Family-held businesses large and small are confronted with generational transfers on average every 25 to 30 years. These generational transfers can give rise to a variety of legal issues, conflicts, and adverse tax ramifications, which may be mitigated and/or prevented with proper planning. Our panel of tax and legal specialists active in this field of law over a variety of continents will touch on the following: • variations of family businesses on five continents with a comparison among Europe, the US, South America, Africa and Australia; • structural issues, such as the use of trusts, foundations, holdings and family charters to carry out succession goals; • tax issues and the available exemptions on transfer of the family-held business to the next generation during life or at death; • how to maintain active and/or passive control over the family business within multi-generational turmoil; and • how to foster the coexistence of active and passive second and third-generation shareholders and the available 'remuneration schemes' for income out of capital.