What this article helps with: Exactly what your client experiences after you approve a disbursement, so your team can explain it confidently and answer questions without escalating.
Who this is for: Case managers, paralegals, and intake staff who talk to clients, plus anyone building a client-facing explainer of your own.
When not to use this article: If you need the firm-side steps, read "How to Draft and Approve a Disbursement". If a client's payment failed, go to "Troubleshooting and FAQs: Disbursements".
Overview
Once an approver approves a disbursement, your client gets a text with a secure link. On that page they prove who they are, then choose how they want the money. Four steps, usually a couple of minutes.
1. They get a text from your firm's number
The payment link is texted from your firm's existing Hona phone number. It is the same number your client has been receiving case updates on, which is a large part of why clients trust it and act on it. It arrives as a separate thread.
If your client's notification preference is email, they receive it by email instead. For plaintiffs we recommend text, since email often goes unread.
The wording is your firm's, set in your client message templates. See "Disbursement Statuses and Notifications" to change it.
2. They verify their identity with a code
Your client cannot just open the link and take the money. They are first asked to confirm the phone number or email address on the disbursement, and a one-time code is sent to it. They enter the code to continue.
Two things to tell clients up front:
The code comes from a different number than the link did. The link comes from your firm's number; the code comes from the payments system. Clients who are not warned sometimes assume the code is spam.
If you put both a phone number and an email on the disbursement, they can verify with either.
This step means the link alone is not enough. Someone would need access to your client's phone or inbox as well.
Name verification (Enhanced Security)
Name verification (Enhanced Security)
Separately from the code, Enhanced Security is switched on by default for your firm. It does a real-time fuzzy match between the recipient name on the disbursement and the name on the bank account or debit card your client enters. The names do not have to be identical, but they must be substantially similar.
The check happens before the transaction runs, so if it is blocked, no money moves.
Nicknames generally pass, for example "Matt" on file against "Matthew" on the bank account.
Generational suffixes are blocked on purpose, for example "Jr." against "Sr." or "III". This is intentional, so a relative cannot capture a payout.
A spouse's, partner's, or family member's account in a different name will be declined.
Because it is on, you will see some legitimate payments decline. That is the trade. If you need it turned off for a specific situation, the most common one being a minor whose guardian holds the account, email [email protected] and we will handle it with Confido before you send.
3. They choose instant or free
After verifying, your client sees the payment amount and two choices. The wording on the page is close to this:
Option | Speed | Cost to your client | What they enter |
Instant to debit card | Seconds or minutes | 1% fee, capped at $95 | Their debit card details |
Direct deposit (ACH) | 4 to 6 business days | Free | Their bank login through Plaid, or their routing and account number manually |
Some notes worth knowing:
Instant is the default selection, and most clients take it. Adoption varies quite a bit by firm and client base, roughly half to the large majority.
The 1% caps at $95. So on a $5,000 payout the fee is $50; on a $50,000 payout it is $95, not $500. Above $9,500 the cap is what applies.
ACH is always available and always free. Your client is never forced to pay to get their money. This is deliberate.
Above $100,000, instant to debit card is not available and ACH is the only option. If a client on a large settlement wants instant, the payout has to be split across more than one disbursement.
Your firm never sees or handles their bank details. Your client enters them into the secure page themselves. Nobody at your firm reads an account number over the phone or types it in.
There is no check option on this page. If a client would rather have a check, they have to reply to your text and your firm handles it outside of Hona. Do not tell clients to look for a check button, because there isn't one.
Tell clients to check their numbers before submitting. Funds go to whatever payment method your client enters. Connecting through the secure bank sign-in avoids typos; entering a routing and account number by hand is where mistakes happen.
If Plaid does not support your client's bank, for example a small local credit union, they can enter the routing and account number by hand.
4. They accept, and the money moves
Your client confirms, agrees to the terms on the page, and submits. They see a success confirmation, and they get a follow-up message when the payment completes.
On your side, the status moves to Accepted for instant, or In transit then Accepted for ACH. The page can be branded with your firm's logo, so it looks like a continuation of working with you rather than a hand-off to a stranger.
FAQs your clients will ask
"Is this a scam?"
"Is this a scam?"
The strongest reassurance is that the text came from your firm's own number, in the same thread as their case updates, and that they will have to verify their identity with a code before anything happens. It also helps to mention the payout in a phone call or a case update before you send it, so the text is expected rather than a surprise. Some firms simply call and say "I just sent you your disbursement link, take a look."
"Why is there a fee?"
"Why is there a fee?"
There is only a fee if they choose to be paid instantly, and it is entirely their choice. Direct deposit is free. The 1% covers the cost of getting the money to them in seconds instead of days, and it never exceeds $95.
"I do not have a bank account."
"I do not have a bank account."
A prepaid debit card from one of the major networks (Visa, Mastercard, or Discover) works with the instant option. Some firms buy prepaid cards for clients in this situation. Additional payment options for unbanked clients are on Confido's roadmap.
Be aware that clients who currently rely on check cashing services may still prefer a check, and that this feature does not replace that workflow.
Additional payment methods, including PayPal, are built and coming from Confido but are not live yet.
"Can I send it to my spouse's account?"
"Can I send it to my spouse's account?"
Enhanced Security is on by default, so an account in a different name will be declined. That is the point of the control: it stops someone other than your client capturing the payout. If there is a legitimate reason the account is in another name, for example a guardian holding a minor's funds, contact [email protected] before sending so it can be handled correctly.
"I entered my account number wrong. What happens?"
"I entered my account number wrong. What happens?"
The payment fails and nothing leaves your firm's trust account. Your client is notified, and your team can draft a new disbursement. This is one of the quieter advantages of the model: because your client enters their own details, a typo is a failed payment rather than money sent to the wrong account by your firm.
"How long do I have to claim it?"
"How long do I have to claim it?"
60 days by default, though your firm can set a different window per disbursement. If a link expires, your firm can issue a new one.
Who does the client call if they get stuck?
Who does the client call if they get stuck?
Give them Confido's support line: (866) 569-9725. Confido handles the payments, so they are the right people for anything to do with the link, the verification code, or a payment that has not arrived. They also support recipients by live chat and email.
Your team should still come to [email protected] for anything on the Hona side, and your client should come to you for questions about their case or the amount.
Confido also provides simple client one-pagers during onboarding, branded to your firm, in English and Spanish. They walk a client through the three steps and carry the support number. Ask us for them.
"Can you send it to my account overseas?"
"Can you send it to my account overseas?"
No. Funds cannot be sent internationally. Your client needs a US bank account or a US debit card. If you have a client abroad, handle that payout through your existing process.
Conclusion
Two things prevent most client questions: telling them the payout link is coming, and warning them that the verification code arrives from a different number. Everything else your client handles themselves. Questions? Chat with our support team or email [email protected].