The Extra Steps are the Point
Whether you're updating an account, moving money, changing beneficiaries, or implementing a planning recommendation, there are often a few steps required before changes can be made.
It can be frustrating when all you want to do is move forward. But if someone wanted to change your beneficiaries, transfer your assets, or move money from your accounts, wouldn't you want safeguards in place?
The truth is, those extra steps aren't getting in the way of the process. In many cases, they are the process.
Why Financial Firms Have So Many Requirements
Protecting our clients and the assets they've worked hard to build is a responsibility we take seriously. We know it can be frustrating when you've already decided what you'd like to do and we're still asking for a signature, more information, or a quick phone call before we can move forward.
These safeguards are designed to help protect against fraud, identity theft, unauthorized transactions, and mistakes. They also help make sure your instructions are clearly documented and understood before changes are made to your accounts.
In other words, many of the signatures, disclosures, and verification steps we ask for aren't there to create extra work. They're there to help protect you, your accounts, and what you've worked hard to build.
Why We Need Signatures
A signature provides authorization for a specific action to be taken on your account.
It also gives you an opportunity to review what is being requested before anything is implemented. Whether you're opening a new account, updating beneficiaries, transferring assets, or making other important changes, the documents outline what is being requested and how the request will be carried out.
By signing, you're confirming that you've reviewed the information and that it reflects your intentions. If something doesn't look right, doesn't make sense, or raises a question, this is your opportunity to ask before action is taken.
A signature isn't just permission to move forward. It's also an opportunity to slow down, review the details, and make sure we're carrying out your instructions the way you intended.
Why We Sometimes Ask the Same Question Again
One of the most common questions we hear is:
Didn't I already tell you that?
In many cases, yes.
You may have already discussed the matter with your advisor and made a decision about what you'd like to do. However, people aren't perfect. Information can be misunderstood, details can be missed, and mistakes can happen.
That's why certain information may need to be verified before changes can be made or transactions can be completed. Think of it as a final check to make sure we're working with accurate information and carrying out the instructions you intended.
This is also why certain requests, particularly those involving the movement of money, may require verbal confirmation before they can be processed. Even if we've received an email, text message, signed form, or voicemail, we may still need to hear directly from you before moving forward.
We know these extra steps can sometimes feel repetitive, but we'd rather take a few extra minutes to verify information now than spend days or weeks correcting a mistake later.
Your Participation Matters
Most clients appreciate safeguards when they're protecting them from a mistake, a fraudulent request, or an unauthorized transaction. The challenge is that those safeguards often require participation from the account owner.
Whether it's signing paperwork, confirming information, or answering a verification call, some parts of the process require your participation before we can move forward.
At the end of the day, it's your account.
We can prepare the paperwork, explain the process, and answer questions, but we can't make decisions on your behalf. Certain steps require your review, approval, or confirmation before action can be taken.
That's by design. It helps ensure you remain in control of the decisions affecting your accounts.
It's Your Future
At Forge Financial, we believe our clients deserve more than a quick transaction. They deserve a process designed to protect them, keep them informed, and ensure they remain in control of the decisions affecting their accounts.
That's why we ask questions. That's why we verify information. That's why we require signatures and confirmations before moving forward.
We understand that these steps can sometimes feel repetitive or inconvenient. However, if a signature is required, information needs to be confirmed, or a request requires verbal verification, we cannot simply skip those steps and move forward anyway.
The safeguards only work when they're completed.
The extra steps aren't an obstacle.
The extra steps are the point.
Any opinions are those of Forge Financial and not necessarily those of Raymond James. Expressions of opinion are as of this date and are subject to change without notice.
