UBS Family Advisory and Philanthropy Services

As their family grew, Judy and Tim began reflecting on how to share their wealth in meaningful ways. They wanted their financial gifts to reflect the same values that had long defined their family.

The situation: Judy and Tim were concerned about how to make financial gifts to their three children through individual trusts. Like many families, they feared that the gifts might foster dependency or a sense of entitlement.

The solution: The couple’s UBS Private Wealth Advisor set up a meeting with the UBS Family Advisory & Philanthropy team, who helped the couple think about the intention or spirit behind their gifts, rather than viewing them simply as monetary transfers. Together, they explored:

• What Judy and Tim wanted to achieve with their gifts
• How the gifts would reflect their values
• Whether the gifts would bring the couple joy
• Each child’s age, character and stage of readiness to receive a gift

This became the basis for deciding the amount and the timing of gifts. Because the couple highly valued education, they developed a communication plan to help their children understand the intent of the gifts as an encouragement to pursue higher education in their chosen fields. 

After years of building their business, Tiffany and Paul wanted to find deeper purpose in what came next. With their family in mind, they began exploring how their success could create lasting change through thoughtful philanthropy.

The situation: Tiffany and Paul had recently sold a highly successful pharmaceutical services company they had spent years building. In looking to define their purpose beyond the business, they wanted to develop a plan to expand their philanthropic giving.

The solution: The couple’s UBS Private Wealth Advisor brought together members of the UBS Family Advisory & Philanthropy Services team to help think through important questions around the couple’s philanthropic vision. These included looking at:

• What areas and specific issues were important to the couple
• Their patterns of giving in the past, including average size and type of assets
•  How they want to be remembered
• Other family members they may want to involve

Based on a series of conversations, Tiffany and Paul were able to define their specific interests and intentions. These became the basis for a comprehensive philanthropic strategy that included setting up a private foundation with a plan to involve their two children and allow the family to direct gifts where they determined they would have the most impact.

The ocean had always been John’s place of peace and inspiration. When he received his inheritance, he felt compelled to give back, to protect what had given him so much pleasure and to connect with others who shared his passion for the sea and its future.

The situation: John had received a sizeable inheritance and, as an avid diver and nature enthusiast, was looking to create the largest impact he could in terms of saving the world’s oceans. He was interested in collaborating with other philanthropists and organizations who shared similar values to move the needle on this cause.

The solution: Together with his UBS Private Wealth Advisor, John met with members of the UBS Family Advisory and Philanthropy team who introduce him to UBS Optimus Foundation.* The foundation offers three ready-made opportunities to practice collective philanthropy, which offers several benefits, including:

• Working with people with shared interests and determination to solve an issue
• Participating in a learning experience with like-minded peers to boost knowledge, skills and confidence
• Connecting with powerful people, organizations and solutions to magnify efforts

After several discussions, John decided to join the UBS Climate Collective, which is focused on building coastal resilience, since coastal areas are some of the most affected areas and also where promising solutions exist.