The “Great Wealth Transfer” is here. With an estimated $84 trillion expected to pass from older to younger generations by 2045, family offices and wealth managers have an enormous role to play. Wealth transfers aren’t just about safeguarding financial assets—they’re about ensuring that every resource, including private aviation, aligns with the evolving needs of the next generation.

And yet, for all the focus on investment portfolios, many wealth managers overlook an area that can quietly drain wealth when not optimized: private aviation spending.

A Changing of the Guard

A recent UBS report shows that 63% of family offices prioritize supporting wealth transfers and providing financial income to younger generations. However, succession planning still lags—only 30% of family offices have a formal written plan in place, and 40% of wealthy families face generational transitions in the next decade.

This transition represents a pivotal moment where strategic aviation solutions can create both immediate value and long-term savings.

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The Aviation Solution for a New Generation: SFF

At Heritage Aviation Advisors, we help wealth managers modernize private aviation strategies as part of larger succession and wealth transfer plans. The Signature Flight Fund (SFF) provides:

1. Liquidity and Flexibility
   The SFF is a fully refundable balance that gives families on-demand access to private aviation without locking up capital. If travel decreases, unused funds can be reallocated back into the family’s portfolio—ensuring capital remains productive.
2. Optimized Aviation Spending
   Wealth managers can avoid the financial drag of misaligned aviation programs. Through Smart Flight Optimization (SFO), the SFF compares every flight’s cost across solutions—charter, jet cards, and fractional—to determine the most cost-effective option.

Case Study: Preparing for Transition

A wealth manager overseeing a multi-generational family approached us during a period of transition. The family’s patriarch, who had always owned an aircraft, was preparing to step back, and their children—spread across multiple cities—needed a more flexible approach.

The Challenge:

• Ownership costs had become unsustainable for the family’s reduced travel needs.
• The next generation lacked familiarity with private aviation, creating hesitancy to engage with legacy programs.
• The wealth manager needed a solution that aligned with their broader financial and succession planning goals.

The Solution:
We implemented the Signature Flight Fund to provide the family with:

• A flexible, refundable fund to replace ownership, reducing overhead costs.
• Flight solutions tailored to the next generation’s travel preferences—light jets for regional business trips, midsize jets for family gatherings, and one-off charters for international leisure travel.
• Comprehensive reporting for the family office to track and manage usage.

The Outcome:

• Annual aviation spending was reduced by 28%.
• The family seamlessly transitioned from ownership to a more efficient, transparent strategy.
• The younger generation embraced private travel with confidence, guided by HAA’s expert oversight.

Future-Proofing Aviation Strategies

Succession planning is about building a legacy that can adapt to the future, and private aviation is no exception. The Signature Flight Fund empowers wealth managers to align aviation solutions with the evolving needs of next-generation clients—ensuring that every dollar spent on private travel serves a purpose.

Because in a world where $84 trillion will change hands, it’s not just about wealth transfer—it’s about wealth preservation, optimization, and making every asset, including private aviation, work smarter.

How can we help align your aviation strategy with your client’s future? Let’s build the plan together.

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