Preparing for What May Lie Ahead

Not every difficult event can be prevented. Many of its consequences, however, can be anticipated.

A death, illness, incapacity, divorce, disagreement, business crisis or sudden change in family circumstances can require important decisions at precisely the moment when time, calm and mutual trust are in shortest supply.

Families frequently know that certain questions should be discussed, but postpone doing so. The subject may feel uncomfortable. The timing may never seem quite right. As long as the family and the business are doing well, there is always something more urgent demanding attention.

Unfortunately, difficult events rarely wait until a family is ready for them.

No More Worries helps families think ahead and identify what might happen before it does. This is not about trying to control every aspect of the future. It is about recognising foreseeable risks and making sensible arrangements while there is still time, goodwill and room for a thoughtful conversation.

What happens if the person who currently takes all important decisions suddenly becomes unable to do so? Who can act on behalf of minor children? Who will own and control the family business after a death? Is the next generation prepared for ownership and responsibility? What happens if one family member wishes to sell while the others want to continue? And who brings the family together when an unexpected crisis occurs?

The answers may involve estate planning, succession arrangements, family governance, a family charter, emergency documentation or the preparation of the next generation. They may also require a conversation about family values, expectations and responsibilities before any legal document should be drafted.

No More Worries helps the family recognise which questions require attention, decide in what order they should be addressed and involve the appropriate professionals where technical advice or documentation is needed.

Good preparation should not produce unnecessary structures, meetings or paperwork. Arrangements must remain understandable and workable for the people who will eventually have to use them.

Nor does preparation end when a document has been signed. Families change, businesses develop, children grow older, relationships evolve and family members move from one country to another. Plans and arrangements therefore need to be reconsidered periodically and adjusted when circumstances require it.

Sometimes our role is to help a family prepare calmly before a problem arises. Sometimes it is to bring order and direction after something unexpected has already happened. Even then, experience can help the family distinguish between what requires immediate action and what should not be decided under pressure.

Preparing for difficult events is not pessimistic. It is an expression of care for the family and for the people who may one day have to deal with their consequences.

The best time to prepare for a family crisis is while there is no crisis.