Types of Family Offices
Types of Family Offices
Understanding the different types of family offices and their structures to determine which is right for your family's needs.
Single-Family Office (SFO)
A bespoke office serving one family, with full control over investments, reporting, legal, and lifestyle support. Best suited for families with >$100M AUM....
Key Features:
- Minimum Assets: Varies
- Setup Cost: Contact for details
- Annual Cost: Varies by assets
Multi-Family Office (MFO)
A shared platform serving multiple families. Offers professionalized services—investment, planning, reporting—typically at a lower cost than an SFO....
Key Features:
- Minimum Assets: Varies
- Setup Cost: Contact for details
- Annual Cost: Varies by assets
Virtual Family Office (VFO)
A lean model with no physical office or full-time staff. Services are fully outsourced, coordinated by a trusted advisor or principal. Ideal for <$30M AUM....
Key Features:
- Minimum Assets: Varies
- Setup Cost: Contact for details
- Annual Cost: Varies by assets
Fractional Family Office
Families "subscribe" to a portion of shared infrastructure or advisors (e.g., CFO-as-a-service). Often used during the transition to a more formal structure....
Key Features:
- Minimum Assets: Varies
- Setup Cost: Contact for details
- Annual Cost: Varies by assets
Embedded Family Office
A team housed within a business or investment vehicle, blending operating company resources with family office tasks (often found in first-gen wealth)....
Key Features:
- Minimum Assets: Varies
- Setup Cost: Contact for details
- Annual Cost: Varies by assets
Outsourced Family Office / OCIO
A hybrid model relying on one or more external providers to deliver investment, admin, or governance functions. Often run through an Outsourced CIO (OCIO)....
Key Features:
- Minimum Assets: Varies
- Setup Cost: Contact for details
- Annual Cost: Varies by assets
Private Bank or Wealth Manager "Family Office"
Many banks offer "family office services" that resemble MFO-lite offerings. These are not true family offices but may include concierge, lending, and trusts....
Key Features:
- Minimum Assets: Varies
- Setup Cost: Contact for details
- Annual Cost: Varies by assets
Embedded Fund or Investment Platform
Some families operate their family office as a fund structure (e.g., LLC or LP), focused purely on asset allocation or co-investing, sometimes with external LPs....
Key Features:
- Minimum Assets: Varies
- Setup Cost: Contact for details
- Annual Cost: Varies by assets
Related Resources
Main Pages
Popular FAQ
- What is a Multi-Family Office?
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- Minimum Net Worth Requirements
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