Host Steve Legler speaks with Buddy Thomas, the author of Love, Wisdom, Money: The Family Fiduciary's Guide to Generative Wealth. Together, they discuss the concept of a 'Family Fiduciary' and the importance of putting those three elements—Love, Wisdom and Money—in the right order.
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Guest bio
Buddy Thomas is the founder of Superior Planning – Family Office, specializing in customized family wealth and relationship enrichment programs for HNW and UHNW families since 1982.
A Certified Financial Planner and Accredited Estate Planner with a background in psychology and economics, Buddy is a thought leader in personal wealth management. He has authored four books, over 50 articles, and produced 200+ educational videos, including the Fifty-Five Second Family Fiduciary series.
You can learn more about Buddy Thomas on LinkedIn and on the Love, Wisdom, Money website.
Key Takeaways
[:23] Steve Legler welcomes Buddy Thomas and launches the episode by asking about his book Love, Wisdom, Money: The Family Fiduciary's Guide to Generative Wealth.
[2:15] Buddy explains what a Family Fiduciary is, how Love, Wisdom, and Money must come in the correct order, and how he came to understand why the order is so important.
[6:06] From Jay Hughes, through years of meeting families: translating "human capital" into an understandable concept for all was key for Buddy to flesh out this book.
[7:42] Learning to write books is quite the experience. "No one wants to read a whitepaper!" Buddy shares how finding your author's voice is part and parcel of learning how to write for good reading.
[10:03] Buddy shares how his own family founded and grew their own successful family enterprise.
[11:42] How can advisors encourage families to foster "the right stuff" and support them in growing?
[14:24] The family fiduciary has to lead the movement for the benefit of the whole family.
[15:54] How The Gift of Lift by David R. York opened Buddy's eyes.
[17:23] The gamification of enterprising families' dynamics.
[20:13] Why separating the portfolio and the cash flow games is really important.
[21:57] What Buddy believes a comprehensive planner should hope for.
[23:11] Helping families see what they have not been able to understand, so that they can make the best decision for themselves.
[25:32] If you've seen one family office… You've seen one family office. Buddy shares that in the course of his 40-year career, he has concluded that no two families will take the same decision.
[27:34] Buddy talks about separate vs. community property law and how surprised he was by the differences between Ohio and California.
[29:02] Buddy's book recommendation and advice for families and advisors.
[31:26] Steve thanks Buddy for sharing so much of his experience and invites listeners to sign up for Symposium, which will be held May 25‒27 in Vancouver, BC.
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Mentioned in this episode
Values-Based Estate Planning: A Step-by-Step Approach to Wealth Transfer for Professional Advisors, by Scott C. Fithian
Family Trusts: A Guide for Beneficiaries, Trustees, Trust Protectors, and Trust Creators, by James E. Hughes Jr.
Family Wealth: Keeping It in the Family--How Family Members and Their Advisers Preserve Human, Intellectual, and Financial Assets for Generations, by James E. Hughes Jr.
Symposium 2026
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