05 - VERIFY

Confirm what actually happened.

Submitted Is Not Complete. Verified Is Complete.

You submitted the request.
Now you need to confirm that the institution actually completed it.
A form can be received without being processed. A request can be processed incorrectly. An account can be updated differently than expected.

DISCOVER → REVIEW → REQUEST → SUBMIT → VERIFY → COMPLETE

VERIFY is where you confirm the result.

What Are You Verifying?

Go back to the action established during REVIEW and confirm that the intended result actually occurred.

Depending on the asset or institution, that might mean confirming:
☐ Ownership or title was changed as intended
☐ Beneficiary designation was updated as intended
☐ Transfer-on-death or payable-on-death designation was added as intended
☐ Trust information was recorded correctly
☐ The institution accepted all required documents
☐ No additional forms, signatures, documents, or actions are outstanding
Do not assume that because something was submitted, it was completed correctly.

Your VERIFY Tool

This should be the working document for this stage.

The tool should let the user record:

• Asset or account
• Institution
• Action requested
• Date submitted
• Date checked
• How verification was obtained
• Result confirmed
• Evidence received
• Anything still outstanding
• Follow-up date, if needed

What Counts as Verification?

Whenever possible, verify the result using something you can keep.
That could include:

☐ Updated account statement
☐ Written confirmation from the institution
☐ Updated beneficiary confirmation
☐ Recorded deed or other recorded document
☐ Online account record showing the completed change
☐ Confirmation number or reference number
☐ Other documentation showing the requested action was completed
A verbal confirmation may be helpful, but written or documentary evidence gives you something to keep with your records.

If It Wasn't Completed

That does not mean something went wrong with your entire plan.

It simply means the process isn't finished yet.

Find out:

☐ What is still needed
☐ Whether anything was rejected or incomplete
☐ Whether another signature or document is required
☐ What you need to do next
☐ When you should check again

Then complete the additional step and return to VERIFY.

Don't mark the item complete until you have confirmed the result.

VERIFY COMPLETE?

Before continuing:

☐ I confirmed the requested action was actually completed.
☐ I confirmed the result matches what was intended.
☐ I kept available evidence of the completed action.
☐ I resolved, or identified, anything still outstanding.
☐ I completed the Funding Verification Record™.

READY FOR THE NEXT STEP?

Once the action has been completed and verified, you're ready for the final stage.