Answer: No.

Explanation: We often receive phone calls from bank tellers asking us to verify a check. The check will say something like “COLTAF Account” or “COLTAF Trust Account.”

So, if the check says COLTAF on it, why can’t we verify the check? It’s because we do not write the checks you are seeing.

COLTAF accounts are lawyer or LLP trust accounts. There are thousands of COLTAF accounts in Colorado, each one is associated with a specific law firm, lawyer, or LLP. COLTAF administers the overall program and receives the interest generated on these accounts, but we do not write checks from these accounts. The individual law firm, lawyer, or LLP writes checks from their COLTAF account. Only the firm or professional who wrote the check can verify it.

To verify a check written from a COLTAF account, look for additional information on the check that lists the name of a law firm, lawyer, or LLP. COLTAF requires that all checks drawn on a COLTAF account list a firm’s or responsible professional’s name and phone number. If the check does not contain this information, ask the person presenting the check which law firm issued it.