How to "Build a Family Bank" Like the Rockefellers Without Raising Trust Fund Kids

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Jul 14, 2025

In this engaging discussion, estate attorney and multi-generational wealth expert Andrew Howell shares insights on creating a 'family bank' and ensuring wealth doesn't spoil future generations. He emphasizes instilling core values and purpose in legacy planning, arguing that just handing down money can harm heirs. Howell highlights the importance of proactive estate planning, nurturing family dynamics, and viewing family relationships as assets. Listeners will discover how to treat their legacy like a business, focusing on accountability and meaningful impact.

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INSIGHT

Beyond Money: Estate Planning and Legacy

Estate planning should focus on legacy, values, and not just money.
Trust fund babies ("trustafarians") often lack purpose, love, and hope, which wealth alone cannot provide.

ADVICE

Center Family Purpose for Wealth

Set a family purpose at the center, not just parents, to hold wealth and family together.
Support entrepreneurialism with accountability via a family bank and board of trustees.

ADVICE

Define Family Core Values

Clearly lay out family core values and expectations to guide wealth and family behavior.
Use intentional conversations and family meetings to teach history and enforce values.

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How do you pass on not just your money, but the values that created it? In today’s episode of the Money Ripples podcast, I’m joined by someone I’ve trusted for nearly 20 years Andrew Howell, estate attorney and multi-generational wealth expert. If you've ever worried about your hard-earned wealth doing more harm than good for your heirs, this conversation is the blueprint you’ve been looking for.

We’re not just talking about wills and trusts. We dive into the deeper, often-neglected question: - How do you raise children to be great stewards of wealth instead of spoiled trust fund babies? - How do you protect your legacy from being squandered? - How do you put purpose and core values into your estate plan so that your impact lasts generations?

Andrew and I talk about what most estate plans get wrong and why handing your kids a check at age 25 might be the worst decision you ever make. Instead, Andrew introduces a model of family governance, where you treat your legacy like a well-run business, complete with purpose, core values, and intentional design.

You’ll learn why core values should guide your trust structure, how to establish your family’s purpose and not just preserve wealth, but magnify it across generations. We also unpack the concept of a "family bank" not just as a financial tool, but as a system of accountability, entrepreneurship, and legacy-building.

Plus, we tackle the common misconceptions around life insurance in estate planning and why it’s just a piece of the puzzle not the plan itself. Andrew explains how wealthy families like the Rothschilds and Rockefellers have preserved influence for centuries and how you can do it without millions in the bank.

This episode is packed with real-world, practical guidance whether you’re starting out or have an established estate. If you care about legacy, stewardship, and building a multi-generational ripple effect, don’t miss this one and have your older kids listen too!