News Brief: Compensation Challenges in Family Offices
Summary
Ultra-wealthy families are increasingly hiring younger heirs within their private investment firms (family offices). While this provides experience and involvement in alternative investments, determining fair compensation is a major, often unspoken, challenge that can lead to resentment and conflict.
Key Points
- Growing Trend: Family offices are bringing Millennial and Gen Z heirs into the business, offering job experience and a role in managing investments.
- Compensation Tensions: Pay is a “loaded topic.” Family members are often paid below market rate, with the assumption they are already wealthy from dividends or family wealth.
- Risk of Resentment: Underpaid heirs may feel resentful but powerless to negotiate with parents due to loyalty or fear of appearing greedy.
- “Golden Handcuffs”: Some who are overpaid feel trapped and unable to leave for other careers.
- Lack of Formal Structure: Many family offices lack formal compensation plans and clear job descriptions, leading to ambiguous or unfair pay practices (e.g., paying all siblings the same regardless of role).
- Generational Divide: Self-made founders may benchmark pay against their own early earnings, not accounting for current market rates or cost of living.
- Expert Advice: Advisors recommend establishing formal compensation structures, using external consultants, and creating committees to mediate issues proactively.
- New Generation’s Demand: Younger heirs are increasingly demanding formal, written compensation plans and transparency, moving away from informal handshake agreements.
新闻简报：家族办公室的薪酬挑战
文章总结
超级富豪家庭越来越多地在其私人投资公司（家族办公室）中雇佣年轻的继承人。虽然这提供了工作经验并让其参与另类投资管理，但确定公平薪酬是一个主要且经常被回避的挑战，可能导致不满和冲突。
关键要点
- 增长趋势：家族办公室正将千禧一代和Z世代继承人引入业务，为他们提供工作经验和管理投资的机会。
- 薪酬紧张：薪酬是一个”敏感话题”。家族成员薪酬常低于市场水平，理由是他们已从股息或家族财富中获益。
- 不满情绪风险：薪酬过低的继承人可能感到不满，但因忠诚或害怕显得贪婪而无力与父母谈判。
- “金手铐”：一些薪酬过高者感到被束缚，即使想离开也无法从事其他职业。
- 缺乏正式结构：许多家族办公室缺乏正式的薪酬计划和明确的职位描述，导致薪酬做法模糊或不公（例如，所有同辈兄弟姐妹薪酬相同，不论职责）。
- 代际差异：白手起家的创始人可能以自己早期的收入为基准，未考虑当前市场费率或生活成本。
- 专家建议：顾问建议建立正式的薪酬结构，借助外部顾问，并设立委员会主动调解问题。
- 新一代的要求：年轻的继承人越来越多地要求正式、书面的薪酬计划和透明度，摒弃非正式的口头协议。
Original Article Link: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/22/ultra-rich-family-offices-payroll.html