Family offices are having a moment, but most people still don’t really know what they are.

The new year always gives us a moment to pause - look back, take stock, and think about what’s next. I’ve worked in the family office world for 7 years now, and although ‘’family office’’ has become a bit of a buzzword, I still get the same dinner-party question: “Wait… so what do you actually do?” Here’s my plain-English take and what I’m seeing as we move forward into 2026.

What is a Family Office?

A family office is the operating engine that helps a family manage not just their wealth, but their relationship with wealth. There are two common models:

• Single Family Office (SFO): built for one family (often a cost centre).
• Multi-Family Office (MFO): a business serving multiple unrelated families.

The wealth “bar” matters because this work is people-heavy and complexity-heavy. Many families begin working with an MFO around the ultra-high-net-worth level (typically ~$30M+). And a true SFO is a different game. The cost and staffing demands can push that bar much higher. Personally, I often think “$500M+” is required to do it properly, depending on the complexity.

How do we help families?

People often assume it’s all about investing, and yes, investing is a critical part of what we do. But the real value we deliver goes beyond portfolios: it’s about guiding thoughtful decisions and providing peace of mind through a clear, well-structured plan.

Because wealth brings complexity: more stakeholders, more entities, more trade-offs, more risk (financial and human), and more ways for things to go sideways without a system.

That complexity often raises important questions:

• Is my current financial strategy truly aligned with my long-term goals?
• Am I on track to build and protect my family’s legacy?
• How do I prepare my children for a future wealth transfer?
• Could my wealth be more streamlined and coordinated?
• What do I actually need to safeguard my family’s wealth?

A family office helps you answer these questions. Even if you’re not sure what you need yet, having one trusted advisor and central coordinator brings clarity and ensures every part of your wealth strategy works in harmony.

In practice, that means bringing together and helping with planning (goals, tax, estate, risk, philanthropy), investments, governance and family dynamics, and administration, essentially making the machine run.

The big shift: more intentional families

“Governance” can sound corporate, but at its core, it’s simply how decisions get made. And wealthy families face a lot of decisions: setting goals, managing spending, defining investment risk, clarifying who decides what, planning for crises, involving spouses, preparing the next generation, thinking through prenups... the list goes on.

It’s not about chasing perfect answers; it’s about building a repeatable decision-making system before a crisis forces one.

The investing shift: fewer hero bets, more ships built for storms

Markets will always tempt us with narratives: the hot theme, the hot manager, the “can’t miss” deal. But the families who endure tend to build portfolios (and lives) that can survive multiple futures. You don’t want a speedboat. You want a well-built ship. Storms will come. The ship may take on water. But you don’t redesign the ship mid-storm.

We’re not chasing this year’s wins. We’re trying to stay great for decades.

My takeaway for 2026

We’ve always had uncertainty. What’s new is the pace of change.

So, the edge isn’t prediction, it’s discipline around what you can control: clear goals, smart liquidity planning, diversified portfolios, strong governance, proactive communication, and the right team around the table.

One thing feels clear: wealth isn’t getting simpler, and families who build strong operating systems (not just strong portfolios) will be the ones who thrive.