Protecting your family’s wealth is about so much more than safeguarding your assets.
Your legacy started forming the moment you were born, and it will live on through generations, even when you aren’t there to witness it. So, it needs to be treated with care.
Whatever you want your legacy to be, we help you and your family identify your values and goals and take the practical steps to make it a reality.
Whether safeguarding the next generation’s financial well-being, giving back to the community, or preparing for the unexpected, your specialist family wealth team will get to the heart of what matters to you and forge a roadmap that aligns with your aspirations.
Your life’s work is our precious cargo.
Managing intergenerational wealth requires a steady hand, a delicate touch, and a compassionate ear. Through impartial advice and a neutral setting, we prepare your family to take responsibility for your wealth and carry your legacy forward.
Wealth planning
With extensive knowledge of the intricacies of intergenerational wealth management, we ensure you have the resources to support your lifestyle and family for the long term.
Estate planning
To manage IHT and create a wealth transfer plan that gives your family peace of mind, we help you structure your assets to achieve long-term financial security.
Tax planning
With considerable experience implementing tax-efficient strategies, we build tax efficiency into your plans so your family can grow its wealth for years to come.
Trust asset management
Trusts can help protect and manage wealth for future generations. We provide guidance on investment strategies for assets held in trust, helping you consider the needs of beneficiaries, your long-term objectives and the responsibilities involved.
Family
governance
Managing family wealth often involves different generations, priorities and opinions. As an impartial adviser and facilitator, we help families establish clear ways of communicating, making decisions and managing their wealth together, so everyone can feel informed and involved in planning for the future.
Philanthropic
planning
Giving back can be an important part of your family's legacy. Whether through charitable donations, trusts or other giving arrangements, we help you explore ways to support the causes that matter to you and your family, while considering your wider financial plans.
Additional Support for your Family.
Family Investment Companies (FIC)
A Family Investment Company can provide a way to manage family investments and plan for passing wealth between generations. Working alongside legal and tax specialists, we can help you explore whether this approach is suitable for your family and understand the considerations involved.
Business Succession Planning
If you own a family business, planning for its future can be just as important as planning for your personal wealth. We help you consider your options for passing ownership or management to the next generation, working with specialist advisers to support a transition that reflects your family's wishes and long-term goals.
Accountancy Services
Through collaboration with accountancy and tax professionals, we can help ensure your family's financial planning takes account of wider tax and accounting considerations.
Power of Attorney Coaching
Planning for the unexpected is an important part of protecting family wealth. We can help you understand the financial responsibilities involved in acting under a power of attorney, working alongside legal professionals where appropriate.
What you can expect from your intergenerational wealth plan.
A neutral environment
By taking time to deeply understand the nuances involved in your finances and family dynamics, we provide a safe space where complexities and emotions are handled with sensitivity.
Communication tailored to you
We aim to strike the right balance between just enough and too much information. Our coordinated family office team keeps you informed at a frequency and level of detail that suits you and your family.
Impartiality
Making no assumptions about what your legacy should look like, we remain independent throughout. That means laying out the choices and trade-offs with no hidden agenda.
Risk management and data security
The sensitive information that we hold about you and your family is treated with the respect and privacy it deserves. This includes a proactive approach to identifying and protecting against threats to your security.
Preparing the next generation
Passing on wealth is one thing. Helping the next generation feel confident managing it is another.
We work with families to encourage open conversations about money, build financial understanding and help younger generations prepare for the responsibilities that may come with inheriting family wealth.
By involving family members in the planning process, where appropriate, we can help create a shared understanding of your wishes and support a smoother transition between generations.
“Some of the most meaningful things we pass on can't be measured in money. They're the opportunities we create, the security we provide and the foundations we build for those who follow. Good financial planning helps your wealth make a difference, not just in your lifetime, but for generations to come.”
Euan McKirdy
Financial Planner
Helping the next generation while protecting family wealth.
How intergenerational planning helped George and Mary make provisions for their children and grandchildren while considering the future of their estate.
George and Mary were both 66 and wanted to explore ways to support their growing family while managing their wealth for the future.
Having sold their family business ten years earlier for £6 million, they had already made substantial gifts to their children and charitable donations, as well as establishing investment portfolios to help fund their children's pension contributions.
As their children married and grandchildren arrived, they began considering how best to pass on more of their wealth.
They had already helped two of their sons purchase family homes, but their third son, Alan, preferred not to receive a lump sum gift. George and Mary wanted to make provision for him while also considering the potential inheritance tax implications.
Our financial planning team worked closely with George and Mary to understand their wishes and explore the options available.
In collaboration with their solicitor, we discussed establishing a family trust that could benefit Alan and their current and future grandchildren.
The couple agreed to invest £650,000 into the trust, using a diversified investment portfolio with a preference for investments incorporating environmental, social and governance considerations.
This approach was designed to support the family's longer-term financial needs while considering the potential impact of inflation and inheritance tax.
The outcome
George and Mary established a family trust to make provision for Alan and future generations, reflecting their wishes and the different needs of their children.
By working together with their solicitor, we helped them put arrangements in place that considered their family's future, their investment preferences and the wider implications for their estate.
For George and Mary, intergenerational planning was about more than passing on wealth. It was about making thoughtful decisions to support the people they care about, now and in the future.
The names have been changed to ensure our clients’ privacy, however, below is a quote from our clients recounting their experience.
What clients say.
“Acumen knew our preferences and made practical suggestions about our investment options and their advantages and disadvantages. They pointed out any tax implications and liaised with our solicitor, making the process run smoothly for us.”
A client of Kevin Mackenzie
Advice you can depend on.
Acumen Financial Planning is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) as Financial Planners.
As an independent financial planning firm, we provide unbiased and unrestricted advice on investments and financial products, based on a fair and comprehensive analysis of the whole market.
We are clear about our fees from the outset, so you know what you will pay and what is included. Our fees reflect the expertise, time and ongoing support we provide. They also enable us to invest in our team and build a sustainable business, so we can continue supporting you for the long term.
Intergenerational Planning FAQs.
Find answers to some of our most frequently asked questions. If you can't find what you're looking for, our team is here to help. Simply get in touch and we'll be happy to answer your questions.
How often should we meet with our Intergenerational Planner?
We agree how often to meet at the outset, based on your family’s needs and the work involved. We can adapt this as your circumstances change, with additional meetings where needed.
How do we prepare for our first Intergenerational Planning meeting?
Your first meeting will involve an introduction to your personal financial team, who will explain our services and fees in more detail. Following this session, we will ask you to complete a discovery document which provides us with all your relevant financial information, so you do not need to prepare anything specific in advance of our first meeting. Please let us know who you would like to attend so we can agree on a format that suits you and your family.
Can you work with our current legal and financial contacts?
Your intergenerational planning will likely involve legal and accountancy elements. We can work with a broad range of professional connections, including anyone you already work with, to ensure you benefit from a joined-up approach that leaves no stone unturned.
Does my estate need to be worth a certain amount to work with you?
Our Intergenerational Wealth service is designed for families with more complex financial circumstances who want to protect their wealth and plan for future generations. We offer different service levels, each with its own eligibility criteria, depending on your circumstances and the support you need. If you're unsure whether our services are right for you, please get in touch. Our team would be happy to discuss your circumstances and help you understand the options available.
How is Intergenerational Planning different from Financial Planning?
Traditional financial planning encompasses a range of aspects, including retirement planning, savings and investments, estate planning and tax planning. Intergenerational planning builds on this framework by providing specialist advice for ultra-high-net-worth families with complex financial situations.
