Why More Ultra-High-Net-Worth Families Are Turning to a Fractional Family Office

By the time a person reaches eight figures in net worth, wealth has a way of multiplying more than just dollars. Meetings multiply. Paperwork multiplies. So do the number of professionals in your orbit — advisors, accountants, attorneys, insurance specialists, investment managers, bankers, appraisers.

And with every additional expert comes one more relationship to manage.

For many affluent families, it looks like this:

• The investment manager calls about a portfolio rebalance.

• The CPA emails requesting documentation for an amended return.

• The attorney schedules a meeting to update a trust.

• You spend your lunch hour forwarding messages so everyone stays on the same page — or hoping they somehow will.

It’s a first-world problem, yes, but it’s also a very real tax on your most valuable resource: time.

From Single-Family Office to Fractional

Traditionally, the solution for this level of complexity was the single-family office: a fully staffed in-house team handling investments, tax, legal, and lifestyle needs exclusively for one family. But with annual operating costs often exceeding $1 million — and most providers catering only to those with $200 million or more — many ultra-high-net-worth families are seeking a more flexible alternative.

Enter the Fractional Family Office President.

In this model, a single point of contact serves as the “president” or “quarterback” of your financial life. This person is not your investment manager, CPA, or attorney — and that’s precisely the point. Their job is to select, coordinate, and oversee the specialists you need, ensuring they operate as a cohesive team.

What a Fractional Family Office President Does

A fractional family office leader’s responsibilities can include:

• Sourcing & vetting top-tier advisors, accountants, and attorneys.

• Facilitating communication so strategies align across tax, estate, investment, and insurance planning.

• Tracking deadlines & deliverables to reduce missed opportunities or duplicated work.

• Organizing regular reviews to ensure execution matches your objectives.

• Acting as a central hub so you make one call instead of five.

The role is coordination-based and deliberately independent. It’s not about replacing existing professionals, but about making their work more effective by giving them the right information at the right time.

What It Isn’t

A fractional family office president is not an investment advisor, tax preparer, or lawyer. They don’t manage assets, execute trades, prepare returns, or draft legal documents. Instead, they oversee the process, keep everyone aligned, and help ensure your strategy is implemented efficiently and consistently.

Why Families Choose This Approach

• Clarity: One person accountable for the big picture.

• Efficiency: Less duplication, faster decisions, and fewer missed details.

• Independence: The ability to change any individual provider without disrupting the rest of the structure.

• Scalability: Access to high-level coordination without the overhead of a full in-house staff.

Select Advisors Institute’s Approach

At Select Advisors Institute, founder Amy Parvaneh has developed a fractional family office model for ultra-high-net-worth families who value both discretion and efficiency. The Institute works alongside your existing professionals — or helps you source new ones — to create a unified strategy without requiring you to manage every relationship yourself.

Find Amy and learn about her career track on Linkedin.

Important Disclosure: Select Advisors Institute provides coordination and consulting services only. We do not provide investment advice, manage client assets, prepare tax returns, or provide legal services. Any references to other professionals are for illustrative purposes only. Clients are encouraged to perform their own due diligence before engaging any third-party professional.

Expanding beyond the foundational concepts of a fractional family office, it is important to recognize the dynamic benefits it offers to ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) families. A fractional family office provides unparalleled access to seasoned experts and custom-tailored strategies without the substantial overhead and complexity of a full-scale family office. This model is particularly advantageous in today’s fast-evolving financial landscape, where agility and innovation are key. By leveraging a fractional approach, families can stay ahead of market trends, regulatory changes, and global economic shifts while maintaining close alignment with their unique legacy planning, philanthropic goals, and multigenerational wealth transfer needs.

Moreover, fractional family offices utilize cutting-edge technology and data analytics to deliver actionable insights, ensuring that every decision is grounded in thorough research and long-term foresight. The collaborative nature of fractional family offices also means that families benefit from a broader network of institutional relationships, exclusive investment opportunities, and diversified risk management that would traditionally be reserved for larger entities. This pooled expertise empowers families to craft bespoke governance frameworks, seamlessly integrate tax-efficient strategies, and unlock alternative asset classes that align closely with their values and ambitions.

In addition, the fractional family office model supports enhanced confidentiality and discretion, which is often a paramount concern for UHNW families. This tailored approach facilitates more direct communication and personalized attention compared to traditional wealth management or advisory services. It also offers the flexibility to scale services up or down based on evolving family circumstances, making it a sustainable and prudent choice for successive generations seeking continuity and stability.

If you have any of these queries, contact us:

- What is a fractional family office and how does it work?
- How can a fractional family office benefit ultra-high-net-worth families?
- Differences between a full family office and fractional family office
- How to choose the best fractional family office service?
- What services are typically included in a fractional family office?
- Cost savings of a fractional family office versus a traditional family office
- How does a fractional family office manage investment portfolios?
- Can a fractional family office support tax planning and compliance?
- Role of technology in fractional family office operations
- How do fractional family offices help with wealth transfer strategies?
- What types of families most benefit from fractional family office models?
- How to integrate philanthropy into a fractional family office plan?
- Does a fractional family office provide risk management services?
- How is privacy maintained in a fractional family office setup?
- Can fractional family offices assist with estate planning?
- Are fractional family office services scalable for growing families?
- How fractional family offices handle multi-jurisdictional wealth planning?
- How to evaluate the performance of a fractional family office?
- What is the process to onboard a family into a fractional family office?
- How do fractional family offices support next-generation education and involvement?

By addressing these questions with precision and personalized insight, families can make well-informed decisions when considering the advantages of a fractional family office tailored to their distinct wealth management objectives. Reach out today to learn how we can help you harness the full potential of this innovative approach.