Check a mortgage claim before repeating it.

Trace the claim to the original material.

Name the exact claim you plan to use. Follow the story or social post to the rule, announcement, dataset or study behind it. If you cannot find the source, mark the claim unverified. Another article repeating it does not fill the gap.

Check the publisher’s domain and page. A familiar logo, search snippet or similar address is not enough. For disclosure questions, use official CFPB resources and the linked rule or interpretation. For agency questions, use the relevant agency source and lender direction.

Check whether the evidence matches the wording.

Read the date, group covered and limits. An agency duty for sellers may not apply to every broker. A national average is not an individual quote. A vendor’s claim is not independent proof of results for your team.

Imagine a fictional headline says a process will get simpler. The source may concern one program, an optional feature or a future change. Keep those limits in your note. A qualification that changes the meaning belongs beside the claim.

• Exact claim and original publisher.
• Direct source link and relevant section.
• Publication date and effective date where applicable.
• Population, program or role covered.
• What the evidence does not establish.
• Person responsible for deciding whether action is appropriate.

Keep evidence and interpretation distinct.

Separate the supported fact from your advice. “The source sets this rule for this group” differs from “we should review our checklist.” Attribute the first accurately. Give the second an owner who can assess what it means for your work.

Use the worksheet before a team update or public article. Save the link and review note so you can revisit the claim if the source changes. If you still cannot tell whether it applies, ask the responsible professional. Do not turn uncertainty into a firm instruction.