ARE YOUR HEIRS PREPARED TO MANAGE YOUR HARD-EARNED WEALTH?

Studying the behavioral patterns of thousands of wealthy families, we’ve uncovered five common characteristics of families that have been able to maintain success, generation after generation.

The well-known business adage "shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations" portrays a cautionary tale of how successful wealth creators risk having their life's work squandered by heirs, leaving grandchildren and other relatives left to start the process of building wealth all over again.

New data has called into question the accuracy of this premise, finding that such fear-based planning can hinder the ability of future generations to build on past success and even lead to family tension. In fact, behavioral research finds that building confidence and trust is more effective in equipping rising generations for the responsibilities of protecting and growing wealth rather than rigid and overly restrictive estate plans.

The Northern Trust Institute has studied the behavioral patterns of thousands of families and found five clear behavioral patterns that lead to success, generation after generation. In this sense, success is defined not just in monetary terms, but also in the well-being and happiness of your whole family. Request our report to find out what we've learned.

Disclosures

© 2026 Northern Trust Corporation. Head Office: 50 South La Salle Street, Chicago, IL 60603. Incorporated with limited liability in the U.S. Member FDIC. This information is not intended to be and should not be treated as legal, investment, accounting or tax advice and is for informational purposes only. Readers, including professionals, should under no circumstances rely upon this information as a substitute for their own research or for obtaining specific legal, accounting or tax advice from their own counsel. All information discussed herein is current only as of the date appearing in this material and is subject to change at any time without notice. The in­formation contained herein, including any information regarding specific investment products or strategies, is provided for informa­tional and/or illustrative purposes only, and is not intended to be and should not be construed as an offer, solicitation or recommen­dation with respect to any investment transaction, product or strategy. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. All material has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but its accuracy, completeness and interpretation cannot be guaranteed.