New clients often arrive with beautifully organised binders. Each page lists backup locations, wallet types, and the date materials were created. What is missing — almost always — is the last date someone confirmed the words still produce the expected addresses.
The Gap Between Creation and Verification
A seed phrase written in 2019 may have been perfectly valid when stored. By 2025, the holder may have added a passphrase, switched from a Trezor to a Ledger, or restored onto a new device using a slightly different derivation path. The paper backup unchanged on a shelf does not reflect any of these events.
What a Verification Date Records
During our audit sessions, verification means the holder enters words into a hardware wallet and confirms the first and last receiving address match expectations. We record:
- Date of verification
- Device used
- Whether a passphrase was applied
- Whether all backup copies were checked or only the primary
How Often to Verify
We recommend annual verification for active holders and biennial verification for those who have not changed their setup. Holders who use passphrases hidden wallets should verify after any change to the passphrase hint storage location.
Adding This to Your Log
If you maintain your own custody log, add a column for “last verified” next to each backup location. If the verification date is more than eighteen months old, treat that backup as unconfirmed until you complete a check.