I got a RON request to notarize an irrevocable trust this week. I met my client to go over the paperwork and get the details, and then I had to advise the client to reach out to an attorney. Turns out the client was doing a DIY irrevocable trust. After seeing the original trust document, I was worried that the client might be doing this all wrong and get in over their head, so I advised that they seek professional counsel.
I think a big reason why this situation was handled correctly was that the client was willing to pay my fee upfront. After talking things over, I was confident that there was nothing I could do for them at this point, so I had to back away. I didn’t want to take their money and run, but I also didn’t want to risk putting our relationship in danger, and I definitely didn’t want to end up liable for something.