When Wealth Lands Overnight: Why Inheritors Need a Private CFO
When You Inherit Wealth, You Inherit Complexity
Not long ago, I spoke with a referral partner about a client who had just inherited several businesses, properties, and investments.
Their parent had passed away, and overnight they went from being “the next generation” to being responsible for an entire financial ecosystem.
They were grieving, overwhelmed — and surrounded by advisers who were still operating under Mum and Dad’s old instructions. “Don’t worry, we’ve got this,” they were told.
Except… they didn’t feel like anyone had them.
The Great Wealth Transfer Is Here
This isn’t a one-off story. Australia is in the midst of the largest generational wealth transfer in history — between $3.5 trillion and $5.4 trillion expected to change hands over the next two decades.
Yet research shows around 70% of inherited wealth is lost by the second generation. Why?
Because receiving wealth isn’t the same as knowing how to manage it.
Too often, the next generation inherits not just assets but outdated structures, legacy advisers, and no roadmap of their own.
The Problem with Inheriting Your Parents’ Advisers
It’s natural to trust the team that looked after your parents — but their loyalty is often still anchored to the past.
Their brief, consciously or not, may be to preserve what was, not to build what could be.
Inheritors often get told, “Don’t worry, it’s under control.” But control without understanding is just dependence.
Where I Come In — Your Private CFO
My role as a Private CFO is to bridge that gap — to turn inherited complexity into clarity and control.
CFO’s generally work with the accountants and financial advisors, in these circumstance as your truly independent strategic adviser and your advocate.
Think of it as having a part-time CFO for your personal wealth — someone who can see the full financial picture, align all the moving parts, and help you make confident, well-informed decisions. Someone with 20 years experience who listens and understands you and has your best interests at heart.
Some clients engage me for a one-off project — a “Wealth Clarity Review” type engagement — to get organised and understand exactly what they’ve inherited or to get them set up to manage their wealth in accordance with their goals.
Others retain me part-time as their ongoing Private CFO, to oversee the financial rhythm and strategy across all their businesses, investments, and advisers. A financial right hand.
My Framework: From Clarity → Control → Strategy
1. Clarity
We start by mapping everything: assets, liabilities, investments, entities, business interests. You’ll finally see your entire financial world in one view — simple, structured, and explained.
2. Control
We review the advisers, structures, and decisions in place. Together, we decide who still fits, where gaps exist, and how to ensure advice truly reflects your values, goals, and risk profile — not your parents’.
3. Strategy
Once the foundations are clear, we design the next phase together: how to grow, protect, and deploy your wealth intentionally. That might mean restructuring entities, adjusting portfolios, or building a plan to manage cashflow from multiple assets sustainably. Basically we work out what you want and form a plan to make that happen.
The Outcome
The clients I work with often tell me:
“I finally understand what I have. I know what’s happening, why, and where I want to go.”
They go from reacting to leading.
From confusion to confidence.
From inherited wealth… to designed wealth.
If you’ve recently inherited wealth and want to take back clarity and control — or if you’re the adviser of someone who has — reach out.
I’d be honoured to help as your Private CFO — part-time, project-based, or ongoing — to ensure your wealth works for you.