What Should a Family Office Do in Its First 90 Days?
Short answer. Start by confirming the family's objectives and documenting a plan. Map the current financial and operating picture, identify risks and urgent decisions, then set a short action plan with clear owners. Use the first 90 days to build understanding and set priorities. Avoid rushed hiring, investments, or structural changes before the family understands what it needs.
In the first 90 days, a family office should confirm the family's objectives, map its financial and operating picture, and agree on an action plan. Start by listening and gathering facts. The family needs to understand its priorities and existing arrangements before making major staffing or structural decisions.
Agree on Objectives Before Acting
Document the office's purpose, the family's objectives, needed services, and the results that would make the effort worthwhile. Record the questions the family needs answered and the risks it wants to understand. Note who will take part in decisions. A written plan gives the project a shared reference point and helps keep requests from expanding without discussion.
I often advise families to pause before implementing changes. First establish what you want, what you do not want, and which priorities matter most. If the family has not created one, use a family compass to make those preferences clear. The family office startup guide can help frame the wider setup process.
Map the Current Picture
Bring together information on assets, entities, advisers, reporting, responsibilities, and ongoing commitments. The aim is to understand how the family's affairs are organized and where information or ownership is unclear. A total wealth report can provide a shared view, while a risk register helps the family see exposures and issues that need attention. Keep sensitive information in appropriate channels. Involve the relevant professional advisers when legal or tax specifics arise.
A veteran family office professional can help collect this information and identify areas for further review. Give that person a defined mandate and enough access to understand the existing setup. A plan will be difficult to produce without a clear view of the family's objectives and available information.
Turn Findings Into a Short Action Plan
Once the initial map is in place, prioritize the work. Identify urgent matters and decisions that can wait. Flag projects that need more information. For each action, name an owner, the next step, and the decision or result required. This gives the family a way to track progress without expecting every issue to be solved in the opening period.
At the end of the first 90 days, review what the team learned and agree on the next phase. Some complex situations take longer to map fully, so the calendar should not force a premature conclusion. Use the period to define priorities, assign responsibility, and set a pace the family can sustain. For help thinking through the staffing and outside support required, see which roles a new family office might hire first.
Nothing. Do nothing until you know exactly what you want and don't want and what your priorities, objectives, mission, and values are from the
Sources: The Single Family Office. Informational only, not financial, legal or tax advice.