For agents, agencies, and individuals
Knowing where your advice stops
Clients ask about taxes, law and medicine because you are the professional in front of them. Knowing the edge is part of the job.
The questions that are not yours to answer
Where does the line usually fall?
You can explain how coverage works and what a plan does. You are not there to advise on a tax position, a legal question, or what medical care someone should seek, even when you have an informed opinion.
How do I answer a tax question?
Explain the mechanism in general terms and send the specific case to a tax professional. Describing how something generally works is useful; telling a household what their own outcome will be is not yours to do.
Does declining make me look unhelpful?
The opposite, if you do it well. Naming what you can answer, answering it thoroughly, and pointing clearly to who handles the rest reads as competence rather than evasion.
What if the client insists?
Hold the line and say why. An answer given outside your authority helps nobody if it turns out to be wrong, and the client will remember who gave it.
Handing off well
What makes a good handoff?
A named kind of professional, a clear statement of the question they should be asked, and an offer to pick the conversation back up afterwards. Vague referrals feel like being dropped.
Should I note it?
Yes. Record that the question was asked, that you referred it out, and when. It shows you recognised the boundary rather than missed it.
Work with Safeguard and Associates
Share only general information in an inquiry. Never include health details, Social Security numbers or policy numbers.
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