Sam Kang: What Today’s Ultrawealthy Families Expect From Advisors

20 Jan 2026 · 39 min
Episode

20 Jan 2026 · 39 min

0:00

In this Barron's Advisor "The Way Forward" podcast, Steve Sandusky interviews Sam Kang, head of Charles Schwab’s invitation‑only Family Office platform. Kang explains how single‑family offices (SFOs) and multi‑family offices (MFOs) differ, why the market has exploded to roughly 1,000 family offices worldwide, and what it means to be an "aspirational" MFO. He outlines a framework of ten service domains grouped into quantitative (investment, tax, financial planning), qualitative (family dynamics, philanthropy, education, impact investing, family constitution) and administrative (bill‑pay, concierge, digital vault, risk‑management) services. The conversation covers the shift from pure investment‑alpha to broader wealth‑continuity solutions, the growing interest in alternatives, crypto, and impact investing, and the importance of structured wealth‑transfer planning (with statistics on generational attrition). Kang discusses pricing trends moving from pure AUM fees to hybrid retainer models, the risk of scope creep, and how advisors can build a segmented, hub‑and‑spoke model or partner with Schwab’s concierge team. He highlights client‑acquisition channels (referrals, centers of influence) and the massive growth of ultra‑high‑net‑worth households. Technology and AI are emerging tools – open‑architecture APIs, digital vaults, custom LLMs, sentiment analytics, and AI‑assisted note‑taking – but security and privacy remain paramount. Finally, Kang stresses that the most successful future MFOs will be trusted, relationship‑focused advisors who act as the first point of contact for any family need, not just financial, and who put the client and multi‑generational continuity first.

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