Unresolved family problems, like the land parcels themselves, are often transferred from generation to generation. Boyce-Abel Associates helps courageous families break the cycle using consultations, family meeting processes, facilitation, and mediation. We help families preserve their lands, family foundations, and assets, while also preserving or restoring their family's heritage and harmony. Our services create a positive, non-adversarial environment for individual families, extended families, large groups, and communities. We are experts at finding creative ways to help families settle family issues and strengthen family ties.
By exercising open communication and innovative thinking, family members can reach collaborative decisions. While early planning is preferable, we can also help after disputes have arisen. No matter how complex the issues, two goals are central to BAA: assisting family members in arriving at their best possible decisions, and preserving or reestablishing family harmony. Our purpose is to help parties achieve workable collaborative agreements.
We provide:
- Consultation with single landowners exploring land use issues
- Consultation with individual family members to help start a constructive dialogue
- Facilitation of group and family meetings and retreats for ownership and governance decisions, land use, estate planning, and other pertinent topics
- Facilitation or mediation of family foundations and financial wealth transference
- Facilitation of 3-5 day Family Retreats (see more information here)
- Collaborative estate planning
- Assistance in creative planning and problem resolution
- Access to a network of experienced advisors
- Workshops and lectures for groups of all sizes on these topics
HOW BOYCE-ABEL ASSOCIATES WORKS
Under the guidance of Olivia Boyce-Abel, Boyce-Abel Associates addresses and resolves complex issues surrounding ownership, inheritances, individual and family relationships, in an atmosphere of intelligence, dignity and respect. Professional expertise and personal sensitivity allow us to work creatively and effectively with all the parties involved to achieve agreement through clarifying issues and resolving conflict.
The types of major issues that often present challenges include:
- Assumptions and misunderstandings
- Family dynamics and poor communication
- Diverse physical, emotional, and even spiritual needs among family members
- Use of shared property
- Governance
- Ownership structures
- Intergenerational transfers
- Financial liquidity
- Gift, estate, and inheritance taxes
- Sharing property expenses fairly and equitably
- Supporting a shared family vision
THE FACILITATED/MEDIATED FAMILY MEETING PROCESS
The family meeting process is designed to achieve collaboration and maintain positive momentum into the future. A series of private interviews and facilitated meetings are scheduled to address the unique needs of the family.
The cornerstone of Boyce-Abel Associates’ success is the professionally neutral facilitator/mediator, combining the skills of both facilitator and mediator. Professional facilitators and professional mediators are similar, but differ in significant aspects. A competent facilitator will organize and focus meetings, lay ground rules, and hear each person in an orderly fashion. A facilitator listens, gives active feedback, and provides recognition to all participants while maintaining impartiality. A competent mediator has all of the facilitator's skills but is additionally trained to use confidential individual meetings to help family members:
- Solve problems
- Empathize with varying viewpoints
- Resolve conflicts
- Reach collaborative agreements
- Achieve a fair, equitable resolution
- Create harmony
- Preserve and strengthen family ties
The skill of an experienced professional mediator is a critical factor in helping to resolve family issues while creating and preserving family accord.