Which of the following is least likely to be accepted as verification of repayment ability?

Verification of repayment ability is a crucial part of the mortgage loan application process, as it helps lenders assess whether a borrower has the financial capacity to repay the loan. The least reliable option for verifying repayment ability is the verbal statements of earnings from the loan applicant.

While verbal statements might provide some insight into a borrower's financial situation, they lack the independent verification that is necessary for a lender to make a confident assessment. Unlike documented sources of financial information, verbal statements can be subjective and vulnerable to exaggeration or misrepresentation.

In contrast, bank statements, pay stubs, and tax returns are all official documents that provide concrete evidence of a borrower's income and financial history. Bank statements show actual deposits and savings, pay stubs reflect current wages, and tax returns provide a comprehensive overview of income over a longer period. These documents can be verified easily against external data, adding a layer of security and reliability that verbal statements do not offer. Therefore, verbal statements are considered the least reliable source of information for assessing repayment ability.