A Family Investment Company is typically funded through a cash loan, although assets can also be transferred or sold into the company. Shareholders often include the founders, wider family members and, in some cases, a family Trust. Alphabet shares can provide flexibility over dividend distributions and share rights, while loans may be assigned to the next generation or a Trust as part of wider inheritance tax planning.

FICs are usually structured so that directors retain responsibility for key decisions, supported by the articles of association and shareholders' agreement. They are usually established as UK companies, although offshore structures may be appropriate for families with international considerations. Depending on privacy requirements, a FIC can be established as either a limited or unlimited company, and existing corporate structures, including property companies, can often be adapted for this purpose.