Thanks
@kn0way.
I have a similar setup - have a Pty Ltd as an investment vehicle that holds shares or trust units in various private businesses we own, as well as investments in public secutiries, have a trust set up for property investments (although currently holding nothing as have sold down) with a coporate trustee, and our SMSF but that has individual trustees. I wish I had the portfolio of assets at the level of others in this thread, but will get there one day.
I have a younger family, but I have this idea that the Pty Ltd we hold as an investment vehicle will become what I term our "family bank". Each family member will own a loan account within the company, and will deposit their wages/income into the company allocated to their loan account. On a monthly basis they can determine the amount they need to live on personally, and that amount will be transferred to their personal bank account for their living costs. The rest will pool with all the other monies in the company to be either a) invested, or b) loaned out to family members for major purchases (think car, house, etc).
The loans to family members would be at a rate cheaper than they would be able to obtain from a commercial bank, but there would be some interest charged so that the company obtains a return on the money. The money is repaid over time, and adds back into the capital of the company ready to help another family member with a loan or be invested.Interest will be paid on deposited loan accounts.
The idea being that the family collectively has a pool of funds available to help the family advance through life without relying on the discretion, conditions and prevailing interest rates of commercial banks. The family would have regulary annual or bi-annual meetings to discuss how the investments and loans are going, etc. It gets more involved as to who owns the shares of the company etc, and as the family tree expands it gets interesting, but it's a concept I am working on for my family.
I've read about similar set ups in multi-generational "old money" families in Europe, and it makes sense to me. It also keeps the family involved with each other, as a condition of being included is that they must participate in the family meetings.
Be interested in anyone elses thoughts on that sort of a setup.