Advisors hand Helmsted a lot of paper: trust documents, beneficiary forms, statements, tax returns and meeting notes. Most of the time they agree. When they don’t, Helmsted doesn’t quietly pick one. It raises an open question.
Each question says what the answer decides. In the sample household above, the trust documents list Lily as Robert and Margaret’s daughter, and the beneficiary forms list her as Margaret’s daughter from a prior marriage. The answer decides whether Lily is a beneficiary of Robert’s trust, whether the new gift trusts should name her, and how the estate splits if Robert dies first. So Helmsted asks, with the likely answers ready.
How to clear them
- Find them on Home, under Open questions, for you or the whole firm.
- Pick the answer that fits, or choose Something else and add the context when neither is quite right.
- Dismiss it if it is not actually an issue, and it comes off your list.
Make it a habit
Open questions sit on Home next to Suggested next. A good habit is to clear the list each morning, the way you would clear your inbox. Every answer makes the next plan, report and presentation more accurate.
The households, names and figures shown are fictional.