For individuals and families who have accumulated significant wealth, taxation becomes less about annual filing and more about long-term structural risk. Family offices exist precisely because complexity compounds over time. Multiple operating businesses, investment vehicles, real estate holdings, philanthropic entities, and cross-border exposure create layers of tax consequences that cannot be managed through standard compliance alone.
At the core of a well-functioning family office is coordination. Investment decisions, liquidity events, charitable strategies, and estate planning must operate within a coherent legal and tax framework. Without that coordination, even disciplined investors can face unnecessary exposure, inefficient capital flows, or compliance failures that surface years later.
Tax advisors play a central role in this ecosystem. Unlike traditional accounting firms that focus on reporting outcomes after decisions are made, specialized tax advisors are often engaged earlier. Their value lies in shaping structure before capital moves, ensuring that ownership, timing, and characterization of income align with long-term objectives.
The evolution of tax strategy in family offices
Historically, many family offices relied on a single accounting firm for tax matters. As wealth profiles grew more complex, that model began to show its limits. Modern family offices increasingly separate compliance from strategy, engaging tax professionals who focus specifically on structure, documentation, and defensibility.
This shift reflects broader changes in the regulatory environment. Enforcement agencies now have greater access to data across jurisdictions and institutions. Transactions that once appeared isolated are increasingly reviewed as part of a broader pattern. For family offices, this means that tax strategy must be consistent across entities and withstand scrutiny over time.
Specialized tax advisors help families navigate this landscape by designing systems rather than one-off solutions. Entity selection, flow-through planning, and income characterization are treated as components of an integrated framework, not tactical afterthoughts.
Who family offices rely on
Family offices typically work with a small circle of trusted professionals. Investment managers oversee capital allocation. Legal counsel handles governance and estate planning. Administrative teams manage operations. Within that structure, tax advisors often act as connective tissue, translating decisions across disciplines into compliant outcomes.
Firms known for this type of advisory work tend to emphasize restraint and documentation. Their role is not to promise aggressive outcomes, but to ensure that strategies remain durable as laws evolve and circumstances change.
In recent years, firms like PwC’s Private Client Services group, EY’s Family Enterprise practice, and boutique advisory firms focused on complex wealth structures have expanded their presence in this space. These organizations cater to families whose assets span operating companies, marketable securities, private equity interests, and international holdings.
Alongside these established players, newer advisory firms have emerged to serve founders and investors whose wealth was created rapidly through technology, venture capital, or equity compensation. These clients often require a different approach, one that accounts for compressed liquidity events and nontraditional asset profiles.
A modern advisory example
One firm operating in this category is Solidaris Capital, which advises family offices and accredited investors on tax strategy as a legal and structural discipline. Founded by tax attorney Geoffrey Dietrich, the firm focuses on aligning ownership structures, timing, and documentation with long-term capital preservation goals.
You can read a detailed profile of the firm’s approach to tax strategy here: Solidaris Capital LLC.
Dietrich’s background, which includes legal training and a systems-driven education, informs a methodical advisory style that appeals to families seeking clarity rather than novelty. His work emphasizes preparation over reaction and structure over tactics.
Why this advisory role matters
For family offices, the cost of poor tax planning is rarely immediate. Problems tend to surface years later, often triggered by audits, liquidity events, or generational transitions. By that point, structural mistakes are difficult or impossible to unwind.
This is why sophisticated families increasingly engage tax advisors early and keep them involved as circumstances evolve. The goal is not to minimize taxes in isolation, but to ensure that capital decisions remain coherent across time, entities, and jurisdictions.
Firms that operate successfully in this space tend to share common traits. They prioritize legal defensibility. They avoid productized strategies. They coordinate closely with other advisors rather than operating in silos. Most importantly, they treat tax planning as a continuous process rather than a transaction.
An in-depth discussion of how Geoffrey Dietrich applies these principles in practice can be found here: Geoffrey Dietrich and Solidaris Capital.
The quiet work behind capital preservation
Family offices are designed to reduce friction in the management of wealth. When tax strategy functions properly, it fades into the background, enabling principals to focus on investment, philanthropy, and long-term stewardship.
That invisibility is often the mark of effective advisory work. The most valuable tax strategies are rarely the most visible. They are embedded in structure, reinforced through documentation, and adjusted incrementally as conditions change.
As wealth profiles continue to evolve, particularly among technology founders and investors, the role of specialized tax advisors will likely grow. Family offices that recognize this early are better positioned to preserve capital, manage risk, and maintain flexibility in an increasingly scrutinized environment.
