Tool 5 of 14

The Family Charter

The family’s own rulebook, written in its own words.

The scenario

Meet the Hartleys (fictional)

Margaret was widowed eight months ago. The family business was sold in 2024, leaving about $82m across eight structures: five companies, a family trust, a unit trust and a super fund. Her private bank wants the portfolio reinvested within 60 days, and she does not know who now holds the family trust’s appointor role.

  • MargaretAge 58

    Widowed eight months ago (Richard). Sole director of all five companies.

  • JamesAge 31

    Commercial lawyer, married to Priya, one child.

  • SophieAge 27

    Ceramic artist, irregular income.

  • TomAge 19

    Engineering student.

  • Family Trust discretionary
  • Investment Trust $38m
  • Property company $14m
  • Distributions company $6m
  • Super Fund (SMSF) $7m
  • Held personally $17m
  • About $82m · eight structures

The Family Charter

What it is

What it is

A plain-language agreement on who belongs, who decides what and how money reaches members. The family writes it and makes every decision in it. We facilitate the conversations, draft from the family’s decisions and stress-test the result. Then the family’s lawyers bring the trust deeds, constitutions and wills into line, and we follow that work through.

What the family gets
  • A mission specific enough to settle a disagreement
  • Clear decision rights and thresholds for the matters that count
  • A distribution policy that builds independence, not dependence
  • An agreed way through conflict, before it is needed
Step by step

How it works

  1. Listen

    Individual conversations with each adult member.

  2. Facilitate

    Family workshops, section by section.

  3. Draft

    We write up the family’s decisions in plain English.

  4. Stress-test

    We run the draft against real scenarios from the Map.

  5. Align

    Signed by each adult; the lawyers update the documents.

Illustrative sample

A worked example, using the Hartley family

The Hartley Charter: eleven sections

Illustrative sample
  1. 01Purpose and status

    A statement of intent that the legal documents are brought into line with.

  2. 02 · Mission

    “Our wealth exists to give every Hartley the education, security and independence to build a life of their own choosing.”

  3. 03Values

    Independence first. Fair, not identical. No surprises.

  4. 04Membership

    Who is family, including spouses and partners.

  5. 05Family forums

    An annual Assembly and a quarterly Council.

  6. 06Decision rights

    Who decides what, and by what threshold.

  7. 07Distributions

    Education, living support, milestones, ventures, hardship.

  8. 08Employment

    Three years outside before a family role.

  9. 09Investment policy

    The portfolio tied to the mission.

  10. 10Conflict resolution

    Four agreed steps before any legal action.

  11. 11Review

    Revisited every year at the Assembly.

DecisionWho decidesThreshold
Appointors, trustee directors, executorsFamily CouncilUnanimous
Investment Policy StatementFamily Council, informed by our analysisMajority
Sale of the beach houseFamily Assembly75%

As chief of staff, we prepare the papers for each forum, record decisions and track actions to completion. We do not vote.

The Hartley family is fictional and all figures are illustrative. This material is general information only and is not personal financial, tax or legal advice.

Where it’s used

See it

WEALTH PICTURE

Not used at this stage.

Solve it

STAND-ALONE SERVICES

Gaps found here feed the Charter later.

Run it

PRIVATE OFFICE GOVERNANCE

Built with the family, then reviewed every year.