Evolving tax policies create urgency for family offices to evaluate their tax operating model.
Key takeaways
A modern tax function is a platform for value creation, risk management and informed decision making.
Rethinking the operating model requires a focus on strategic alignment, not just cost containment.
Family offices are navigating a tax landscape that is growing more complex, dynamic and interconnected on a global basis. Frequent policy changes, increased regulatory scrutiny and cross-border obligations are making it harder to maintain an efficient, compliant tax function. What was once a routine responsibility has become more complicated and, at the same time, more important strategically.
Even the most well-resourced family offices are finding it difficult to keep tax frameworks current and scalable. As complexity increases, many are reevaluating how their tax functions are structured—are they designed to support long-term family goals or merely reacting to change? The decision to build internal capabilities, co-source with specialized partners or fully outsource must be weighed against the need for a tax model that is agile, resilient and designed for long-term value.
Elevating the tax function: From compliance center to strategic enabler
A forward-looking tax function is more than a compliance mechanism; it’s a strategic asset. When designed with intent, a tax function can unlock a range of benefits, including:
- Faster, more accurate reporting that enables informed investment decisions
- Improved transparency across generations and governance structures
- Proactive risk management through better data, controls and oversight
- Operational scalability to support growing portfolio complexity or liquidity events
At key inflection points—such as generational shifts, the sale of a business or a family office lift-out—evaluating the effectiveness of your tax operating model becomes a strategic necessity, not just a routine exercise.
Rethinking the operating model: In-house, co-sourced or outsourced
Once strategic priorities are clear, the right operating model, whether in-house, hybrid or fully outsourced, can accelerate progress.
In-house teams often lack the scalability to keep pace with frequent updates, especially across multiple jurisdictions. The cost of hiring, training and maintaining specialized tax talent continues to rise at a time when the pace of change demands constant awareness and expertise.
Co-sourcing enables family offices to retain internal oversight while addressing skill gaps and scalability challenges. This hybrid approach leverages external expertise to strengthen talent development, succession planning and function design without sacrificing control.
Outsourcing provides access to highly specialized resources and capabilities, reduces exposure to legal and reputational risks, and ensures compliance with evolving regulatory requirements.
Rather than cutting costs, these models represent strategic investments in agility and expertise, particularly valuable when policy changes demand rapid adaptation across multiple jurisdictions.
Building a digital-first tax function
As regulations and digital tax filing requirements evolve, technology must evolve alongside strategy. Family offices are reevaluating the digital foundation of their tax operations. Whether deciding to build, buy or outsource tax technology, the decision often hinges on internal capacity and long-term scalability. Without a strong infrastructure, even advanced tools may fall short. Key family office technology priorities include:
- Integrating automation and workflow tools
- Modernizing core systems for a company’s accounting book of record and investment book of record (IBOR) for real-time data accuracy
- Enabling scalability for complex portfolios and liquidity events
Where external support brings value
Professional services firms can provide a valuable solution here: focused advisors monitor changes in real time and offer insights that help family offices update policies and procedures promptly. Additionally, third-party advisors can support the selection and implementation of technologies that enhance efficiency and help make your business ready for the future.
RSM regularly helps family offices navigate tax requirements across multiple jurisdictions and tax types—income, estate, gift, international—while providing real-time regulatory updates and key insights. Whether guiding buy-versus-build decisions or supporting full-scale family office redesigns, RSM helps family offices build a flexible, resilient tax function.
Real-world examples of strategy in action
1. Hybrid transformation post-business sale
After the sale of a primary operating business, a family office needed to stand up a new structure. RSM designed a hybrid model blending in-house leadership with outsourced expertise, boosting reporting efficiency by 30% and enhancing governance.
2. Digital transformation of manual operations
RSM helped a multigenerational family office transition from spreadsheet-heavy workflows to a fully automated tax operation. The result: faster close cycles, improved audit readiness and transparency across family entities.
3. Strategic tech upgrade without disruption
With RSM’s guidance, a second-generation family office implemented a modern enterprise resource planning solution and IBOR system while maintaining their existing tax software. This uplift dramatically improved the quality and timeliness of tax data without costly disruption.
4. Consolidating providers to streamline operations
RSM helped a growing family office consolidate its tax vendors and move to a single-source model, improving oversight, reducing risk and freeing internal resources to focus on strategic planning.
The takeaway
In an era of tax uncertainty and increasing complexity, maintaining the status quo might be the greatest risk of all. Whether it’s system modernization, staff augmentation or a full tax redesign, the goal remains: build a resilient, forward-looking function aligned with your family’s goals. Modernizing your tax operating model through technology, talent or the right external partners can reduce risk, increase clarity and build a foundation for generational success.
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