TRUST FUNDING ASSISTANCE SYSTEM™
Step 3: REQUEST
Obtain the right requirements before preparing a submission.
Help the client obtain current information, institution-specific forms, and instructions relevant to the question identified during REVIEW.
A request for information is different from authorization to change an account.
Use the Request Tracker™ and correspondence library
Select the template that fits the task. Confirm the recipient, client details, requested information, required authorization, and follow-up date.
The institution may require current forms, trust documentation, signature requirements, submission instructions, or additional records. Confirm what is needed rather than relying on a previous institution's
process.
Record the request date, contact or department, method, response, outstanding items, and next action.
YOUR WORKING TOOL
Trust Funding Request Tracker™
Keep track of each request, who you contacted, what you requested, and what you are waiting to receive.
WHAT YOU MAY NEED TO REQUEST
Depending on what you identified during REVIEW:
- Ownership or registration requirements
- Beneficiary designation forms
- Change-of-ownership forms or instructions
- Trust certification requirements
- Institution-specific trust forms
- Additional account or policy information
- Instructions for submitting documentation
- Clarification from the institution about its administrative requirements, or guidance from the appropriate professional about legal or tax questions.
BEFORE YOU MAKE THE REQUEST
Have the relevant information available, including the institution name, account or policy information, and the issue you identified during REVIEW.
Do not send original estate planning documents unless specifically required and you have confirmed the proper submission procedure.
TRACK EVERY REQUEST
Trust Funding Request Tracker™
For each request, record:
- Institution / Record Keeper
- Asset / Account
- Date Requested
- What You Requested
- How You Requested It
- Contact / Department
- Response or Forms Received
- Follow-Up Needed?
- My Next Step
Practice: Maria and James
Draft a fictional request for the bank's current forms and administrative requirements, using Letter 06 if appropriate. Do not send it. Record the request and follow-up in the practice tracker.
Do not choose or request an ownership change unless appropriate direction and client authorization have been established.
Before you continue
You should know which forms and supporting records are required, how to submit them, and which decisions still need confirmation. If something remains unclear, keep it open.