Death and inheritance have a brutal way of exposing what "good intentions" really meant.

Setting up a family office isn't just about wealth preservation—it's about answering uncomfortable questions first. Who actually counts as family? How do you structure governance without triggering internal warfare? And what kind of team do you assemble when discretion matters more than credentials?

The stakes are different when you're managing generational wealth. One wrong hire, one unclear succession clause, and decades of accumulated assets can evaporate in legal battles.

Here's what actually matters when building a family office from scratch:

• Define your family structure before lawyers do it for you
• Establish decision-making protocols that survive emotional conflicts
• Hire for loyalty and competence, not just pedigree
• Build redundancy into every critical role
• Document everything, especially the uncomfortable conversations

The families that get this right aren't the ones with the most money. They're the ones who planned for the worst while everyone else was still optimistic.