Succession Architecture
Estate Planning
Discreet succession architecture that honours intent and minimises friction across generations. We are architects of multigenerational plans — not just document preparers.
The cost of a thoughtful plan is small. The cost of its absence is almost always paid by the next generation.
Why It Matters
Families inherit problems with assets.
Without a plan, families inherit problems alongside assets. Forced heirship regimes can override intent. Cross-border tax exposure can consume meaningful percentages of the estate. Probate can take years. Disputes among heirs can fracture families. None of this is theoretical — we see it every quarter.
A well-designed plan preserves both wealth and family harmony. That is the brief, and it is genuinely achievable.
What Goes Wrong
Four common failure modes.
Each is preventable. None is rare. The objective of the plan is to make all four impossible.
Forced Heirship
Civil-law regimes can override intent. Plans must anticipate where assets and heirs actually sit.
Cross-Border Tax
Conflicting treaties and double taxation can consume meaningful percentages without proactive structuring.
Probate Delay
Years of administration, public filings, and frozen accounts — avoidable with the right structures.
Family Disputes
Unclear intent and weak governance fracture families. Architecture prevents what conversation alone cannot.
Our Process
Architecture, not just documentation.
We start with a comprehensive asset inventory and a family map, including business interests, real estate, financial accounts, and collectibles. We then articulate goals in plain language. Only then do we design structures, draft documents, and engage local professionals in each relevant jurisdiction.
Real plans combine multiple tools — wills, trusts, family foundations, holding structures, insurance wrappers, and philanthropic vehicles. The art is fitting them together so each does the job it is best at and none cancels another.
When to Start
Specific moments that should trigger review.
In their absence, a full review every three to five years is a sound default.
Liquidity Event
Business sale, IPO, inheritance — material wealth changes deserve immediate planning review.
Family Change
Marriage, divorce, birth of heirs, or significant relocation should prompt a structural revisit.
Cross-Border Asset
Acquiring foreign property or moving residence opens new jurisdictional exposure that compounds quickly.
Related Disciplines
The full picture lives in concert.
Begin the Conversation
The right plan starts with the right conversation.
An initial estate planning consultation is exploratory, confidential, and without obligation. A senior advisor will respond within one business day.