Are electronic signatures valid?

Yes. Electronic signatures are legally enforceable under the federal ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA where adopted, provided intent, consent, attribution, and record retention requirements are met.

Do consumer disclosures apply?

Yes. For consumer‑facing financial or benefit records you must provide ESIGN consumer disclosures showing the consumer can access electronic records and how to withdraw consent per 15 U.S.C. §7001(c).

When is notarization required?

Notarization depends on document type and state law; real estate deeds and some powers of attorney typically require notarization and in some states one or two witnesses.

Can I use remote online notarization?

Many states permit RON with identity proofing and audio‑visual recordkeeping, but rules vary; check the applicable state notary commission rules before relying on RON.

How do I correct signed errors?

If a signed Fact Find contains material errors, create an addendum or corrected version and have all affected parties re‑sign; preserve the original and correction for audit purposes.

How long should I keep these records?

Retain completed Fact Finds per applicable federal and state retention rules: IRS guidance (IRC §6501), HIPAA (45 CFR §164.530(j)), and any longer state or industry requirements.

Electronic Signature
Templates
Finance
Financial Protection Fact Find

Financial Protection Fact Find

This template is fully customizable. Edit the text, fill out the fields, and send it for signature. Give it a try!

FINANCIAL PROTECTION FACT FIND

Client Identification

Client Name:

Primary Address

Daytime Phone

Email

Personal Details

Date of Birth:

Nationality:

Marital Status

Household & Dependents

Number of dependents:

Dependents Details (Name, Age, Relationship)

Employment & Income

Employment Status

Employer / Business

Occupation / Role

Gross Annual Income:

Assets & Liabilities (Summary)

Major Assets Major Liabilities

Existing Protection Policies

Complete details of existing policies. Attach copies of policy schedules where available.

Insurer / Provider	Policy Type	Owner	Sum Insured / Cover	Premium	Policy No. / Expiry

Risk Assessment & Lifestyle

Select any that apply:

Smoker or tobacco use
Existing medical conditions or history
Employment involving hazardous duties
High-risk recreational activities (e.g. extreme sports)

If any checked above, provide details

Objectives & Priorities

Rank and describe your primary protection objectives (e.g. income replacement, mortgage cover, critical illness cover, estate planning):

Adviser Notes

Adviser / Firm Adviser Notes and Initial Recommendations

Important Declarations, Consent & Privacy

By signing this Fact Find I confirm that the information I have provided is true, complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge. I understand that any recommendation or quotation will be based on the information supplied and that failure to disclose material facts may lead to a policy being voided or a claim being repudiated.

I authorise the adviser and their representatives to obtain and disclose information necessary to arrange or service insurance, including but not limited to medical, claims and employment records, to insurers and reinsurers for the purposes of underwriting, claims handling and policy administration. Where required, I consent to the adviser retaining copies of documents and notes relating to my file for recordkeeping and regulatory purposes.

I understand that the adviser does not provide legal or tax advice unless expressly stated in writing and that I should seek independent professional advice where appropriate. The adviser will act in accordance with their regulatory obligations and will disclose any conflicts of interest that may influence recommendations.

Client Declaration

Client Signature

Client Name:

Signature:

Date:

What the Financial Protection Fact Find Is

The Financial Protection Fact Find is a structured intake document used to capture a client’s personal data, financial position, insurance holdings, dependents, and protection needs so advisors and insurers can assess coverage gaps and suitability. It serves as a record of the facts, assumptions, and client objectives used to recommend life, disability, long‑term care, and other protection products. The form is often stored with compliance notes and may be executed electronically under ESIGN and UETA where allowed.

Why a Fact Find Matters for Protection Planning

A complete Fact Find documents client facts and preferences, supports suitability decisions, and creates an audit trail for compliance with regulatory and internal review requirements.

Typical users and who completes this form

Financial advisors, insurance agents, and in-house underwriting or client onboarding teams commonly complete the Fact Find to assemble a full protection profile before recommendations.

Financial advisors and planners — Collect income, liabilities, goals, and existing coverage to recommend appropriate policies and riders.
Insurance brokers and agents — Use the Fact Find to identify gaps, compare carrier offerings, and prepare accurate applications.
Estate and retirement planners — Capture beneficiary designations, trusts, and legacy objectives that affect recommended protection strategies.

The document is also useful for compliance, audit readiness, and record retention; teams that handle claims, underwriting, or regulatory review will rely on it.

Step-by-step: completing the Fact Find

Follow a linear intake flow: collect identity, financials, existing coverage, objectives, and documented consent before signing.

01

Gather IDs: Collect government ID, SSN, and DOB to confirm identity.
02

Compile finances: Record income, assets, liabilities, and monthly expenses.
03

Document existing cover: List carrier names, policy numbers, face amounts, and expiration dates.
04

Review and sign: Confirm details with client, capture consent, and collect signatures.

Key sections to include in a professional Fact Find

A comprehensive Fact Find combines identity, financial snapshot, protection inventory, needs analysis, client objectives, and signatures or consent records.

Client Identity

Full legal name, DOB, SSN, contact details, and primary IDs used to verify identity and match against underwriting requirements and anti‑fraud checks.

Household Snapshot

Household composition, dependents, marital status, and key dates that affect beneficiary and coverage recommendations over time.

Income & Expenses

Detailed salary, bonus, self‑employment income, and recurring expenses to determine income replacement needs and affordability constraints.

Assets & Liabilities

Savings, investments, mortgages, and debts recorded to calculate net worth and replacement ratio for life and disability analyses.

Existing Protection

List all life, disability, LTC, and critical illness policies with carriers and amounts to identify overlaps or gaps.

Recommendations & Signatures

Document suggested solutions, rationale, and signatures from client and advisor with dates to evidence informed consent.

Security, privacy, and compliance controls to note

In transit: TLS 1.2/1.3

At rest: AES‑256 encryption

Compliance: SOC 2 Type II

Healthcare: HIPAA (BAA required)

eSignature law: ESIGN and UETA

Standards: ISO 27001

Common mistakes to avoid when preparing a Fact Find

Using inconsistent names or abbreviations across documents, which can delay underwriting and create compliance questions.
Leaving blank or estimated values for assets and liabilities; approximate entries can lead to incorrect coverage recommendations.
Failing to record existing policy exclusions or riders, increasing the risk of duplicate coverage or unsuitable advice.
Skipping documented consent or consumer disclosure where required for electronic records, which can affect enforceability under ESIGN.

Penalties and compliance risks from incorrect Fact Finds

Late information returns: Penalties $60–$330+ per form (IRC §6721)

Intentional disregard: $660+ per form, no cap (IRC §6721)

Incorrect TIN: Triggers 24% backup withholding

I‑9 paperwork: $281–$2,789 per violation (8 CFR §274a.2)

HIPAA breach: Civil penalties and corrective action exposure

Unsuitable advice: Regulatory fines and civil liability risk

How to configure an online Fact Find workflow

Set up authentication, conditional fields, templates, and reminder rules to match your intake and compliance needs.

Field	Configuration
Authentication Method	Email, SMS code, or KBA as required
Conditional Fields	Show follow‑ups only when applicable
Template Name	Save standard Fact Find layout
Reminders & Expiry	Set reminder cadence and link expiry

Typical eSignature process for an online Fact Find

The online signing flow follows a predictable sequence from upload through audit trail capture.

Upload document: Sender uploads PDF or DOCX and applies fields
Assign signers: Add signer emails and set signing order
Signer authentication: Signers verify via email, SMS, or KBA
Complete and store: System captures signature, timestamp, and audit trail

Technical and integration considerations

Confirm the eSignature platform supports required authentication, file types, integrations, and data retention policies before digitizing the Fact Find.

Integrations: Salesforce, NetSuite, Google Workspace
File formats: PDF, DOCX, XLSX supported
Access controls: Role‑based permissions

Ensure any selected provider can provide audit trails, records export, and a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) if handling protected health information.

Time-critical filing and record deadlines to keep in mind

Certain deadlines intersect with information collected on a Fact Find; track applicable tax, reporting, and retention dates carefully.

W-9 delivery:

Provide to payer upon request; no fixed IRS deadline

1099‑NEC filing:

Recipient and IRS due January 31 each year

Form 1040:

Individual tax return due April 15 (Form 4868 extends filing to Oct 15)

FBAR:

FinCEN 114 due April 15 with automatic extension to Oct 15

I‑9 retention:

Keep for 3 years after hire or 1 year after termination, whichever is later (8 CFR §274a.2)

Key milestones from intake to record retention

A typical Fact Find lifecycle includes intake, review, recommendation, and storage stages; each has distinct timing and approval steps.

01

Intake and verification

Collect and verify identity and financial details promptly after initial meeting

02

Analysis and recommendation

Perform needs analysis and document recommended solutions with rationale

03

Execution and signatures

Capture client consent and signatures; notarize or witness where required

04

Archive and retention

Store executed documents and audit trail for required retention periods

Real-world examples of digital Fact Find usage

Organizations across client‑facing industries use eSigning and digital Fact Finds to reduce turnaround time and improve recordkeeping.

Martin Properties — Tim Martin

Tim Martin streamlined property client intake online to eliminate paper backlogs.

The platform replaced manual collections.
The result: faster closings and digital audit trails that supported compliance with company document retention rules and remote client interactions.

Fertility Centers of Illinois — John Butler

Fertility Centers adopted digital intake for patient financial protection assessments.

Implementation focused on security and API integrations.
This enabled secure remote collection of consent and financial data while preserving HIPAA protections and providing consistent records for billing and insurance follow‑up.

eSignature pricing and feature snapshot for Fact Find workflows

Compare core pricing and capabilities for common eSignature vendors used to collect and retain Fact Find documents; signNow is listed first per vendor ordering.

	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	HelloSign
Starting Price	$8/user/mo	$15/user/mo	$14/user/mo	$19/user/mo	$15/user/mo
Free Trial	7‑day free trial	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan
Bulk Send	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Envelope Cap	No envelope cap	100 envelopes/user/year	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan

Frequently asked questions and troubleshooting

Answers to common questions about validity, signatures, notaries, storage, and correcting Fact Find entries.

Need help? Contact support

Are electronic signatures valid?
Yes. Electronic signatures are legally enforceable under the federal ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA where adopted, provided intent, consent, attribution, and record retention requirements are met.
Do consumer disclosures apply?
Yes. For consumer‑facing financial or benefit records you must provide ESIGN consumer disclosures showing the consumer can access electronic records and how to withdraw consent per 15 U.S.C. §7001(c).
When is notarization required?
Notarization depends on document type and state law; real estate deeds and some powers of attorney typically require notarization and in some states one or two witnesses.
Can I use remote online notarization?
Many states permit RON with identity proofing and audio‑visual recordkeeping, but rules vary; check the applicable state notary commission rules before relying on RON.
How do I correct signed errors?
If a signed Fact Find contains material errors, create an addendum or corrected version and have all affected parties re‑sign; preserve the original and correction for audit purposes.
How long should I keep these records?
Retain completed Fact Finds per applicable federal and state retention rules: IRS guidance (IRC §6501), HIPAA (45 CFR §164.530(j)), and any longer state or industry requirements.

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