For years, the idea persisted that only families with $100 million or more could access the benefits of a family office. That assumption may have been true when single-family offices—expensive, standalone entities—were the only option. But today, the wealth management landscape has changed dramatically, especially in Miami and South Florida. This raises a key question: who qualifies for a multi-family office in today’s financial environment?

The rise of multi-family offices has opened the door for entrepreneurs, executives, and high-net-worth families with far less than nine figures to enjoy the same level of professional coordination, tax optimization strategies, and legacy planning. Miami’s rapid growth as a financial hub has only accelerated this shift, creating one of the most dynamic ecosystems for family office services in the U.S.

In this article, we’ll explore why the $100M “rule” is outdated, the models now available, and how families in Miami can access tailored wealth management well before reaching billionaire status.

The $100 Million Figure: Where It Came From

For decades, the phrase “you need at least $100 million for a family office” was repeated as if it were a hard rule. This idea has its roots in the history of single-family offices, which began in the late 19th century with industrial titans like John D. Rockefeller. These entities functioned like private companies, employing full teams of investment professionals, tax advisors, estate attorneys, and administrators—all dedicated to a single family’s financial affairs.

The challenge, of course, was cost. Running a single-family office often required annual budgets in the millions to cover staff, infrastructure, and technology. To justify such an expense, conventional wisdom suggested a family needed a net worth north of $100 million. For a long time, this was accurate: only the ultra-wealthy could afford the breadth of services, from tax loss harvesting and capital gains tax planning to philanthropic planning and legacy design.

But this “$100M threshold” is no longer the reality. As family office services evolved, new models emerged that brought tax efficient investing, wealth management, and legacy planning within reach of families with far less. Today, the conversation isn’t about whether you cross a nine-figure mark—it’s about whether your financial life is complex enough to require holistic coordination, proactive tax planning strategies, and professional oversight. In short, who qualifies for a multi-family office has expanded far beyond centi-millionaires.

Multi-Family Offices: Democratizing Access

Think of a single-family office as a private jet: ultimate control and exclusivity, but also extremely costly to operate. A multi-family office (MFO), by contrast, is like first-class travel—still highly tailored and comfortable, but shared across multiple families to spread out the cost. This model has redefined access in Miami and across South Florida.

Multi-family offices deliver the same high-touch services as their single-family counterparts, but without requiring $100 million or more in wealth. Many firms begin working with families in the $20 million–$50 million range, while some offer solutions for those with even less, especially through “outsourced” or “virtual” structures. This democratization means that successful entrepreneurs, executives, and families with eight-figure wealth can enjoy coordinated wealth management in Miami without bearing the full expense of an in-house operation.

What does this look like in practice? Multi-family office services often include:

• Investment coordination: building tax efficient portfolios and implementing tax managed investing or tax deferred investments.
• Tax planning wealth management: strategies for tax mitigation, tax aware investing, and charitable tax planning.
• Estate and legacy planning: multi-generational structures, succession design, and tax efficient estate planning.
• Philanthropic planning: aligning giving strategies with family values while optimizing tax advantages.
• Business succession and transition: guidance for entrepreneurs considering liquidity events, with access to business transition advisors in Miami and South Florida.

By pooling resources, multi-family offices give families the benefit of a “personal CFO” without the full overhead of a dedicated staff. For many high-net-worth families in Miami, this model represents the sweet spot—comprehensive wealth oversight, tax optimization strategies, and legacy planning that scale with their financial lives. It also broadens the answer to who qualifies for a multi-family office: entrepreneurs, executives, and families whose financial lives require professional coordination.

Miami’s Family Office Boom

Over the past decade, Miami has transformed into one of the most dynamic family office hubs in the United States. Once considered a secondary market, the city is now a magnet for high-net-worth families, entrepreneurs, and global investors seeking both lifestyle and financial advantages.

Several factors explain this surge. Florida’s business-friendly tax laws—particularly the absence of state income tax—make Miami a natural draw for families looking to implement tax optimization strategies and preserve more of their wealth. The city also serves as a strategic gateway for Latin American capital, with deep cultural and business ties that make it an ideal base for families managing cross-border wealth. On top of that, Miami’s vibrant lifestyle, favorable climate, and growing tech ecosystem have created a thriving environment for executives and founders seeking both opportunity and quality of life.

The pandemic accelerated this trend. An influx of wealthy families from New York, California, and other high-tax states relocated to South Florida in search of tax efficiency and lifestyle upgrades. As these families arrived, demand for Miami multi-family office services grew exponentially, creating one of the richest ecosystems for high-touch financial management anywhere in the country.

The New Face of Miami Family Offices

Tiempo Capital has been at the center of this transformation. As a Miami-based multi-family office, the firm has expanded alongside the city’s wealth boom, advising entrepreneurs, executives, and first-generation wealth creators who may not have $100 million, but whose financial complexity demands professional coordination. Tiempo Capital delivers a scalable “personal CFO” model—covering everything from tax efficient investing and capital gains tax planning to legacy planning and philanthropic planning—without requiring families to build their own infrastructure.

Importantly, Miami’s family office community no longer caters only to billionaires. Today, Tiempo Capital works with families ranging from under $20 million in assets to those with $20 million–$50 million, as well as ultra-high-net-worth families above that threshold. Our services are tailored to each family’s size, complexity, and goals—whether that means designing tax mitigation strategies, coordinating estate and succession planning, or delivering comprehensive wealth management in Miami. The region now offers sophisticated solutions that rival those in New York or London—while adding the unique benefits of South Florida’s business and lifestyle environment. This makes Miami an excellent case study when asking who qualifies for a multi-family office in modern wealth management.

Trends Over the Last Decade

The family office landscape has evolved dramatically over the past ten years, both globally and in Miami. What was once an exclusive service for centi-millionaires has become increasingly accessible to a wider range of high-net-worth families. Several key trends explain this shift.

Explosive growth worldwide. The number of family offices has expanded at a record pace. Deloitte estimates that single-family offices grew more than 30% in just five years, while assets managed by family offices surged 67%. This growth reflects not only rising global wealth, but also families’ increasing preference for institutional-style management, tax aware investing, and long-term legacy planning.

A new mindset among families. Wealth creators no longer wait until they reach nine figures to seek comprehensive oversight. Entrepreneurs, executives, and first-generation wealth builders are engaging family office services in Miami earlier, especially when preparing for liquidity events or considering tax efficient estate planning. They want integration across investments, tax, and succession, not just portfolio management.

Technology and virtual models. Advances in fintech and wealth management platforms have fueled the rise of “virtual” or outsourced family offices. With the right digital infrastructure, families can achieve coordinated tax efficient investment strategies, capital gains tax planning, and even charitable tax planning without maintaining an in-house staff. This innovation has allowed advisors to deliver a true “family office experience” to families who once would have been excluded.

In short, the last decade has democratized access to family office Miami solutions. Families across South Florida are no longer asking, “Do I have enough wealth?” but rather, “Is my wealth complex enough to require coordination?” The answer, increasingly, is yes. And this shift has redefined who qualifies for a multi-family office.

Key Takeaways for Families Considering a Family Office

For many families, the decision to engage a family office is less about hitting a specific number and more about addressing financial complexity. A family with $25 million in assets, a privately held business, and cross-border real estate may face far more intricate challenges than a family with $100 million in liquid investments. What matters is the need for coordination, efficiency, and foresight.

If your net worth falls in the $10 million–$50 million range, now is the time to evaluate your options. A multi-family office in Miami can provide access to services once reserved for centi-millionaires:

• Tax planning wealth management, including tax efficient investing, tax loss harvesting, and capital gains strategies.
• Legacy planning and succession design, ensuring wealth transfers smoothly across generations.
• Philanthropic planning and charitable tax planning, aligning giving with values while minimizing tax exposure.
• Business transition guidance, leveraging experienced business transition advisors in South Florida to navigate liquidity events.

Miami and South Florida now rank among the world’s most vibrant ecosystems for family office solutions. With firms like Tiempo Capital, families can access institutional-quality expertise in tax efficient wealth management and estate planning strategies without the burden of building a single-family office from scratch.

The message is clear: don’t wait until you cross the $100 million or even the 20 million mark. If your financial life feels complex, you have access to a full suite of family office services in Miami—tailored to your needs, scalable with your growth, and focused on protecting your legacy.

Take the Next Step Toward Your Family Office

The belief that only centi-millionaires can benefit from a family office belongs to another era. Miami’s evolution into a world-class wealth management hub has reshaped the conversation, making multi-family office services accessible to a far broader spectrum of high-net-worth families. Whether you are an entrepreneur preparing for a business transition, an executive with growing cross-border assets, or a family focused on legacy planning and tax efficient wealth management, the tools once reserved for billionaires are now available at more attainable levels of wealth.

At Tiempo Capital, we see every day how families with $10 million, $30 million, or $75 million can benefit from the same high-touch coordination that larger fortunes require. The goal is not to meet a mere threshold—it’s to bring clarity, efficiency, and foresight to your financial life. By leveraging Miami’s unique ecosystem, you can protect what you’ve built, optimize your tax strategies, and secure a legacy that endures for generations.

Ready to explore how a family office in Miami can simplify your financial life? Tiempo Capital specializes in tailored solutions that bring clarity, efficiency, and advanced tax optimization strategies to high-net-worth families. Connect with our team today or explore our family office services.