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March 1, 2020

2015 compilation of best notary posts

Filed under: Compilations — admin @ 9:59 am

TECHNICAL

The Mortgage & The Note
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=13203

The signature name affidavit
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=13190

Unique phrases from the Ninja course
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=14690

Loan Signing FAQ’s that borrowers ask
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=15457

10 tight points on loose certificates
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=15449

Do you use a notary embosser?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=15126

Your signature needs work
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=15051

Filling out your journal before the appointment?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=15354

When to ask for ID over the phone & fees at the door
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=15282

MARKETING

Best blog articles for advanced notaries
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=14736

How much more does a 123notary certified signer make?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=15392

What’s the difference between a listing getting 16 clicks / month and 100+?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=13185

Pleasant companies who are pleasant to work for
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=13099

Websites from some of our best notaries!
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=14677

Trip + Notary Fee = Payment
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=13596

Augmenting your skill set to make more money as an NSA!
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=14150

Here is an easy way to make $4000 more per year
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=14162

$40 for a signing 72 miles away?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=14959

Should travel fees be flat?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=15402

STORIES

Signing Stream makes notaries sign a contract that they won’t write
anything on forums
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=13640

Notary etiquette from Athiest to Zombie
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=13718

Deceptive fax backs, the good old bait and switch tactic
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=14040

I was forged
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=13659

A notary enters the Shark Tank
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=14088

Signing of the Absurd
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=14919

Don’t call title or borrower
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=15066

Have you ever been tempted not to go into a borrowers house?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=15369

COMEDY

Best notary comedy compilation
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=15957

Compilation of notary sit-com episodes!
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=15949

Honey you can kiss my app!
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=14902

Jane the Virgin Notary
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=14899

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February 23, 2020

2014 Compilation of best posts

Filed under: Uncategorized — admin @ 9:57 am

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MARKETING

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What is your monthly marketing plan?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=9683

How to become a successful mobile notary from scratch
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=13340

$30 signings – is it worth it even in the best of circumstances
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=10456

Is $75 enough to print two sets of docs, notarize & do faxbacks?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=10369

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TECHNICAL

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We caught a bunch of frauds using notary verbiage
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=7096

You could get sued if you don’t have a business license
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=7100

Poo picking – getting the best notary jobs
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=9273

Best notary posts for Beginners
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=10472

New Notary apps you really need
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=9797

The right to cancel done wrong
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=10001

Do you notarize loose certificates as a notary?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=10372

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STORIES

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Dress Brittish – Think Yiddish
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=8643

The Towles Booth (pronounced “tolls”)
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=9456

Signing with a former airline captain
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=12870

Reviews about 123notary!
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=14072

A forged document vs. a forged notary seal?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=10391

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COMEDY

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A social media site for Notaries – Affiant
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=6410

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February 9, 2020

2012 complication of best posts

Filed under: Compilations — admin @ 9:50 am

Here are some of our best posts from 2012.

TECHNICAL

What is signature by X?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=2278

Information about various notary procedures
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=2268

Rules for notarizing a bedridden person
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=2243

Backdating from A to Z
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=2424

All you need to know about notary work
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=2354

Can a notary notarize a birth certificate?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=2300

Fraud and forgery in the notary profession
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=2294

Do I notarize every page of the document?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=2280

Notary boiler plate wording
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=2432

Notarization dates, Document dates & Signature dates!
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=2421

Sending loose certificates is illegal
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=2470

Can a notary sign on a different day?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=2457

Don’t drop the Fedex in the drop box!
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=2831

Protecting yourself with a contract
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=2593

Tips for Notaries
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=3360

STORIES

Borrowers and their filthy homes
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=2214

Power of Attorney at a nursing home
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=2305

123notary behind the scenes
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=2499

20 stories about animals at signings
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=3074

5 books every notary should own (and read)
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=3668

3 notaries walk into a bar
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=3660

I make mistakes too
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=3639

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November 20, 2018

123notary’s Index of Popular Notary Articles

I am not sure how this is going to go, because there are more than a thousand articles on our site. So, wish me luck and I hope this post is valuable.

COURSES
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20276
Beginner Notaries 103 Course – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=21112
Notary Etiquette 104 – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=21132

TECHNICAL POSTS
Journals — http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20272
Certificates — http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20268
Notary Acts — http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20280
General Notary Information — http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20264
Documents — http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20258
Law Suits & Legal Risks – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20478
Credible Witnesses – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20414
Index of posts about Power of Attorney – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20255

MARKETING
Notary Marketing 102 Course – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19774
Index of Marketing Posts – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20284
Snapdocs Compilation – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=21531
Phone Etiquette – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20505
Compilation of certification posts – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16264
10 rules for negotiating fees – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19620
How to write a notes section if you are a beginner – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16698

PUBLIC INTEREST
Find a Notary – http://blog.123notary.com/?tag=find-a-notary
Posts about fraud – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=21527

GUEST BLOGGERS
String of guest blogs – http://blog.123notary.com/?cat=230
Compilation of guest blogs – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=22472

HUMOROUS & DRAMA POSTS
Best comedy articles 2010 to 2014 – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20288
Stories on the blog – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=21898
Posts about Notary & Politics – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20357
Compilation of mafia related posts – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20352
Best Virtual Comedy Posts to 2018 – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=17693
Notary Restaurant Post Compilation – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=17442
Notary Dating & Romance – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=17451
Compilation of Notary Sit-Com Episodes – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=15949

GENERAL
Best blog posts since 2010 – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=21650
Posts about 123notary – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20648

COMPREHENSIVE GUIDES
12 questions to ask for hospital notarizations – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20519
How to make more as a signing agent – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20418
Notary Public general info – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20075
How to negotiate signing fees like a pro! – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19198
When to refuse a notarization – a comprehensive guide – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=18974
10 things a notary can do to screw up a notarization – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=18864
A comprehensive guide to notary organizations – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=17088
A comprehensive guide to notary pricing – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16504
123notary’s comprehensive guide to getting reviews – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16290
Everything you need to know about writing a great notes section – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16074
10 tight points on loose certificates – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=15449
Notary journals from A to Z – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=8348
Notary Seal information from A to Z – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=8337
Signing Agent best practice 63 points – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=4315
Borrower Etiquette from A to Z – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=2995
Backdating from A to Z – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=2424
Mobile Offices from A to Z – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=535

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September 19, 2018

123notary’s quiz questions routinely accused of being state specific

Filed under: Technical & Legal — Tags: — admin @ 11:03 am

The people who accuse us of having state specific questions are never specific about which questions are state specific. Such ambiguity over specifics. We change our questions over time and questions are now based on Notary Public 101, and not a particular state. We don’t even cater to California rules when we are in California. We test on good practicies, NOT state specific practices. It is up to you to know your state rules and I’m sure you do … (or not).

Here are some questions that might seem state specifics.

1. Proof of Execution — state specific
This act is done in about 45 states which is almost all. However, Notaries never do this act in real life. I don’t even know which states don’t have it. Some call it a verification upon proof or some other similar name. I ask this question not because of its practicality but to see if you even read my materials before the quiz. I think it is a waste of everyone’s time to quiz when you didn’t study.

2. John Smith — NOT state specific
We ask this question about good old John as a prudency question and not a legal question. Is it prudent under the circumstances to notarize the signature John W Smith on a document when the ID says John Smith.Most Notaries cannot give a straight answer — they change the circumstances to asking the signer for another ID. That makes it a completely different question. Whether your state requires an exact name match or not, it is still NOT PRUDENT if you can’t a prove a person’s identity. That is the whole reason for having notaries in the first place.

3. Fixing Notary Certificates — state specific
This one is very important and definitely state specific. We ask a question that California Notaries are not allowed to do simply because the folks in the other states still need to be tested on this. How do you fix a wrong county on a certificate? In California you have to use a clean new form or redo the notarization. In other states you can cross out and initial, but don’t have the borrower initial a notary form. This is critical information here. Maryland does not allow the use of loose certificates, and Oregon does not allow the Notary to make any changes to certificates or even add new ones as that might be considered UPL the way they see it in the drizzly state. Food for thought.

4. FBI Thumbprint Question — NOT state specific
If the FBI shows up on your doorstep investigating a notarization you did involving a fake ID, your fake info in your journal won’t cut it even if your state doesn’t require or permit thumbprints. The FBI is federal and has some bad guys to catch. They want a thumbprint whether your state allows you to have it or not. This is a Federal specific question as the FBI is federal and doesn’t care about your petty state rules. This question is NOT state specific because it does not ask what your state wants or allows or permits.

5. Journals – sounds state specific, but not the way we ask it.
Many states don’t require a journal, so my journal questions are not based on state rules, but on the rules of prudency which are universal. Your journal is your only evidence in court of what happened at a notarization. Not keeping one is like not wearing a seat belt on the freeway. Eventually something will happen and there will be injuries. This is a good practices question and once again NOT state specific.

6. Oaths & Affirmations – not state specific, but…
Oaths & Affirmations Universal — like God himself. But, the 2018 California Notary manual no longer has a set fee if you do these as separate acts not connected to a deposition or jurat. Hmm. So, you can do these acts in California, but what would you charge?

If you have been asked any other annoying questions by us which you feel are state specific, please mention them in the comments section clearly and please be to the point without any tangents so that the readers can get to the point. And once again, none of our questions are based on California practices, but are based on best practices (which often overlap with what California practices are — but not always.)

You might also like:

Notary quiz of the day
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=21266

Fixing certificates is a state specific nightmarish scenario
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=21083

Thanks

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May 1, 2018

Letter to California Notary Division

Filed under: California_Notary,Popular on Facebook (very) — Tags: — admin @ 10:46 am

Dear California Notary Division,
I am someone who runs a Notary directory and is acutely aware of the deficiencies in Notary knowledge throughout the state and the nation. California Notaries are better than those in other states on average due to the excellent training, but the training does not cover practical aspects of the Notary profession. Additionally, there are issues with fees that need to be addressed.

PRETRAINING
As there are so many ethical violations out there among California Notaries, and misunderstanding of Notary law, it is clear that a longer and more comprehensive notary training is necessary. However, I also think that due to the incompetence out there, a few other pre-measures should be taken.

1. A IQ test should be administer to applicants. It can be a ten minute quiz. Notaries with low intelligence often bungle and misinterpret Notary laws which can lead to illegal activity and wrongful explanations to clients of what can and cannot be legally done.

2. A meticulousness test should be administered to Notaries to see if they can be orderly about conducting tasks which require multiple steps. Being a good Notary means filling out journals and forms correctly in their entirety, and a meticulous person is less likely to make errors. The majority of your Notaries are far from meticulous.

3. Following directions and ethics are some other problems that are common with California Notaries. How you test this is hard. You have to find a way to trick them into doing something right or wrong while they are being watched.

4. Preference to those with clerical, police, military, legal, mortgage, or settlement backgrounds might help attract better quality Notaries as those are professions that are normally high in terms of integrity, and clerical skills which are both critical in the Notary profession.

TRAINING
A single day course on Notary Public knowledge is not enough. California stresses theoretical knowledge and does not test on hands on aspects of being a Notary. When a Notary is out there in the field, they need to know how to handle various types if situations. Here are my detailed comments.

1. Oaths & Affirmations
Administer Oaths correctly and roughly half of Notaries in California do not administer Oaths at all, or not in a relevant and acceptable way. Here are some examples of irrelevant or wishy-washy Oaths.

(a) Many Notaries have the signer to swear to their personal identity rather than to the truthfulness of the document.
(b) Many Notaries make the signer swear they signed the document but not to the truthfulness of the document.
(c) It is common for Notaries use Affirm in an Oath when they should ideally use the verb swear.
(d) Many Notaries do not understand the term “administer” in the sentence “Administer an Oath to an Affiant.”
(e) Many Notaries use a court Oath for a witness asking if they swear to the truth, whole truth and nothing but the truth when the document does not necessarily reflect a whole truth.
(f) It is common for Notaries not to mention the document being sworn to when administering an Oath, hence administering an Oath that is regarding thin air.
(g) Most Notaries do not know the difference between a court Oath for a witness, a document Oath and an Oath for a statement that has not been made yet.
(h) Notaries need to be taught asking “Oath questions,” such as, “Do you solemnly swear this document is true and correct?” or “Do you solemnly swear that the statement you are about to make is true and correct?” Many Notaries will ask the Oath question about the statement, get a yes, and then not have the Affiant make the actual statement. This is why an IQ test should be mandatory and a result of 95 or higher should be required. Most of the problems I have with Notaries arises from low IQ’s and bad attitudes.

The handbook makes it clear that an Affiant must swear to the truthfulness of a document. However, there is no prescribed wording or guidelines. My solution is to have prescribed components of Oaths, but no official verbiage just to keep life flexible. At a minimum, in an Oath, the Affiant must use the word “I”, and then the word “swear”, mention the foregoing document, and make reference to the fact that they feel the document is authentic or correct. Using “affirm” was asked to administer an Oath means that the Notary has overided the client’s request to have an Oath which means that the Notary chose the notary act instead of letting the entity who is paying or swearing.

2. Fill out their journal correctly
Many Notaries are unclear as to how many journal entries should be filled out if there are multiple signers signing multiple documents. The 2018 handbook does not make it clear HOW MANY journal entries are necessary if there are multiple documents per signer all using the same Notary act. This should be clarified as it is an area of common misunderstanding. One journal entry per person per document is how I was trained. Additionally, the use of arrows for repetitive information in appointments with multiple documents per signer are discouraged now from what I have heard, but the handbook does not mention this. There needs to be a SINGLE SOURCE of notary law information and that source should be the handbook and not some bulletin or blog article or other supplemental sources (although those can help teach the materials in the handbook.)

3. Understand the components of notary forms including the “Additional information” section of an Acknowledgment which might not be legally required, but deters fraud by making it very detectable if someone swaps an Acknowledgment and puts it on a different document than what was intended.

4. Many Notaries do not understand how to handle requests that are illegal or seem illegal. Many Notaries will accept illegal requests while declining acceptable requests. This is due to poor training. So, training needs to focus on handling questionable requests. Many Notaries feel it is illegal to EXPLAIN the various notary acts to clients while it is not. It is illegal to choose for them, but not to explain them as far as I know.

5. Foreign language signers are an area of misunderstanding as many Notaries are not aware that they are NOT required to understand the content of the document but ARE required to have direct communication with the signer/affiant.

6. Many Notaries are unaware that the ID does not have to exactly match the name on the document but must PROVE the name on the document. Many Notaries take liberties and will Notarize a signature that says John W Smith with an ID that says John Smith, etc. It is common for Notaries to refer to the “more than but not less than rule” which is a rule created for Title companies and not a law which states that the signer can over sign their name to include more middle initials or names, etc. However, the Notaries who remember this law often do not care if it is legal to notarize a name that is over signed. It is not clear whether you can notarized John W Smith as John Smith if the ID says only John Smith. This is another common occurrence that needs to be clarified.

7. Credible Witness law is a little bit complicated and perhaps should be simplified. Most Notaries are unaware that the handbook states that the credible witness is the entity who has to swear to the fact that he/she believes that the signer cannot easily obtain an ID. Since the Notary has OFTEN seen an ID with the wrong name on it, how can the Notary ACCEPT an Oath from a credible witness that the Notary knows to be based on false information or made fraudulently regarding how the signer cannot find an ID? This law about CW is convoluted and a source of a lot of trouble. Close to NONE of your Notaries would be able to recite these laws by memory. Therefor, I suggest simplifying it because most notaries cannot learn it properly and the CW rules are convoluted and make no sense. Here is my idea of a better set of rules.

(a) A Notary can use the Oaths of two credible witnesses to identify a signer.
(b) The credible witnesses must either be immediate family members or know the signer intimately enough so they know his/her middle names without being reminded. (The law for how well you have to know the signer to be a CW is convoluted, wishy-washy, and useless currently.)
(c) The Oath for the credible witness should be, “I solemnly swear that the signer in front of me is legally named _____.”
(d) A CW can be used regardless of whether the signer has ID or not as names on ID do not always reflect the whole, complete or current name of a signer.
(e) A journal thumbprint must accompany all Notary acts done involving credible witnesses.
(f) The CW must not have any beneficial or financial interest in the document being signed.

8. Acknowledgment confusion.
(a) Box at top of page
Many Notaries get confused by the information in the box at the top of an Acknowledgment. Many Notaries feel that the signer does not have to verify the validity of the document where it says clearly that the Notary does not have to. It is better to clarify this point as many Notaries are lacking the gift of logical thinking which can cause a lot of confusion.
(b) Perjury clause in Acknowledgments
Many Notaries feel that the signer is signing under the penalty of perjury in an Acknowledgment where it is clear that it is the Notary who is filling out the form correctly under the penalty of perjury. This point is widely misunderstood and needs to be elaborated since there are so many who cannot think logically about this point.
(c) Notaries are often unclear about whether the signer has to sign in their presence. Since the signer must personally appear, Notaries misinterpret this to mean that the signer must sign while they personally appear which is not true in California. The signer can sign ten years ago, but cannot be notarized until they appear.
(d) Notaries are often unclear about who is acknowledging what in an acknowledgment. Many thing that the Notary is acknowledging that a signature is correct. This is not true. The signer needs to acknowledge that they signed a document in the presence of the Notary. This point needs to be clarified for your notaries because there is too much confusion and misinterpretation going on out there.
(e) The additional optional information on NNA forms should be REQUIRED by law on loose certificates as it deters the fraudulent switching of acknowledgments to other documents by virtue that it identifies the name of the document, number of pages, document date, signers, and more…

9. Chain of Authority.
Many Notaries work with Title companies regularly and think of the Title companies as their boss. Wrong! The state is not exactly their boss, but is the entity they have to refer to if there is a legal question. It is common for Notaries to ask Lenders and Title what they can and cannot do as a Notary. This is wrong. They will get either a wrong answer or an answer that benefits the Lender or Title both of whom have beneficial and financial interest in the documents being Notaries. This point needs to be drummed into the Notaries heads. The State of California should ideally have a Notary hotline because there are so many times when Notaries have questions about what they can and cannot do, and often late at night when help is not available. The point of a Notary is to ensure the integrity of transactions done involving signed documents. If the Notary cannot find out what the law says, then the notarization will not have any integrity. This is a very serious issue.

10. Hands On Training
Notaries take a written exam, but this is not really as important as practical matters. What is important is to have someone do hands on training and testing to see if the Notary can fill out forms, journals, administer Oaths, take thumbprints, use credible witnesses, and decipher between legal and illegal requests. A written test cannot do this.

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SUMMARY

1. Notary training should be two, three or four days long for new Notaries with a refresher every year to keep everyone serious.

2. Notaries should be trained by hand to see if they can handle requests, explain terminology and fill out forms, etc.

3. Notaries need to be audited regularly. Not only journal auditing which you are already doing (super!!!) Auditing people by pretending to be customers and asking them to do Oaths, or asking them if such and such a notarization would be legal under particular circumstances will let you know which of your Notaries are acceptable and which are criminals. It takes work, but you are a prudent organization that values integrity and I believe you will do the work.

Thanks
Sincerely,
Jeremy Belmont
123notary manager

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You might also like:

Letter to Florida Notary Division
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19896

Logic errors can cost you as a notary
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20110

Letter to Trump about the sad condition of American Notaries
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19403

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April 10, 2018

Document dates, signature dates, rescission dates and transaction dates

As a Notary, you will undoubtedly be confronted with a variety of dates that all need to be clearly defined in conversation so as not to confuse yourself or the other party. Let me sum these up.

Document Dates
The document date is NOT necessarily the date the document is notarized. It is merely an arbitrary date normally created by the document drafter that might reflect the date the document was drafted, supposed to be signed, supposed to be notarized, or some other arbitrary date. There is no rule for when a document date can be.

Signature Dates
The signature date of a document is the date it was signed. If you have two signers signing on different dates, you might have what 123notary calls “a double date.” There are multiple questions involved in a double date. One is how do you date the rescission document if the date you signed a document is more than one date. The other far more important question is — who pays?

Rescission Dates
The rescission date is based on a date that comes CALENDAR three days after the transaction (= signature date) not including Sundays or Federal holidays. If you have two signature dates, you might have two rescission dates, one per person. But, if there is only one rescission date, it probably is based on the last signature (complicated.)

Transaction Dates
This is more of a glossary type term or test term. The transaction date is the date when the transaction happened which is based on the date of the signature. I ask people what the synonym is for a signature date to see how much they read.

Medjool Dates
If you go to a signing for health conscious people or Saudi’s, after the signing, you might get yet another type of a date — a Medjool date. These dates are typically grown in the Middle East, but also in parts of Arizona near Yuma

Hot Dates Q&A
If you steal a document, would the date on the document be correctly defined as being a “hot date” since it was technically stolen?

Dates and Journal Entries
A good Notary does more than his/her state’s minimum requirements for journal entries. There is a field in your journal for the name and/or description of the document. A good journal also has an optional field for the document date. I suggest you pay attention and write in the document date as it helps to identify a particular document and distinguish it from a different document with the same name signed by the same person. Sometimes the document date is the only way to tell them apart.

Dates and Notary Appointments
I once went to a Notary appointment with a date. I left the date in the car and came out $30 richer. She complained that I left her in the car too long, which is good, because that date would expire at midnight.

Please also read our previous article on the same topic. Read more…

You might also like:

Notary Public 101 Certificates!
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19502

10 tight points on loose certificates
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=15449

Backdating from A to Z
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=2424

5 books every notary should own and read
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=3668

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February 7, 2017

Notary Wording

Notary Wording Varies from State to State
There is no official American Notary wording. Notary verbiage differs from state to state, and varies based on what type of Notary act you are having done. There are various common types of notarizations such as Acknowledged signatures, Jurats, Oaths and Affirmations. The vast majority of notarizations are Acknowledgments whose wording states that the signer appeared before the Notary, was positively identified, and signed the document.

Notary Certificates — what type of wording is included.
Your typical Acknowledgment or Jurat Certificate will include several sections with wording.

1. Venue
The venue states the state and county where the notarization is taking place. Please note that the Notary is not always commissioned in the county where the notarization is taking place. So, if you are in Orange county, but the Notary is from San Diego, please make sure they put the venue county based on where the notarization is taking place, and not where they live.

2. Boiler Plate Wording
The main body of the text could be worded in an infinite variety of ways, but normally state the date of the signing, name of the signer, the name of the Notary, the fact that the signer appeared before the Notary, the fact that the signer signed the document, and if an Oath was included (Jurats by definition have Oaths) then the fact that the signer swore before the Notary. The verbiage “subscribed and sworn to before me this (date)” is commonly used in many states especially in New York where the cabbies enjoy the swearing part more than any other part of the Notarization.

3. The Signature Section
The bottom of the notary wording or notary verbiage has room for the Notary’s seal which might mean their signature or their official notary stamp. In most states the Notary signs and stamps, or might even emboss with a non-inked embosser as a secondary form of stamp.

Types of Acknowledgments
Normally, when people want to be Notarized, they ask the Notary if they can notarize a Jurat for them. In actuality, most Notarizations are for Acknowlegments. Normally people can use an All Purpose Acknowledgment, but in Ohio, there is such thing as a Corporate Acknowledgment and Attorney in Fact Acknowledgment.

Where Can You Find Your State’s Wording?
If you visit our find a notary page, you can click on your state and find current notary wording for your state. Or Google your states notary wording. Example: “California Acknowledgment Wording.”

Sample California Jurat Verbiage

State of California
County of Lake

Subscribed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me on this 5th day of January, 2017, by Jedadiah Goldminer, proved to me on the basis of satisfactory evidence to be the person(s) who appeared before me.

(Seal)

Signature_______________________

Loose Certificates
Many documents have preprinted notary wording on them. However, it is legal to attach a loose certificate form using a staple. NNA is a great source for Notary certificate pads such as Acknowledgment Certificates, Jurat Certificates, and even Copy Certification by Document Custodian if you want to get fancy.

Filling out the Forms
It is common on Notary certificate forms to have sections where there is he/she/they or signature(s). You have to cross out the non-applicable word(s). If you are Notarizing a woman, cross out the he and the they and the (s). If you are notarizing a man and a woman in the same notary act, cross out the he and the she, but keep the (s). If you are notarizing a man who used to be a women — your guess is as good as mine — good luck, you’ll need it.

You might also like:

Notary Boiler Plate Wording
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=2432

Notary Certificates, Notary Wording & Notary Verbiage
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=1834

We caught a bunch of frauds using Notary Verbiage
http://blog.123notary.com/?tag=notary-verbiage

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January 17, 2017

Notary vs. Signing Agent

Filed under: Popular on Linked In,Popular on Twitter,Technical & Legal — Tags: , — admin @ 12:21 am

We write about this topic every so often. It is so basic and so critical that all new Notaries should understand. Every year, hundreds of thousands of Americans become Notaries. As Notaries they can perform tasks such as Acknowledging signatures, performing Jurats, administering Oaths, and other tasks which might be state specific. Notaries can hold their heads up high as their function is to identify signers, keep good records (in most states at least) and deter or prevent fraud. But, that is only if they are doing their job correctly — and most states do not vet their Notaries well enough to know the difference.

What is a Notary?
(1) A Notary Public is a state appointed official that is authorized to perform particular Notary functions. All states allow Notaries to perform Acknowledgments, Jurats, and Oaths, while some states allow Notaries to act as an official witness, safety box opener, proof of execution, protests, take Depositions, and more.

(2) A Notary receives a formal certificate of commission from their state, and a commission number.

(3) Many states require a Notary to have an official notary seal that has the Notary’s name, commission number, expiration date, state andcounty.

(4) Many states require the Notary to keep a bound and sequential official journal of notarial acts.

To be short, a Notary can perform certain basic Notary functions that their state allows them to function. Their state offers them a formal certificate of commission, and normally allows them to get one or two official Notary seals with their name, commission number, expiration date, city and state, etc. Notaries use prescribed state specific wording for particular Notary acts and that wording can be used on loose certificates that they can purchase from businesses who sell Notary supplies. A Notary is a public official, although most Notaries don’t understand that on an emotional level. They are appointed by their state as an official who will uphold (or at least are supposed to) the laws of their state at all costs.

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You might also like:

Would you accept a signing without a confirmation?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=22588

Notary Public General Information
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20075

10 rules for negotiating notary fees
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19620

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November 9, 2016

What are Jeremy’s favorite blog entries?

Filed under: Popular on Facebook (A little) — Tags: , — admin @ 11:04 pm

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HUMOR

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State of the Notary Industry Union Address
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16244

Alice in Notary Wonderland
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16140

You know you’re a notary when…
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16038

How Notary work is similar to online dating
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=15763

Jane the virgin notary
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=14899

The Towles Booth
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=9456

Welcome to the Notary Zoo
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=15994

Two and a half Notaries (string)
http://blog.123notary.com/?tag=twoandahalfmen

The Mayan Rescission Calendar
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=15096

2016 Notary Public Debate
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16006

My Date with Jeremy
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=4473

The Notary Hotel
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=8822

Bartender Notary
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=4080

Vampire Notaries
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=4094

Family Guy
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=10507

Noternity Court
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=14091

Notary Hell — Yeah, but it’s a dry heat
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=13196

Honey I notarized the kids
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=7030

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PRACTICAL

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The five food groups of Notary Knowledge
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=15141

Signing agent best practices 63 points
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=4315

The Starbucks Notary wises up!
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=4207

Two notaries assigned the same job?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=1060

A detailed look at the Ninja course
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=4621

Unique phrases from the Ninja course
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=14690

Good Deed Bad Deed — comprehensive guide to deeds
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16285

Trouble getting paid? Try our demand letter from hell.
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=15339

How much more does a 123notary certified signer make?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=15392

The “Met my Fee” list of signing companies
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16979

You want to get paid well as a Notary, but do you merit a good rate?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16687

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TIPS

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Everything you need to know about writing a great notes section
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16074

How to write a notes section if you are a beginner
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16698

A comprehensive guide to Notary Pricing
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16504

10 tight points on loose certificates
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=15449

How to become a successful mobile notary from scratch
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=13340

Interview with Timios Title
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=6718

5 or 6 reviews doubles your business
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=8484

Notary etiquette from Athiest to Zombie
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=13718

Borrower eqiquette from A to Z
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=2995

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COMPILATIONS

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How good is your technical knowledge, should you learn more?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16683

30 point course synopsis
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=14233

Best blog articles for advanced notaries
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=14736

Notary information for beginners: best posts.
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=10472

Compilation of certification posts
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16264

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