Mammoney - Your Ultimate Guide to Personal Finance & Investing

Global Trends in Family Governance: What’s Changing in 2026? Introduction Family governance, traditionally viewed as the framework for managing wealth, relationships, and decision-making within affluent families and their enterprises, is undergoing a profound transformation in 2026 amid accelerating generational shifts, technological advancements, and global economic uncertainties. As high-net-worth families navigate the largest intergenerational wealth transfer in history—estimated at over $84 trillion in the U.S. alone over the coming decades—the need for robust governance structures has never been more pressing. This evolution is driven by the rise of next-generation leaders who prioritize purpose-driven strategies, digital integration, and resilience over mere wealth accumulation, reshaping how family offices and businesses operate on a global scale. The relevance of these changes cannot be overstated: effective family governance not only mitigates risks like internal conflicts a...

Estate Planning for Single Households Introduction Estate planning, at its core, involves the strategic preparation and organization of an individual's assets, liabilities, and personal wishes to ensure a smooth transition upon incapacity or death. For single households—those comprising unmarried individuals without a legal spouse—this process takes on unique dimensions, as there are no default spousal inheritance rights that automatically govern asset distribution under most state laws. In a society where single adults now represent a significant demographic, with census data indicating that over 40% of U.S. households are headed by unmarried individuals as of recent years, the relevance of tailored estate planning cannot be overstated. Singles often face heightened vulnerabilities, such as reliance on non-family beneficiaries or the absence of a built-in support system for decision-making during health crises, which can lead to protracted legal battles, unintended tax burdens, or...