Property is a valuable asset, but owning it carries risk

Whose name should the property be in? This question usually comes last, a few days before the appointment with the notary.

The same property can preserve family wealth, serve as a production facility, provide land for development or act as collateral for a bank loan. Each of these roles calls for a different structure. A property intended to give the family peace of mind rarely belongs within the risk exposure of the operating business. And a facility without which operations would stop is vulnerable within a structure over which you lack secure control. Tax matters, but it is not the only consideration.