What it is
The exit interview is documented, and what you say is written into the file. It shapes the reference answer, the payout decisions, and, in some companies, the rehiring flag. Facts, dates, and handoff quality are the parts that help; unverified claims enter the file as allegations.
What to do about it: Bring a one-page written handoff: dates, scope, and the open items. Keep the tone factual, and ask for the separation wording in writing at the same meeting.
Plain-language description of US practice, not legal, tax, or financial advice. The paired guide carries the citations, dates, and thresholds; the state pages carry the local windows.