Health Check
A two-hour review across ten areas. You receive a scorecard and your three highest risks.
Discuss a Health Check
One team. The whole picture.Every decision stays yours.
Confiance Private Office runs the work of a family's wealth and affairs. Independent, and overseeing all of it.
Why clients stay
Clients stay because their Confiance team knows the whole picture, and oversees all of it.
One point of contact
Money, property, entities, advisers and paperwork sit with your Confiance team, not across ten firms.
Independent
No money managed. No product sold. No commissions.
More of what you love
Less of what you don't. The admin, the chasing and the paperwork are handled, so your time goes where you want it. Readiness for the next generation follows.
We coordinate your advisers
Your lawyers, accountants and managers stay. We brief them, run the meetings and follow up, so they work as one team.
The six capitals
Wealth is more than money.
Financial capital serves to grow the other five.
FinancialThe assets that fund and sustain the other five
HumanHealth, capability and independence
IntellectualKnowledge passed between generations
SocialTrust inside the family, standing outside it
Spiritual / PurposeShared values and a reason to act together
StructuralEntities, trusts, governance and decision rights
The Family Balance Sheet
Each capital is scored, so the family sees where it is strong and where it needs attention.
How Confiance delivers
Six capitals. One team looking after all of them.
The Private Office is organised into areas of work, each serving one or more capitals. Built as far as you want it to go.
Your familykeeps every decision
Serves: Financial
Total wealth picture
One consolidated view of every entity, listed and unlisted, with current valuations, costs and total return.
Read more about total wealth picture in the Private OfficeServices that can stand alone
Six ways to begin.
Each is a first piece of work in its own right. Each can lead into the Private Office.
- 01Health CheckTwo hours, ten areas, your three highest risks
- 02Total wealth assessmentEvery asset, every cost and the total return, in one view
- 03TransitionSeparation, bereavement, a sale, an inheritance
- 04Advocacy and disputesNegotiating for a settled outcome
- 05Adviser search and reviewNew advisers, or a review of current ones
- 06Business reviews, valuations and successionPerformance, value and who takes over
Private OfficeThe ongoing relationship
Fixed fee or hourly
When individuals and families call us
The moments that need a steady hand.
How an engagement starts
Bespoke from the first conversation.
- Step 1
First conversation
Whether Confiance fits. No charge.
- Step 2
Discovery session
Everything mapped across the six capitals. Free.
- Step 3 · Optional
A first piece of work
See the standard before committing.
- Step 4
Written proposal
Within five business days, scoped and priced.
- Step 5
Set-up and ongoing
Reporting, an annual review, a senior adviser on call.
Contact
Begin with a conversation.
Confidential, and at no charge. By appointment.
The ongoing relationship
Private Office
Confiance runs the work. The family keeps every decision.
Each Private Office looks after the six capitals of a family's wealth, as far as the family wants it to go.
How Confiance delivers
The work, organised by capital.
Financial capital serves to grow the other five. Each area of work is tagged with the capitals it serves, and every decision stays yours.
Total wealth picture
Financial
One consolidated view of every entity, listed and unlisted, with current valuations. It shows the total cost of wealth and the total return.
Example: consolidated reporting across four family entities and several platforms.
Family and household
Human / Social
Spending, budgets, insurance, bills, staff, and whatever else the family wants taken off its plate.
Example: a 12-month analysis of a family's spending, followed by an ongoing retainer.
Advisers and investments
Financial
Managers, banks, lawyers, accountants, valuers and insurers appointed, briefed, reviewed and coordinated. An annual Total Cost of Wealth report.
Example: one investment framework applied across two external managers.
Property and real assets
Financial / Structural
Strategy, leasing, rent reviews, valuations, capital works and developments, drawing on deep experience running property and hotel funds.
Example: a lease restructure and capital works review with a national tenant.
Operating businesses
Financial / Structural
Board and shareholder representation, management reporting, leases and major contracts, and how the business fits the family's wider wealth.
Example: oversight of a family-owned operating business.
Governance and structure
Structural
Capitals assessment (the Family Balance Sheet), family charter and investment policy statement. Trusts, wills and estate plans kept aligned with the lawyers.
Next generation
Human / Intellectual / Spiritual
Age-appropriate education, so children understand money and that wealth is broader than finance. Each member prepared for responsibility.
Trusted adviser on call
All six capitals
A senior sounding board, and independent second opinions on proposals from banks, managers and advisers.
Alongside, not instead of
One point of contact for every adviser.
Your advisers stay. Confiance briefs them, holds them to account and makes them work as one team.
Confiance
- Lawyers
- Accountants
- Investment managers
- Private banks
- Valuers
- Insurers
- Trustees
- Business advisers
The difference
What changes with a Private Office.
Without
- Advisers who rarely speak to each other
- Statements in a dozen places, valuations out of date
- No one who sees the whole picture
- Decisions made under pressure, on partial information
- The administration falls to the family
With Confiance
- One team of advisers, briefed and coordinated
- One report of everything you own, kept current
- A dedicated adviser, backed by senior oversight of everything
- Clear options before every decision
- Your time back for what matters to you
Fee
Annual retainer
Scoped to your family, and set out in a written proposal.
Never a percentage of assets. No commissions.
Questions
No. Confiance manages no money, holds no client assets and sells no financial products.
No. Your advisers stay. Confiance makes them work as one team.
An annual retainer, scoped to your family. You receive a written proposal within five business days of the discovery session.
Yes. Many families begin with a stand-alone service, such as a Health Check, to see the standard first.
Your family sees everything we do. Information is shared only with the advisers you authorise.
Services that can stand alone
Six ways to begin.
Each can be bought on its own, as a first piece of work, or from within the Private Office.
Fixed fee or hourly, quoted in the proposal.
Total wealth assessment
A full review of everything the family owns, across every entity, listed and unlisted. One presentation-ready report covering every asset, the total cost of wealth and the total return, with the issues and opportunities it shows.
Discuss an assessmentTransition
Separation and binding financial agreements. Bereavement. The sale of a business. An inheritance. Your lawyer drafts and advises; Confiance prepares the financial picture the decisions rely on.
Speak in confidenceAdvocacy and disputes
Negotiating for the family with institutions, tenants, landlords and counterparties, aiming for a settled outcome.
Discuss a disputeAdviser search and review
An independent search for new advisers, or a review of the ones in place. Confiance takes no payment from the firms it recommends. You choose.
Discuss your advisersBusiness reviews, valuations and succession
An independent review of an operating business's performance, governance and management. Valuations arranged with specialist valuers and reviewed for the family. Succession: who takes over, how ownership passes and how it is funded, or preparing for a sale.
Discuss a business review
How we work
Bespoke, and agreed in writing.
What each family receives is agreed after a discovery session, or after a first piece of work.
Who we serve
Individuals and families. Often the same client, at different moments.
Individuals
Significant wealth held across companies, trusts, property and investments, without a family office behind it. Too much to manage alone, and too important to leave to chance.
Usually starts withA Health Check or total wealth assessment, then the Private Office
Families
Wealth spread across entities, property, operating businesses and private investments. Several advisers who do not talk to each other. Or an existing family office that needs direction.
Usually starts withDiscovery, a first piece of work, then the Private Office
Women at a point of change
Separation and a binding financial agreement. Bereavement. The sale of a business. An inheritance.
Usually starts withTransition, then the Private Office
How an engagement starts
Five steps.
- No charge
First conversation
What is on the family's mind, and whether Confiance fits.
- Free
Discovery session
Every entity, asset, adviser and family member mapped across the six capitals, and what the family wants taken off its plate.
- Optional
A first piece of work
A Health Check, a total wealth assessment, a Transition, an adviser review, a property review or a dispute. The standard, seen first.
- Five business days
Proposal in writing
The bespoke Private Office, scoped and priced.
- Ongoing
Set-up and ongoing
Records, valuations and reporting brought up to date, advisers briefed. Then regular reporting, an annual review and a senior adviser on call.
Fees
Stated before work begins.
- Private Office
- Annual retainer
- Scoped to your family.
- Stand-alone services
- Fixed fee or hourly
- Quoted in the proposal.
- Total wealth assessment
- Fixed fee
- Set by how complex the structure and investments are.
- First conversation and discovery session
- No charge
- Before any proposal.
- Never a percentage of assets
- No commissions
- Nothing proceeds until you sign
Independent by design
Independent by design
Paid only by you, so we answer only to you.
We do
- Oversee and coordinate your advisers
- Report on everything you own
- Advocate for you with institutions
- Prepare the next generation
- Keep your records and structures current
We never
- Manage your money or hold your assets
- Sell financial products
- Take commissions or asset-based fees
- Accept payments from advisers we recommend
- Make decisions for you
About
A firm built on experience, overseeing all of it.
About Victoria
Victoria Rose
Victoria Rose has spent more than fifteen years managing capital for institutions and for families. She founded a boutique investment manager backed largely by family capital, and grew it to A$2 billion. She then led CapitaLand Investment's A$11 billion Australian asset management platform across listed funds, unlisted funds and the group's balance sheet. Earlier, at 25, she was Director of Sustainability for IHG across Australasia.
She has sat on the family's side of the table as well as the manager's, and is responsible for her own family's property, businesses and investments.
She draws on that experience, in business and in her own life, to work alongside clients in calm periods and in crises. She has steered families, and her own, through bereavement, separation, changes in generational leadership and litigation. She knows the hardest parts of wealth are rarely the numbers, and that they are difficult to carry alone.
What Confiance is
- An independent private office
- A dedicated adviser for every client
- For individuals, families and women at a point of change
- Alongside your existing advisers, or helping you find them
What Confiance is not
- A money manager
- A custodian of client assets
- A seller of financial products
- An Australian financial services licensee
Contact
Arrange a first conversation
Confidential, and at no charge.
Thank you. We will be in touch.
Victoria RoseFounder, Confiance Private Office
- [email protected]
- Phone
- +61 417 520 335
- Meetings
- By appointment
What happens next
- A first conversation, at no charge.
- A discovery session, also free.
- A written proposal within five business days.
- Nothing proceeds until you sign it.
Important information
Privacy and important information.
The short version
A consulting practice. Confiance does not manage money, hold client assets or provide financial product advice.
Consulting only
Confiance Private Office provides consulting services only. It does not hold an Australian financial services licence and offers no services under one. It does not provide financial product advice, deal in financial products or hold client money.
General information
Information on this site is general only and does not take account of your objectives, financial situation or needs.
Licensed advice
Where you need licensed advice, Confiance helps you find and brief an appropriately licensed adviser. You engage them directly.
Fees
Fees are paid by the client only. Confiance takes no commissions and no payments from advisers or product providers.
Privacy
We collect only what an engagement needs, use it only for that engagement and share it only with the advisers you authorise. Enquiries sent through this site are used only to reply to you.
Confidentiality
A confidentiality agreement can be signed before any information is shared.
Fourteen signature tools
The work behind every decision a family makes.
Fourteen tools we use to understand a family, see its wealth clearly, settle who decides what, build each member’s capability, steady the family through its hardest moments and keep every adviser and every dollar of cost in view.
The fourteen tools
Choose a tool.
- 01The Confiance ConversationA confidential first meeting. We listen and ask; we do not sell.Open this tool
- 02The Private Office Health CheckThe high-level version of the Total wealth assessment.Open this tool
- 03The Confiance Family Balance SheetA family’s wealth is more than its assets. This is the annual scorecard for all of it.Open this tool
- 04The Hundred-Year MapOne picture of who controls what, and where that control goes next.Open this tool
- 05The Family CharterThe family’s own rulebook, written in its own words.Open this tool
- 06The Investment Policy StatementThe family sets the purpose. The adviser sets the portfolio. We hold them to it.Open this tool
- 07The Confiance Capability PathwayEvery member ready for the role they will one day hold.Open this tool
- 08The Confiance Transition ProtocolStabilise before strategising.Open this tool
- 09The Private Office authority matrixOne page that says exactly who does what.Open this tool
- 10The Three-circle mapFamily, owners and the business: everyone placed where they stand.Open this tool
- 11The FREEDOM checkControl passes when the family is ready, not before.Open this tool
- 12Adviser review and searchA fair, documented test of every adviser the family relies on.Open this tool
- 13The BFA disclosure scheduleThe full financial picture a lawyer needs, ready when it matters.Open this tool
- 14The Total Cost of Wealth reportEverything the family pays, across every provider, in one place.Open this tool
Where to begin
Start with one piece of work. Keep everything it builds.
Most families begin with a Health Check or a single stand-alone service. The tools carry across, so when a family moves into the Private Office nothing is redone.
- See itThe wealth picture
The Wealth Picture on our reporting platform. Everything the family owns, in one place.
- Solve itStand-alone services
A Health Check, Total wealth assessment, Transition, Advocacy, Adviser review or Business and succession.
- Run itThe Private Office
The Private Office: governance, reporting, advisers and development, run for the family year after year.
The Hartley family is fictional and all figures are illustrative. This material is general information only and is not personal financial, tax or legal advice.
Tool 1 of 14
The Confiance Conversation
A confidential first meeting. We listen and ask; we do not sell.
The scenario
Meet the Hartleys (fictional)
Margaret was widowed eight months ago. The family business was sold in 2024, leaving about $82m across eight structures: five companies, a family trust, a unit trust and a super fund. Her private bank wants the portfolio reinvested within 60 days, and she does not know who now holds the family trust’s appointor role.
- MargaretAge 58
Widowed eight months ago (Richard). Sole director of all five companies.
- JamesAge 31
Commercial lawyer, married to Priya, one child.
- SophieAge 27
Ceramic artist, irregular income.
- TomAge 19
Engineering student.
The Confiance Conversation
What it is
What it is
A 90-minute conversation built around five questions: what the wealth is for, how it is looked after, how giving builds people, what happens if someone can’t act tomorrow, and how the family keeps money from dividing it. It closes with three practical questions: who the advisers are, what is taking the family’s time, and what is worrying them most.
What the family gets
- Time to be heard, in confidence, before anything is proposed
- A short note afterwards: what we heard, in the family’s own words
- An honest view on whether we are the right fit
- A suggested first step, which the family is free to take or leave
Step by step
How it works
Listen
Ninety minutes, in confidence, around five questions.
Ask
Who the advisers are, what takes time, what worries most.
Write
A short note of what we heard.
Suggest
One first step. The family decides.
Illustrative sample
A worked example, using the Hartley family
Margaret’s first conversation
Illustrative sample“What is the wealth for, now that Richard is gone?”
“The bank wants an answer in 60 days.”
“I don’t know who controls the trust now.”
“I don’t want this to come between the children.”
What we heard: pressure to reinvest, and uncertainty over who controls the trust.
Fit: yes. This is a life transition, and stabilising comes first.
Suggested first step: the Transition service, starting with a written pause to the bank.
The Hartley family is fictional and all figures are illustrative. This material is general information only and is not personal financial, tax or legal advice.
Where it’s usedSee it
WEALTH PICTURENot used at this stage.
Solve it
THE FIRST MEETINGBefore any service, and before any fee.
Run it
THE FIRST MEETINGOften the start of a Private Office relationship.
Tool 2 of 14
The Private Office Health Check
The high-level version of the Total wealth assessment.
The scenario
Meet the Hartleys (fictional)
Margaret was widowed eight months ago. The family business was sold in 2024, leaving about $82m across eight structures: five companies, a family trust, a unit trust and a super fund. Her private bank wants the portfolio reinvested within 60 days, and she does not know who now holds the family trust’s appointor role.
- MargaretAge 58
Widowed eight months ago (Richard). Sole director of all five companies.
- JamesAge 31
Commercial lawyer, married to Priya, one child.
- SophieAge 27
Ceramic artist, irregular income.
- TomAge 19
Engineering student.
The Private Office Health Check
What it is
What it is
A two-hour structured review across ten areas, from records and control roles to cyber, family governance and the next generation. Each area is rated green (in place), amber (partly in place, or depends on one person) or red (missing or at risk), with a light Family Balance Sheet alongside. It is the high-level version of the Total wealth assessment, and the work carries across if the family goes further.
What the family gets
- A one-page scorecard across ten areas
- The three highest risks, and who would fix each one
- A clear flag where the family’s total costs look high
- A sense of how we work, before any larger commitment
Step by step
How it works
Gather
A short list of documents and a two-hour meeting.
Review
Ten areas, each with a few direct questions.
Rate
Green, amber or red, against evidence.
Report
One page and the three highest risks.
Illustrative sample
A worked example, using the Hartley family
The Hartley scorecard
Illustrative sample- 1. Records and reportingAMBER
- 2. Control rolesRED
- 3. Estate documentsRED
- 4. AdvisersAMBER
- 5. Investment governanceRED
- 6. Liquidity and cash flowAMBER
- 7. Insurance and riskAMBER
- 8. Cyber and privacyAMBER
- 9. Family governanceRED
- 10. Next generationRED
The family trust’s appointor role has no named successor, and the trust sits above a unit trust and two companies.
Margaret’s 2015 will still names Richard as executor.
No Investment Policy Statement, with the bank pressing to reinvest.
The Hartley family is fictional and all figures are illustrative. This material is general information only and is not personal financial, tax or legal advice.
Where it’s usedSee it
WEALTH PICTURENot used at this stage.
Solve it
HEALTH CHECKThe high-level version of the Total wealth assessment.
Run it
PRIVATE OFFICEIts findings carry straight into the Private Office.
Tool 3 of 14
The Confiance Family Balance Sheet
A family’s wealth is more than its assets. This is the annual scorecard for all of it.
The scenario
Meet the Hartleys (fictional)
Margaret was widowed eight months ago. The family business was sold in 2024, leaving about $82m across eight structures: five companies, a family trust, a unit trust and a super fund. Her private bank wants the portfolio reinvested within 60 days, and she does not know who now holds the family trust’s appointor role.
- MargaretAge 58
Widowed eight months ago (Richard). Sole director of all five companies.
- JamesAge 31
Commercial lawyer, married to Priya, one child.
- SophieAge 27
Ceramic artist, irregular income.
- TomAge 19
Engineering student.
The Confiance Family Balance Sheet
What it is
What it is
An annual scorecard across the six capitals that make a family last (Financial, Human, Intellectual, Social, Spiritual / Purpose and Structural). It shows where the family is strong, where it is exposed, and where members quietly disagree.
High-level version · Health Check
The member survey and our adviser read. A fast, confidential first look, without a full asset map.
Full version · Total wealth assessment
A complete asset and entity map on our reporting platform, the fully scored Balance Sheet and the top three priorities with owners.
What the family gets
- A score from 1 (at risk) to 5 (exemplary) for each of six areas
- The areas where members see things differently, flagged for discussion
- No more than three priorities for the year, each with a named owner
- A baseline to measure progress against, every year
Step by step
How it works
Member survey
Each adult member rates 24 short statements in about 20 minutes. Answers stay confidential to us.
Adviser assessment
We rate each area against evidence: documents, structures, reports and interviews.
Score and spread
We combine both views and flag any area where members differ by two points or more.
Three priorities
The family agrees its priorities and owners. We track each one to completion.
Illustrative sample
A worked example, using the Hartley family
The Hartley baseline
Illustrative sampleStructural1.6Priority 1
Intellectual2.1Priority 2
Purpose2.4Priority 3 · 2.5-pt gap
Social2.82.5-pt gap
Human3.2
Financial3.4
Secure the control points. Every trust and company role named, with a successor.
A structures briefing for every adult member, then a personal Capability Pathway plan.
A first facilitated family meeting on what the wealth is for.
“I can explain what the family’s wealth is for.”
“Someone other than the principal could step in tomorrow.”
“We can discuss money without it becoming a conflict.”
“It is clear who decides what.”
The Hartley family is fictional and all figures are illustrative. This material is general information only and is not personal financial, tax or legal advice.
Where it’s usedSee it
WEALTH PICTUREThe asset and entity map that feeds the full Balance Sheet.
Solve it
HEALTH CHECK · TOTAL WEALTH ASSESSMENTHigh-level version in the Health Check; full version in the Total wealth assessment.
Run it
PRIVATE OFFICERefreshed every year at the Family Assembly.
Tool 4 of 14
The Hundred-Year Map
One picture of who controls what, and where that control goes next.
The scenario
Meet the Hartleys (fictional)
Margaret was widowed eight months ago. The family business was sold in 2024, leaving about $82m across eight structures: five companies, a family trust, a unit trust and a super fund. Her private bank wants the portfolio reinvested within 60 days, and she does not know who now holds the family trust’s appointor role.
- MargaretAge 58
Widowed eight months ago (Richard). Sole director of all five companies.
- JamesAge 31
Commercial lawyer, married to Priya, one child.
- SophieAge 27
Ceramic artist, irregular income.
- TomAge 19
Engineering student.
The Hundred-Year Map
What it is
What it is
A single map of every person, entity, control role and asset in the family, and what happens to each role on death, incapacity or separation. We build it from the family’s own deeds, constitutions and wills in the first 60 days, then test it against real scenarios.
What the family gets
- Every trustee, director, appointor, executor and attorney role on one page
- The gaps: roles with no successor, out-of-date documents, conflicts
- A “what happens if” test for each scenario that matters
- A short list of fixes, followed through to signed documents
Step by step
How it works
Gather
Interviews, deeds, constitutions, ASIC extracts, wills and powers of attorney.
Map
People, entities, control roles and assets, linked on our reporting platform.
Test
Run each scenario: a death, a loss of capacity, a separation.
Close the gaps
The family decides each fix. We brief the lawyer and accountant and see it signed.
Illustrative sample
A worked example, using the Hartley family
The Hartley Map
Illustrative sampleBefore the Map, the family thought of its wealth as “about $82m”. The Map showed eight structures – five companies, two trusts and a super fund – with every control role resting on one person.
Margaret HartleySole director of all five companies 2
Hartley Family TrustDiscretionary · trustee Hartley Holdings Pty Ltd 1
Hartley Investment TrustUnit trust, 100% owned · trustee Hartley Investments Pty Ltd$38m portfolio at the private bank (the sale proceeds)
Hartley Property Pty Ltd100% owned$14m industrial warehouse, leased to the buyer of the family business 5
Hartley Distributions Pty LtdBucket company (corporate beneficiary)$6m retained
Hartley Super FundSMSF · trustee Hartley Super Pty Ltd$7m 3
Held personally by Margaret
- Family home $9m
- Beach house $4m
- Cash $4m
- 1The family trust’s appointor role (Richard) has no named successor.
- 2Margaret is now sole director of all five companies.
- 3The SMSF death benefit for Richard is still to be paid, and Margaret’s binding nomination has lapsed.
- 4Her 2015 will still names Richard as executor.
- 5The warehouse lease to the buyer of the business has no named review owner.
- If Margaret dies
Her 2015 will names Richard as executor, so no one is named to administer her estate or take over the control roles.
Fix: successor appointor, new will - If she loses capacity
No one can act for any of the five companies, or sign for the property company’s lease.
Fix: second directors, enduring power of attorney - If James separates
Past distributions, and his interest through the family trust, may come into the property pool.
Fix: distribution records, Charter clause - If Sophie needs help
No policy exists, so the trustee decides ad hoc.
Fix: hardship clause in the Charter
The Hartley family is fictional and all figures are illustrative. This material is general information only and is not personal financial, tax or legal advice.
Where it’s usedSee it
WEALTH PICTUREEntities and assets consolidated on our reporting platform.
Solve it
TOTAL WEALTH ASSESSMENT · TRANSITIONBuilt in the first 60 days as the entity map.
Run it
PRIVATE OFFICE GOVERNANCEKept current and re-checked at every annual Balance Sheet.
Tool 5 of 14
The Family Charter
The family’s own rulebook, written in its own words.
The scenario
Meet the Hartleys (fictional)
Margaret was widowed eight months ago. The family business was sold in 2024, leaving about $82m across eight structures: five companies, a family trust, a unit trust and a super fund. Her private bank wants the portfolio reinvested within 60 days, and she does not know who now holds the family trust’s appointor role.
- MargaretAge 58
Widowed eight months ago (Richard). Sole director of all five companies.
- JamesAge 31
Commercial lawyer, married to Priya, one child.
- SophieAge 27
Ceramic artist, irregular income.
- TomAge 19
Engineering student.
The Family Charter
What it is
What it is
A plain-language agreement on who belongs, who decides what and how money reaches members. The family writes it and makes every decision in it. We facilitate the conversations, draft from the family’s decisions and stress-test the result. Then the family’s lawyers bring the trust deeds, constitutions and wills into line, and we follow that work through.
What the family gets
- A mission specific enough to settle a disagreement
- Clear decision rights and thresholds for the matters that count
- A distribution policy that builds independence, not dependence
- An agreed way through conflict, before it is needed
Step by step
How it works
Listen
Individual conversations with each adult member.
Facilitate
Family workshops, section by section.
Draft
We write up the family’s decisions in plain English.
Stress-test
We run the draft against real scenarios from the Map.
Align
Signed by each adult; the lawyers update the documents.
Illustrative sample
A worked example, using the Hartley family
The Hartley Charter: eleven sections
Illustrative sample- 01Purpose and status
A statement of intent that the legal documents are brought into line with.
- 02 · Mission
“Our wealth exists to give every Hartley the education, security and independence to build a life of their own choosing.”
- 03Values
Independence first. Fair, not identical. No surprises.
- 04Membership
Who is family, including spouses and partners.
- 05Family forums
An annual Assembly and a quarterly Council.
- 06Decision rights
Who decides what, and by what threshold.
- 07Distributions
Education, living support, milestones, ventures, hardship.
- 08Employment
Three years outside before a family role.
- 09Investment policy
The portfolio tied to the mission.
- 10Conflict resolution
Four agreed steps before any legal action.
- 11Review
Revisited every year at the Assembly.
| Decision | Who decides | Threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Appointors, trustee directors, executors | Family Council | Unanimous |
| Investment Policy Statement | Family Council, informed by our analysis | Majority |
| Sale of the beach house | Family Assembly | 75% |
As chief of staff, we prepare the papers for each forum, record decisions and track actions to completion. We do not vote.
The Hartley family is fictional and all figures are illustrative. This material is general information only and is not personal financial, tax or legal advice.
Where it’s usedSee it
WEALTH PICTURENot used at this stage.
Solve it
STAND-ALONE SERVICESGaps found here feed the Charter later.
Run it
PRIVATE OFFICE GOVERNANCEBuilt with the family, then reviewed every year.
Tool 6 of 14
The Investment Policy Statement
The family sets the purpose. The adviser sets the portfolio. We hold them to it.
The scenario
Meet the Hartleys (fictional)
Margaret was widowed eight months ago. The family business was sold in 2024, leaving about $82m across eight structures: five companies, a family trust, a unit trust and a super fund. Her private bank wants the portfolio reinvested within 60 days, and she does not know who now holds the family trust’s appointor role.
- MargaretAge 58
Widowed eight months ago (Richard). Sole director of all five companies.
- JamesAge 31
Commercial lawyer, married to Priya, one child.
- SophieAge 27
Ceramic artist, irregular income.
- TomAge 19
Engineering student.
The Investment Policy Statement
What it is
What it is
A written statement that links the portfolio to what the wealth is for. The family sets its objectives, liquidity needs and limits. The licensed investment adviser sets the asset allocation and selects products. We report against the Statement on our reporting platform and hold the bank or adviser to the mandate on the family’s behalf.
What the family gets
- A written objective, return target and liquidity reserve
- Limits on concentration and illiquid assets
- Quarterly reporting to the family against the Statement
- A clear line between the family’s decisions and the adviser’s
Step by step
How it works
Purpose
The family agrees what the portfolio is for.
Limits
Liquidity, risk and any exclusions.
Mandate
The adviser recommends; the family appoints.
Oversight
Quarterly reporting against the Statement.
Illustrative sample
A worked example, using the Hartley family
The Hartley Investment Policy Statement
Illustrative sample| Item | Set by | Hartley position |
|---|---|---|
| Objective | Family | Preserve real value after distributions, across generations |
| Return objective | Family, with adviser input | CPI + 3.5% a year after fees, over rolling seven years |
| Liquidity | Family | Two years of distributions plus known commitments, held outside the warehouse |
| Limits | Family | No single holding above 10%; illiquid assets capped at 25% |
| Allocation and products | Licensed adviser | Per the adviser’s recommendation |
| Oversight | Confiance, on our reporting platform | Quarterly to the Family Council |
The family setsPurpose and limits
Objective, return target, liquidity, constraints.
The adviser setsAllocation and products
Under a mandate tied to the Statement.
We make sureIt is followed
Quarterly reporting, and the adviser held to the mandate.
The $14m warehouse is outside the portfolio mandate but is counted in the concentration limit.
The Hartley family is fictional and all figures are illustrative. This material is general information only and is not personal financial, tax or legal advice.
Where it’s usedSee it
WEALTH PICTUREHoldings reported against the Statement on our reporting platform.
Solve it
TRANSITION · ADVISER SEARCH AND REVIEWAgreed before any reinvestment; the brief for any adviser search.
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PRIVATE OFFICEAdviser oversight, summarised in the Family Charter.
Tool 7 of 14
The Confiance Capability Pathway
Every member ready for the role they will one day hold.
The scenario
Meet the Hartleys (fictional)
Margaret was widowed eight months ago. The family business was sold in 2024, leaving about $82m across eight structures: five companies, a family trust, a unit trust and a super fund. Her private bank wants the portfolio reinvested within 60 days, and she does not know who now holds the family trust’s appointor role.
- MargaretAge 58
Widowed eight months ago (Richard). Sole director of all five companies.
- JamesAge 31
Commercial lawyer, married to Priya, one child.
- SophieAge 27
Ceramic artist, irregular income.
- TomAge 19
Engineering student.
The Confiance Capability Pathway
What it is
What it is
A personal development plan for every family member, at any age, run in 90-day cycles. Members choose their own priorities from a competency matrix for their life stage. We build the plan with them, line up the right support and review progress at the end of each cycle.
What the family gets
- A clear picture of what competence looks like at each life stage
- A 90-day plan for each member, with real evidence of progress
- Mentors, specialists and sessions arranged for them
- A family that can step in when it needs to
Step by step
How it works
Self-assess
Each member rates themselves from “not yet” to “can teach”.
Choose
The member picks one to three priorities.
Plan
Actions, support and evidence for day 90.
Review
Score again, then set the next cycle.
Illustrative sample
A worked example, using the Hartley family
Six life stages
Illustrative sample- Foundation5–18
- Launch18–30 · Tom
- Build30–45 · James
- Consolidate45–60 · Margaret
- Transition60–75
- Legacy75+
- 1Not yet
- 2Aware
- 3Practising
- 4Confident
- 5Can teach
Tom, 19 · Launch · 90-day plan
Intellectual: understand the family structures1 → 3
Financial: run his own money2 → 3
Governance: see how decisions are made1 → 2
By day 90 he can explain the trust to his mother in his own words.
Margaret, 58 · Consolidate · 90-day plan
Governance: secure control roles2 → 4
Intellectual: hold advisers to account2 → 3
Human: define her role after the business2 → 3
By day 90 she sets the agenda for her own bank review.
The Hartley family is fictional and all figures are illustrative. This material is general information only and is not personal financial, tax or legal advice.
Where it’s usedSee it
WEALTH PICTURENot used at this stage.
Solve it
STAND-ALONE SERVICESA Balance Sheet priority often points here.
Run it
PRIVATE OFFICEThe core of our intellectual capital work.
Tool 8 of 14
The Confiance Transition Protocol
Stabilise before strategising.
The scenario
Meet the Hartleys (fictional)
Margaret was widowed eight months ago. The family business was sold in 2024, leaving about $82m across eight structures: five companies, a family trust, a unit trust and a super fund. Her private bank wants the portfolio reinvested within 60 days, and she does not know who now holds the family trust’s appointor role.
- MargaretAge 58
Widowed eight months ago (Richard). Sole director of all five companies.
- JamesAge 31
Commercial lawyer, married to Priya, one child.
- SophieAge 27
Ceramic artist, irregular income.
- TomAge 19
Engineering student.
The Confiance Transition Protocol
What it is
What it is
A staged process for the highest-risk moments in a life: separation, widowhood, inheritance, a business sale or a first appointment as trustee. No irreversible decision is made before day 90 unless the law requires it. The client makes every decision. We hold the timetable, brief the specialists and keep pressure from other parties at bay.
What the family gets
- Twelve months of living costs secured in the client’s own name
- Time to understand the position before anything is signed
- A clear sequence of decisions, with their consequences
- Specific steps for each life event, confirmed with the lawyer and tax agent
Step by step
How it works: four phases, each ending at a gate
- Days 0–30
Stabilise
Liquidity, control, a full inventory, a pause on pressure.
- Days 30–90
Understand
The Map, an adviser review, cash flow and an options paper.
- Days 90–180
Decide
Investment policy first; then decisions in the agreed order.
- Day 180 on
Build
Into the Private Office, if the client chooses.
Illustrative sample
A worked example, using the Hartley family
Margaret’s first 180 days
Illustrative sample010Gate 13060Gate 290Gate 3110120180
- Day 0
On Margaret’s instruction, we write to the bank to pause; the $38m stays in cash.
- Day 30
Full inventory of all eight structures on our reporting platform; 12 months’ liquidity confirmed.
- Day 90
Options paper reviewed. She understands her position and the order of decisions.
- Day 120
Investment policy agreed, successor appointor and estate documents signed.
The Hartley family is fictional and all figures are illustrative. This material is general information only and is not personal financial, tax or legal advice.
Where it’s usedSee it
WEALTH PICTUREThe day-30 inventory is loaded onto our reporting platform.
Solve it
TRANSITION · ADVOCACY · BUSINESS AND SUCCESSIONThe process behind the Transition service, and wherever a life event is the trigger.
Run it
PRIVATE OFFICEPhase 4 leads into the Private Office, if the client chooses.
Tool 9 of 14
The Private Office authority matrix
One page that says exactly who does what.
The scenario
Meet the Hartleys (fictional)
Margaret was widowed eight months ago. The family business was sold in 2024, leaving about $82m across eight structures: five companies, a family trust, a unit trust and a super fund. Her private bank wants the portfolio reinvested within 60 days, and she does not know who now holds the family trust’s appointor role.
- MargaretAge 58
Widowed eight months ago (Richard). Sole director of all five companies.
- JamesAge 31
Commercial lawyer, married to Priya, one child.
- SophieAge 27
Ceramic artist, irregular income.
- TomAge 19
Engineering student.
The Private Office authority matrix
What it is
What it is
A short written agreement, signed when a Private Office is set up and widened only when the family decides. It makes the chief-of-staff role concrete: we collect, reconcile, prepare and remind; the family approves, instructs and decides. We never make payments or transfers, and we do not recommend products.
What the family gets
- Every activity, with our role and the family’s side by side
- Payment instructions prepared by us, approved and executed by the family
- Read-only access, and a document vault the family owns
- Nothing widened without the family’s written agreement
Step by step
How it works
List
Every activity the office will touch.
Assign
Our role and the family’s, line by line.
Sign
The family and Confiance sign and date it.
Review
Widened only when the family decides.
Illustrative sample
A worked example, using the Hartley family
Margaret’s Private Office: who does what
Illustrative sample| Activity | Confiance | Margaret |
|---|---|---|
| Collect statements and documents | Does (read-only access) | Provides access |
| Reconcile and report | Does, monthly | Reviews |
| Prepare payment instructions | Prepares | Approves and executes |
| Make payments or transfers | Never | Does |
| Investment decisions | Prepares questions and briefs | Decides, with her licensed adviser |
| Compliance calendar | Runs and reminds | Signs, or instructs the accountant |
Every payment instruction is verified by phone before Margaret executes it.
The Hartley family is fictional and all figures are illustrative. This material is general information only and is not personal financial, tax or legal advice.
Where it’s usedSee it
WEALTH PICTURENot used at this stage.
Solve it
STAND-ALONE SERVICESNot used at this stage.
Run it
PRIVATE OFFICESigned at set-up; reviewed whenever the office’s role changes.
Tool 10 of 14
The Three-circle map
Family, owners and the business: everyone placed where they stand.
The scenario
Meet the Hartleys (fictional)
Margaret was widowed eight months ago. The family business was sold in 2024, leaving about $82m across eight structures: five companies, a family trust, a unit trust and a super fund. Her private bank wants the portfolio reinvested within 60 days, and she does not know who now holds the family trust’s appointor role.
- MargaretAge 58
Widowed eight months ago (Richard). Sole director of all five companies.
- JamesAge 31
Commercial lawyer, married to Priya, one child.
- SophieAge 27
Ceramic artist, irregular income.
- TomAge 19
Engineering student.
The Three-circle map
What it is
What it is
A simple map for business-owning families. Everyone connected to the business is placed by three questions: are they family, do they own part of it, and do they work in it. The overlaps show who holds several roles, where roles blur and where conflict or silence is most likely.
What the family gets
- One picture of every role around the business
- The people who hold several roles, and the gaps
- A short note on risks, and who needs more clarity
- The forums the family may need: council, owners’ meeting or board
Step by step
How it works
List
Family, owners, staff, directors and key advisers.
Place
Family? Owner? Works in it? One circle, an overlap or the centre.
Reflect
Multiple roles, gaps and likely friction.
Forums
Who needs which conversation, and where.
Illustrative sample
A worked example, using the Hartley family
The Hartley business before the 2024 sale
Illustrative sample- Several roles
Richard and Margaret were family, owners and managers at once.
- The gap
The children had no view into the business they stood to inherit.
- Likely friction
The minority investor and the family had no shared forum.
- Forums needed
A family council and an owners’ meeting
The Hartley family is fictional and all figures are illustrative. This material is general information only and is not personal financial, tax or legal advice.
Where it’s usedSee it
WEALTH PICTURENot used at this stage.
Solve it
BUSINESS AND SUCCESSION · TOTAL WEALTH ASSESSMENTFor any family that owns a business.
Run it
PRIVATE OFFICEThe forums it points to are run by the office, if the family chooses.
Tool 11 of 14
The FREEDOM check
Control passes when the family is ready, not before.
The scenario
Meet the Hartleys (fictional)
Margaret was widowed eight months ago. The family business was sold in 2024, leaving about $82m across eight structures: five companies, a family trust, a unit trust and a super fund. Her private bank wants the portfolio reinvested within 60 days, and she does not know who now holds the family trust’s appointor role.
- MargaretAge 58
Widowed eight months ago (Richard). Sole director of all five companies.
- JamesAge 31
Commercial lawyer, married to Priya, one child.
- SophieAge 27
Ceramic artist, irregular income.
- TomAge 19
Engineering student.
The FREEDOM check
What it is
What it is
A readiness check before a founder hands over a family business. Seven areas are rated green, amber or red, with evidence and actions: Financial security, Refocus of life plan, Electing a successor, Education and support, Disasters and unplanned events, Objectives alignment and Managing communication. Control does not pass while any area is red. (Framework: Grant Thornton Australia.)
What the family gets
- A rated view of readiness across seven areas
- The evidence behind each rating
- The actions needed before control passes
- Financial security and contingency plans confirmed first
Step by step
How it works
Assess
Seven areas, each with one key question.
Evidence
Models, plans, agreements and meetings.
Rate
Green, amber or red.
Act
Nothing passes while any area is red.
Illustrative sample
A worked example, using the Hartley family
How the Hartleys would have scored in 2023
Illustrative sample- Financial securityGREEN
- Electing a successorAMBER
- Disasters and unplanned eventsRED
- Managing communicationAMBER
- Refocus of life planRED
- Education and supportRED
- Objectives alignmentAMBER
Looking back, the red areas show why selling in 2024 suited the family better than a handover.
The Hartley family is fictional and all figures are illustrative. This material is general information only and is not personal financial, tax or legal advice.
Where it’s usedSee it
WEALTH PICTURENot used at this stage.
Solve it
BUSINESS AND SUCCESSIONBefore any founder hands over control.
Run it
PRIVATE OFFICERe-run each year while a handover is under way.
Tool 12 of 14
Adviser review and search
A fair, documented test of every adviser the family relies on.
The scenario
Meet the Hartleys (fictional)
Margaret was widowed eight months ago. The family business was sold in 2024, leaving about $82m across eight structures: five companies, a family trust, a unit trust and a super fund. Her private bank wants the portfolio reinvested within 60 days, and she does not know who now holds the family trust’s appointor role.
- MargaretAge 58
Widowed eight months ago (Richard). Sole director of all five companies.
- JamesAge 31
Commercial lawyer, married to Priya, one child.
- SophieAge 27
Ceramic artist, irregular income.
- TomAge 19
Engineering student.
Adviser review and search
What it is
What it is
Each adviser is rated from 1 to 5 on six criteria: all-in cost, performance against the Investment Policy Statement, service, reporting, continuity of the people serving the family, and conflicts. Where a search is needed, we run a structured request for proposal. A replacement is suggested only at the family’s request or for a documented reason; the family decides who stays.
What the family gets
- A scorecard for each adviser: keep, discuss or replace
- All-in costs benchmarked, from the Total Cost of Wealth report
- A tender run to a clear brief, when the family asks for one
- Fees negotiated against real benchmarks
Step by step
How it works
Gather
Costs, reports, mandates and service history.
Score
Six criteria, from 1 to 5.
Discuss
Findings taken to the family first.
Search
A request for proposal, if the family asks.
Illustrative sample
A worked example, using the Hartley family
The Hartley advisers, year one
Illustrative samplePrivate bank: discuss. Costs above benchmark and no mandate yet.
Accountant: keep. Deep knowledge of the structures.
Lawyer: discuss. An estate specialist is needed alongside.
Property manager: keep. A named owner is needed for the warehouse lease review.
The Hartley family is fictional and all figures are illustrative. This material is general information only and is not personal financial, tax or legal advice.
Where it’s usedSee it
WEALTH PICTURENot used at this stage.
Solve it
ADVISER SEARCH AND REVIEWTender, benchmark and negotiate fees.
Run it
PRIVATE OFFICEAn annual review of every adviser.
Tool 13 of 14
The BFA disclosure schedule
The full financial picture a lawyer needs, ready when it matters.
The scenario
Meet the Hartleys (fictional)
Margaret was widowed eight months ago. The family business was sold in 2024, leaving about $82m across eight structures: five companies, a family trust, a unit trust and a super fund. Her private bank wants the portfolio reinvested within 60 days, and she does not know who now holds the family trust’s appointor role.
- MargaretAge 58
Widowed eight months ago (Richard). Sole director of all five companies.
- JamesAge 31
Commercial lawyer, married to Priya, one child.
- SophieAge 27
Ceramic artist, irregular income.
- TomAge 19
Engineering student.
The BFA disclosure schedule
What it is
What it is
The financial picture behind a binding financial agreement, drawn from our reporting platform and given to the client’s lawyer. It sets out personal and joint assets, trusts and the party’s roles in them, companies, super, liabilities, income, expected inheritances and valuations, each with its source. The lawyer advises on the agreement itself; we make sure the picture is complete and current.
What the family gets
- A ten-part schedule, complete and dated
- Five years of trust distributions set out clearly
- Every valuation with its method and valuer
- An index of every document relied on
Step by step
How it works
Draw
The picture comes from the reporting platform.
Complete
Gaps filled from deeds, statements and valuations.
Check
Each figure tied to a dated source.
Hand over
To the lawyer, who advises on the agreement.
Illustrative sample
A worked example, using the Hartley family
A schedule prepared for James, before a large gift
Illustrative sample- 01Personal assets
- 02Joint assets
- 03Trusts
Roles and five years of distributions
- 04Companies
- 05Superannuation
- 06Liabilities
- 07Income
Last three years
- 08Expected gifts
- 09Valuations
- 10Document index
- Why it matters
The Hundred-Year Map showed James’s interest through the family trust, including the unit trust and the property company, could come into a property pool.
The family’s lawyer advised before the Family Bank lent James money towards a first home.
The Hartley family is fictional and all figures are illustrative. This material is general information only and is not personal financial, tax or legal advice.
Where it’s usedSee it
WEALTH PICTUREThe schedule is drawn from the reporting platform.
Solve it
ADVOCACY · TRANSITIONWhere separation or a new relationship is the trigger.
Run it
PRIVATE OFFICEKept ready, and refreshed before any large gift.
Tool 14 of 14
The Total Cost of Wealth report
Everything the family pays, across every provider, in one place.
The scenario
Meet the Hartleys (fictional)
Margaret was widowed eight months ago. The family business was sold in 2024, leaving about $82m across eight structures: five companies, a family trust, a unit trust and a super fund. Her private bank wants the portfolio reinvested within 60 days, and she does not know who now holds the family trust’s appointor role.
- MargaretAge 58
Widowed eight months ago (Richard). Sole director of all five companies.
- JamesAge 31
Commercial lawyer, married to Priya, one child.
- SophieAge 27
Ceramic artist, irregular income.
- TomAge 19
Engineering student.
The Total Cost of Wealth report
What it is
What it is
An annual report of everything the family pays to have its wealth managed: advice, platform, fund management, performance, transaction, cash and FX costs, row by row and provider by provider. The reporting platform does not capture fees, so we build it from statements, disclosure documents and invoices. We measure, compare and ask; we do not recommend switching to a particular product.
What the family gets
- Total annual cost in dollars and as a share of wealth
- Each provider’s share, and the change from last year
- The costs the family did not know it was paying
- The questions to put to each adviser
Step by step
How it works
Collect
Statements, disclosure documents and invoices.
Schedule
One row per fee, per provider.
Summarise
Total cost, share of wealth, change on last year.
Ask
Questions put to each adviser.
Illustrative sample
A worked example, using the Hartley family
Where the Hartleys’ costs sit
Illustrative sampleShare of total annual cost, illustrative. The cash margin was a cost the family had not known it was paying.
The Hartley family is fictional and all figures are illustrative. This material is general information only and is not personal financial, tax or legal advice.
Where it’s usedSee it
EVERY ONGOING RETAINERBuilt once a year for every retainer.
Solve it
HEALTH CHECK · TOTAL WEALTH ASSESSMENT · ADVISER REVIEWThe cost flag and the benchmark.
Run it
PRIVATE OFFICEEvery year, alongside the adviser review.