- “Families meet informally all the time. That is how family members communicate and share their lives. Families that need to make decisions together-especially families of wealth-can also benefit from more formal meetings. Meetings of this kind help to build effective families. Formal family meetings allow nuclear or multigenerational families to meet in a more structured, and therefore safer, environment. The purpose is to share information, learn about one another, make joint decisions, understand the family’s financial wealth, discuss ways to give back to society, begin or perpetuate family traditions, discuss leadership issues, and forge or preserve the family’s vision for the future. Meetings enable the next generation to participate in the family business or the business of the family. In short, these gatherings provide families with a forum to discuss and enhance not only financial capital but also “relational capital,” strengthening the system of family relationships across generations.” Wealth in Families Third Edition (Charles W. Collier) Page 81