Lawyers at Withers in Hong Kong and Singapore have set out five questions Asian families should settle before wealth changes hands, covering cross-border tax, governance, regulatory scrutiny, digital assets and legacy protection. Newly released survey data from North America shows why the exercise matters.

TL;DR

  • Withers lawyers (published by Wealth Briefing Asia, 15 October 2026) list five succession themes for Asian families: cross-border tax, governance and communication, transparency, next-generation assets, and protecting the legacy.
  • - Their central message is that succession planning now needs a coordinated cross-border approach, because family members, assets and advisers often sit in different jurisdictions.
  • - A separate RBC and Campden Wealth survey of 155 North American family offices found half have an incomplete or no succession plan. It does not cover Asia.

Which tax rules apply when family and assets sit in different countries?

The Withers authors argue that cross-border tax is the first thing to map. A founder in Singapore, a child studying in London and property in Hong Kong can each trigger a different regime. Connie Yik Kong of Withers said, "Effective succession planning increasingly requires a coordinated cross-border approach."

How should families govern and communicate the plan?

Governance and communication form the second theme. A plan that only the founder understands tends to be tested at the worst moment. The authors point to clear decision rights, documented roles and open conversations between generations.

How much transparency will regulators expect?

The third theme is scrutiny. Common Reporting Standard exchange, beneficial ownership registers and anti-money-laundering checks mean structures are more visible than before. Families are advised to assume their arrangements can be examined and to keep records that explain them.

What happens to digital assets and the next generation's priorities?

The fourth theme covers artificial intelligence, digital assets and the preferences of younger family members. Holdings such as tokens need access arrangements and valuation approaches that older trust documents may not anticipate.

How can families protect the legacy itself?

The fifth theme is protection: disputes, incapacity, blended families and probate. These are the situations where unclear paperwork is most expensive.

What does the data say about succession readiness?

The RBC and Campden Wealth report on North American family offices, released on 29 September 2026, surveyed 155 respondents. It found that half have an incomplete succession plan or none at all, and that 23% had a generational transfer in the past five years. The data is from North America only, so it is a comparison point rather than an Asian benchmark.

Why it matters for Asian families and family offices

Asia's first-generation wealth creators are ageing while regulators court family offices. For related context, see these earlier reports on this site:

https://asiafamilyofficehub.com/hong-kong-targets-220-more-family-offices-by-2028-as-it-widens-tax-concessions-to-new-asset-classes/

https://asiafamilyofficehub.com/singapore-weighs-family-office-tax-list-changes-including-digital-tokens-and-insurance/

https://asiafamilyofficehub.com/us-1-3-trillion-wealth-transfer-what-l-e-k-s-study-means-for-asian-business-owning-families/

This article is general information, not legal or tax advice. Families should consult qualified advisers in each relevant jurisdiction.

What is not confirmed

The Withers piece contains no statistics, so the claim that these five issues are the most pressing is the authors' professional view rather than measured fact. Withers also promotes its own Succession Planning Game and Great Wealth Transfer Hub, which we have not assessed. We found no comparable Asia-wide survey figure for plan completeness.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the five succession planning questions for Asian families?

Cross-border tax, governance and communication, transparency and regulatory scrutiny, AI, digital assets and the next generation, and protecting the legacy.

Do most family offices have a succession plan?

In the RBC and Campden North America survey, half had an incomplete plan or none. No equivalent Asia figure was found.

Why is cross-border coordination emphasised?

Because family members, assets and advisers often sit in different jurisdictions, so tax and legal rules can conflict.

Sources and Method

Wealth Briefing Asia, "Five Succession Planning Questions Families in Asia Should Ask", 15 October 2026 (contributed by Withers). Campden Wealth press release on the RBC and Campden Wealth North American family office report, 29 September 2026. Rewritten independently; figures checked against the primary documents.