As a business owner, establishing clear payment expectations is non-negotiable. Entering into an agreement without defined payment terms invites confusion, delays, and disputes.
I frequently hear notaries say, “I didn’t get paid on time,” but the real issue is this: what payment terms were agreed to upfront, and what consequences were outlined for late or non-payment?
If no terms were established, then help me understand why. Why accept an assignment without a written agreement or payment structure in place? Are you operating on the hope that you’ll be paid instead of requiring it?
Hope is not a business model. Clear payment terms, deadlines, and penalties set expectations, establish accountability, and reinforce that professional services require professional compensation.
I hear you. Problem is that most hiring parties do not outline ‘terms of payment’ with offer; nor will they even look at, much less honor, your terms. And way too many newbs are clueless…and hiring party depends on this.
It raises concerns that some companies rely on the inexperience of new notaries by offering assignments without transparent payment terms, effectively shifting the financial risk onto the notary.
I simply won’t take another signing from a company that still owes me payment. I will remind them that I am still awaiting a payment from them outside of the terms I accepted. They interestingly enough will jump on the accounting team right away & miraculously I get paid. It’s incredible to me how many signing agencies refuse to see us as professionals, even after we’ve done numerous signings for them.
With most hiring companies, you don’t see their payment terms till you go onto the Signing Service they hired you through and then you get their terms and conditions when you go into the order for the first time it’s that case on snap docs and on signingorder. com. But when you accept an order and then you see terms that say you’re not gonna get paid for 45 to 60 days that’s either your opportunity to drop that order and have them reassign it or learn who you’re just not gonna work for very much which is how I look at it.
There’s a lot of discussion of the right way versus the wrong way to do things and late payments aren’t payments that don’t pay us in the 30 days we require late payments are when they pay beyond their terms and conditions. The biggest skill to learn in managing as a notary is cash flow.
And how orders are assigned at this time you’re either gonna take an order or you’re not gonna get an order you don’t have the time to discuss terms and conditions before you accept an order that’s the nature of the business at this time because AI is handling all of our scheduling except in the rare instances you’re preferred by escrow officers or you’re preferred by a lender and you get first refusal on those specific orders, but that takes a good while to get to that point in some areas of the country.
I take orders from one company that pays the longest about 45 to 60 days but I don’t take many orders from that company and they do absolutely pay within the timeframe. They tell you they will.
I’m careful not to get in a situation where I don’t have a constant cash flow. I work for several companies that pay within 15 days.
