Recent media coverage has once again highlighted cases where Lasting Powers of Attorney have been abused. Whenever stories like these appear, they understandably provoke concern.

People naturally ask whether the law should be tougher, penalties harsher and question whether more powers should be given to the authorities.

Those are important questions, but perhaps there is another question worth asking. How do we stop good people finding themselves in difficult situations in the first place?

The overwhelming majority of attorneys carry out their responsibilities with honesty, care and dedication. Many do so while balancing work, family life and the emotional challenge of supporting someone they love.

Most never expect to become an attorney, and when they do, there is no training, no handbook for navigating family dynamics, no simple guide to making decisions on someone else’s behalf.

When things go wrong, it is not always because someone set out to do harm.

Sometimes it begins with uncertainty, a decision made without family discussion or money borrowed with every intention of paying it back.

Often poor records and a lack of transparency mean small steps gradually become much bigger problems.

Of course, where there is deliberate dishonesty, the law must respond firmly.

But prevention has always been better than cure.

Perhaps the greatest safeguard isn’t another piece of legislation. Perhaps it is ensuring that families have the support, guidance and oversight they need before uncertainty turns into conflict.

Planning for the future is rarely been about assuming the worst of people. For us, planning has always been about helping people make good decisions now for when life becomes complicated.

The conversations we have today may be the very thing that prevents difficult conversations tomorrow.

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