Family businesses make an essential contribution to economies and societies around the world. Not only do they secure a greater number of jobs than any other type of commercial organisation, they also perform better economically. Maintaining the success and stability of family businesses is therefore crucial for a sustainable future.
PwC Legal will be happy to support you with all challenges that arise in connection with family businesses and personal wealth. Our private wealth & family business experts combine industry knowledge with extensive international experience and can thus view your concerns from a global perspective. Together with PwC’s experts in tax, advisory, and assurance, we offer you a full-service approach that goes well beyond traditional legal advice.
Our services
- Wealth
- Deals
- Succession planning
- Foundations & Trusts
- Governance
- Philanthropy & Impact Investments
- Private Global Mobility
Wealth
Owners of successful family businesses first and foremost need a strategy to protect their personal wealth. In addition, it should be ensured – also with regard to future generations – that assets are structured in such a way that the best possible growth is achieved.
The PwC Legal team can support you in structuring your assets and will be happy to advise you in finding the ideal location and the appropriate choice of law. In addition, we can assist you in setting up family offices and protecting your security and privacy.
If necessary, we can also rely on PwC’s global network and thus consider international aspects.
Deals
Family businesses face particular challenges when it comes to organising and maintaining growth – both organic and inorganic.
The PwC legal team has the necessary know-how to give you sound advice and supports you in formulating, structuring, and realising your growth.
This includes sales and acquisitions of companies, cooperation with and participation in start-ups, (further) steps towards internationalisation, as well as post-merger integration.
Succession planning
After years of steady growth and consolidation, many family businesses are faced with a question that has the potential to both jeopardize the future of the company and create tension within the family: Who should run the business when the current family management retires? While an obvious favourite for succession emerges within some families, in many family businesses it is unclear whether children or grandchildren have the interest or skills to take over.
In both cases, well-considered decisions must be made that on the one hand satisfy the family and on the other hand form the basis for a successful future of the company. Regardless of this, mandatory provisions of inheritance and tax law must always be observed when handing over.
The PwC Legal team will be happy to support you in structuring a succession plan. In doing so, we take into account personal, legal, economic and tax law implications, as well as the family and company strategy.
Foundations & Trusts
The PwC Legal team will be happy to advise you on the establishment of foundations and trusts. Through our cooperation with the global PwC network, we can also take international aspects into account and assist you in making the optimal choice of law.
In the case of existing private foundations, we advise founders, boards of directors, advisory boards, supervisory board members, and beneficiaries on a wide range of legal and tax issues.
Governance
In leading family businesses, the implementation of professional corporate governance standards and processes is now common practice. On the one hand, they serve the purpose of risk management and, on the other, the maintenance of transparency and control. The expansion of implemented regulations in the form of a functioning family governance is increasing noticeably. So why implement both? And what exactly does family governance include?
The PwC Legal team will be happy to assist you in formalising business relationships between family members, in particular with regard to:
- establishing a family advisory council
- developing a family employment policy
- drafting a family constitution
- establishing a holding board.
Of course, we take the individual needs of your family as well as their dynamics into account and support you as a competent partner with tailor-made, jointly developed strategies and solutions.
Philanthropy & Impact Investments
As the family business grows and becomes increasingly successful, entrepreneurs often consider getting involved elsewhere.
The desire to make a contribution to the well-being of society often arises in family-run businesses. But where exactly should you start? And what kind of charitable project should it be?
The PwC Legal team will be happy to advise you on all legal and tax issues.
Private Global Mobility
Whether you want to change your place of residence for personal or professional reasons, the PwC Legal team will be happy to assist you in making it happen. Today, global mobility is a highly complex area with a multitude of legal and tax implications. Especially in times of increasing exchange of information between tax and migration authorities, it therefore makes sense to work with a firm that has an excellent reputation in the field of global mobility and can rely on a worldwide network.
Contact us
