth management while ensuring the prosperity and harmony of your family's legacy.
