AN ADVISER TOOLKIT FROM AVENUE TRUST

The Trustee Scorecard

A five-minute self-assessment for advisers whose clients hold Guernsey fiduciary structures.

Matt Godfrey and Nico Alexandre on why we built this.

If you introduced a client to a fiduciary several years ago, you probably do not get a direct read on whether the arrangement is still working. The client does not usually complain to you. They just quietly become frustrated, or stop referring their friends, or bring in another adviser to look at the structure fresh.

This scorecard is a structured way to answer a question that is hard to answer by feel. It takes about five minutes. There are no accounts to create, no email to hand over, and no automated sales follow-up. The scorecard works for any fiduciary in any jurisdiction, and it is genuinely useful whether you ever speak to us or not.

Score each of the five dimensions honestly. Your running total appears at the top of the page. When you have answered all five, you will see an interpretation of your score and a short view on what to do next.

Your running score 0 / 25

Dimension 1 of 5

Responsiveness

Fiduciary work involves real deadlines. A distribution that needs to happen before a tax year end. A signature required before a deal closes. A question from a bank that needs an answer today. The question here is not whether the trustee replies at all, but how quickly, how predictably, and whether the first reply actually moves the matter forward.

1.Replies routinely take several days. Urgent matters sometimes miss deadlines. I chase more often than I should have to. 2.Replies usually land within a few days. Urgent matters get attention eventually but the process feels slow, and I am often the one driving it. 3.Replies generally arrive within 24 to 48 hours. Urgent matters are handled, though the first response is sometimes a holding note rather than an answer. 4.Replies usually come within a working day. Urgent matters are escalated quickly. The person replying is senior enough to actually help. 5.Replies typically come within hours. Urgent matters get handled the same day, by the senior person who owns the relationship. I rarely have to chase and never have to explain who I am.

Dimension 2 of 5

Compliance friction

Every fiduciary has to do KYC, FATCA and CRS reporting, and periodic reviews. The question is not whether the trustee does compliance, but how that compliance feels from the adviser's side. Does it arrive in manageable, sensible requests, or in chaotic bursts of paperwork that you end up managing on the trustee's behalf?

1.Requests arrive unpredictably and in large batches. The client loses patience. I end up doing significant work to push things through on the trustee's behalf. 2.Compliance is done, but it is effortful. Requests are often duplicative or arrive without enough context. I spend meaningful time translating between the trustee and the client. 3.Compliance is reasonably organised. Most requests are clear. Occasional friction, but it does not dominate the relationship. 4.Requests are batched sensibly and explained. The trustee seems to understand that compliance has a cost to the client and works to minimise it. 5.Compliance is handled in the background. Requests are proportionate, well-timed, and accompanied by plain-English context. The client barely notices it, and neither do I.

Dimension 3 of 5

Communication clarity

Trusteeship involves technical matters that do not translate well. The question is whether the trustee can explain what they are doing, what they are charging, and why, in a way that you and the client actually understand. Fee clarity is a useful proxy here. If you cannot predict what the next invoice will look like, something upstream has gone wrong.

1.Technical matters are explained in jargon. Invoices contain surprises. The client often asks me to translate what the trustee has said. 2.Communication is competent but dense. I can usually decode it. The client sometimes cannot. Fees are reasonably predictable once you get to know the pattern. 3.Communication is generally clear. Technical matters get explained when asked. Fees are predictable and queries about them are handled straightforwardly. 4.Communication is consistently in plain English. The trustee proactively explains rather than waiting to be asked. Fees are transparent and predictable. 5.Every letter, note, and invoice reads as if it was written for the reader, not the writer. The client understands their structure. Fees are published or explained up front, with no surprises.

Dimension 4 of 5

Practical coordination

Most wealthy clients already have a private banker, a lawyer, an accountant, and possibly an investment manager. The question is whether the trustee fits into that network, or tries to replace parts of it. A trustee who quietly moves investments to their own preferred platform, or recommends a new lawyer, is doing something very different from one who works with the relationships the client already has.

1.The trustee actively competes with the existing network. They have suggested changing bankers or lawyers, or moved investments without consulting us. It has strained the client relationship. 2.The trustee works with the existing network but the coordination is patchy. Information does not always flow. I often find out about decisions after the fact. 3.The trustee fits into the network fine. They do not compete and they do not actively orchestrate. Standard coordination. 4.The trustee is a reliable hub for the client's affairs. They keep me informed on matters that touch my work. Handovers between advisers are handled well. 5.The trustee understands their role in the network and performs it with discipline. They make me look good to the client. They never cross into my remit, and they keep the whole picture joined up.

Dimension 5 of 5

Fit for purpose

Structures get set up for a reason, and the reason evolves. Children grow up. The client moves jurisdiction. A business sells. The question is whether the structure still does what it was set up to do, and whether the trustee has been proactive in flagging when something needs to change. A structure that looked right on paper five years ago is not necessarily the right structure today.

1.I am not confident the current structure still fits the client's circumstances. The trustee has not raised it, and I suspect nobody is looking at the bigger picture. 2.The structure probably still works, but it is not obvious. Nothing has been formally reviewed in a while, and the trustee tends to operate the structure rather than think about it. 3.The structure is reviewed periodically. It still broadly fits. The trustee is responsive to change but not especially proactive about raising it. 4.The structure clearly fits the client's current circumstances. The trustee raises questions when the client's situation changes. Decisions are considered, not just executed. 5.The trustee actively thinks about whether the structure is still the right vehicle. They have suggested changes when circumstances have moved, and they can explain in plain terms why the current arrangement is or is not still fit for purpose.

YOUR RESULT

0 / 25

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If you would like Matt or Nico to take a look at your specific scores and come back to you with a personal note, share your details below. They aim to respond within the hour during business hours.

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Send it when you are ready and Matt will come back to you within the hour during business hours. If no email window opened, you can email Matt directly at mgodfrey@avenuetrust.gg.

A second opinion, if you want one

Most advisers who complete this scorecard will conclude that their current trustee is doing a reasonable job. That is a good outcome. If the scorecard surfaced something that did not sit right, you have two options.

The first is to raise it with the trustee directly. The questions embedded in the five dimensions above are a good starting point for a review meeting. Ask the trustee how they would score themselves, and why.

The second is to talk it through with someone independent. Matt and Nico are happy to spend fifteen minutes on a call, informally, with no obligation and no follow-up unless you ask for one. They will not pitch you. They will give you a view on whatever dimension you found most concerning.

Matt Godfrey

Client Services Director

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Nico Alexandre

Associate Director, Client Services

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This scorecard is a self-assessment tool, not regulatory or legal advice. It is designed to help advisers form a view on trustee performance and is not a substitute for a formal review. Avenue Trust Company Limited is licensed by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission.