The statistic every wealthy family should take seriously
A new study by STEP, the international organization of trust and estate professionals, has put numbers to something many advisors were already seeing firsthand: inheritance disputes are on the rise, and families with complex structures are the most exposed.
41% of the 533 professionals surveyed reported an increase in conflicts within blended families. 71% identified the complexity of these structures as the primary driver of legal and succession challenges.
These aren’t edge cases. They reflect a concrete and growing reality: wealth accumulates, families evolve, and planning doesn’t always keep pace.
Where conflict begins
The report identifies three main sources of dispute.
The most common, present in 68% of cases, is conflict between children or stepchildren and a surviving stepparent. This is followed by unequal treatment among siblings (37%) and disputes between biological children and stepchildren (27%).
What these scenarios share: in most cases, there was no clear communication, and no legal structure in place to anticipate the situation.
Silence isn’t protection
One of the study’s most striking findings: 80% of people have never communicated their wishes to their family. Only 16% have had that conversation. 35% have no valid will, or one that is significantly out of date.
There’s a widespread assumption that avoiding the topic protects families from conflict. The data suggests the opposite. A lack of planning doesn’t eliminate the problem — it defers it, and amplifies it.
Blended families are particularly vulnerable because they often operate on informal agreements and unspoken assumptions that were never formalized. When the moment arrives, those assumptions collide.
The great wealth transfer is already underway
77% of advisors surveyed by STEP confirm that intergenerational wealth transfer among high-net-worth families is actively in progress. This process — widely referred to as the “great wealth transfer” — represents both an opportunity and, without proper planning, a real risk.
Assets that took decades to build can be eroded by legal disputes that drag on for years, diminishing both capital and family relationships.
What this means for UHNW families in Latin America
The study’s context is Anglo-Saxon, but the phenomenon is global. High-net-worth Latin American families share characteristics that heighten their exposure:
- Non-conventional family structures, with children from different relationships and assets spread across multiple jurisdictions
- International wealth components, where applicable law is not always straightforward
- A relatively low culture of formal succession planning, particularly among first-generation wealth holders
- Business assets with no defined succession protocols
In this context, wealth planning is not an administrative formality. It is a strategic decision — one that protects assets, but above all, protects the family.
How UNTITLED approaches this
At UNTITLED, we work with high-net-worth families before conflict arises.
Our starting point is never a product or a predefined structure. It’s a diagnosis of each family’s actual situation: family composition, assets, jurisdictions involved, specific objectives and risks.
From that diagnosis, we design tailored succession structures — which may include trusts, family companies, and other vehicles depending on what each situation calls for. The guiding principle is always the same: the structure should serve the family, not the other way around.
The best time to plan is before it’s urgent
Succession conflicts rarely appear without warning signs. What makes them costly — financially and emotionally — is the absence of structure when those signs are ignored.
If your family holds international assets, has a non-conventional composition, or simply has wealth worth protecting, the first step is understanding exactly where you stand.
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