Family Meeting Agenda Template (US)

Answer (2026): Use this agenda to keep a family wealth meeting focused on decisions, not debates. It defines who leads, what gets decided, and how outcomes are documented.

Context: Best for families with shared assets, a private business, or a transition in ownership or leadership.

Action: Pair this agenda with the Family Constitution Starter so decisions follow agreed rules.

Last reviewed: January 21, 2026.

Key takeaways

• Decisions are made faster when the agenda is explicit.
• Documenting outcomes prevents re-litigation later.
• Governance is a rhythm, not a one-time event.

If nobody can name the decision at the end, the meeting did not do its job.

Pre-meeting setup (1 week before)

• Confirm attendees and decision rights.
• Distribute pre-read materials (financial snapshot, agenda, open decisions).
• Clarify which items require a vote vs. a discussion.

Family meeting agenda template

1. Opening context (5 minutes)

   • Re-state the family purpose and the goal of this meeting.

2. Review last decisions (10 minutes)

   • What was decided, what moved, what is blocked.

3. Financial snapshot (10 minutes)

   • High-level cash flow, liquidity, and major changes since the last meeting.

4. Decision block (30 minutes)

   • 1 to 3 priority decisions only.
   • Use the constitution’s voting rules.

5. Next-generation updates (10 minutes)

   • Education milestones, involvement, and readiness.

6. Risk and governance check (10 minutes)

   • Any new risks or governance gaps.

7. Close and document (5 minutes)

   • Summarize decisions, owners, and due dates.

Decision checklist

• Did we decide the top priorities, not just discuss them?
• Are owners and timelines assigned for each outcome?
• Are decisions aligned with the family constitution?
• Is there a clear follow-up date?

Example scenario

A family is preparing for a partial business sale. The meeting decides whether to diversify proceeds or hold concentrated exposure, confirms the voting threshold, and assigns the advisor to draft the next-step options.

Related tools

• Family Constitution Starter
• Family Wealth
• Vault
• Family Office Blueprint

Next step

Use the Family Constitution Starter to define decision rules, then run this agenda each quarter to keep the system alive.

Compliance note

This template is for planning and coordination only. It does not provide legal or investment advice. Confirm legal document updates with a qualified attorney.