Strategies
From insurance wrappers to fiduciary allocation, each strategy is built around a 15-to-30-year capital durability objective — not a product sale.
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Investment selection dominates most financial conversations, but the structural layer — how assets are held, in which legal vehicle, under which jurisdiction, and with what succession provision — determines far more of the long-term outcome. Riverside Hartwell invests the majority of its advisory effort in structural design before a single allocation decision is made. The result is a capital framework that survives changes in tax regulation, family circumstance, market conditions, and cross-border legal environments. We serve clients with investable assets typically starting from €500,000, and our mandates are long-term relationships, not transactional engagements.
Each strategy addresses a specific protection objective and can be combined into a comprehensive multi-layer framework.
We design and implement unit-linked life insurance bonds and discretionary insurance bonds (DIBs) domiciled in Luxembourg or Liechtenstein. These structures provide legal asset segregation, potential Slovak inheritance tax efficiency, and investment flexibility across approved asset classes. We manage the entire setup process including KYC, carrier selection, and ongoing reporting coordination.
A written allocation policy statement defines the client's risk tolerances, time horizon, liquidity requirements, and prohibited categories. Within that policy, we build a diversified framework spanning sovereign bonds, investment-grade credit, global equity baskets, inflation-linked instruments, and selected real asset exposures. The framework is reviewed annually — structural changes are made only when client circumstances or macroeconomic fundamentals shift materially.
For clients with a portion of wealth in Slovak or Czech real estate, private equity, or family business interests, we develop a complementary liquid portfolio designed to offset the illiquidity and concentration risk of those holdings. Private credit positions — typically European senior secured loans — are selected for income stability and capital protection rather than yield maximisation.
Working alongside Slovak notaries and EU-based trustees, we produce a structural succession map for multi-generational families. This includes asset titling recommendations, beneficiary designations within insurance structures, and where appropriate, the establishment of Slovak or Liechtenstein private foundations. All plans are reviewed for compliance with EU Regulation 650/2012 on cross-border succession.
Every Riverside Hartwell engagement is documented in a client-facing strategy brief — a plain-language description of the recommended structure, the rationale for each component, and the criteria against which we will measure success over the coming years. This document becomes the reference point for all subsequent reviews. The tone of our advisory work mirrors the visual identity we maintain: the calm confidence of cream and the measured depth of burgundy — no noise, no unnecessary complexity, no products recommended outside the explicitly agreed scope. Clients tell us this clarity is itself a form of protection.
Practical answers to the questions we hear most often from prospective clients considering a capital protection mandate.
Our mandates are best suited to clients with investable assets of €500,000 or more. Below this level, the structural complexity we introduce is unlikely to justify the advisory cost. We are happy to have an initial conversation and refer clients to appropriate alternatives if our mandate is not the right fit.
Riverside Hartwell operates as an independent advisor. We design and recommend structures and allocations, but discretionary execution is carried out by regulated Slovak or EU-licensed custodians and managers with whom we maintain preferred-partner relationships. We coordinate the overall framework; execution remains with appropriately licensed entities.
Under current Slovak tax legislation, unit-linked life insurance policies held for a minimum period benefit from favourable treatment on investment income accrued within the wrapper. The precise tax treatment depends on policy type, duration, and beneficiary designation. We coordinate with a qualified Slovak tax advisor on every engagement to ensure the structural design is tax-efficient under current law.
For a straightforward insurance bond with a multi-asset allocation framework, the initial setup — from mandate signing to fully invested structure — typically takes between six and twelve weeks. Succession planning elements involving cross-border legal documentation may extend this timeline. We provide a detailed project plan at mandate inception.
A private 60-minute strategy consultation will clarify which combination of structures best addresses your capital protection objectives.
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