Taxes and non taxable notary income

My state, Washington, indicates that I can charge $10 for each notarization. If the document has three pages to notarize, is that $30 Considered not taxable income. Obviously I am a very new notary signing agent.

All of your notary income is taxable income (subject to allowable business deductions)- your notary fees are only exempt from Self Employment tax.

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Is the $10 per notarization considered the fee?

Yes - and don’t quote me on it but I believe WA is “per signature” not “per notarization” - check your handbook

Yes I am speaking of three signature pages where I had to sign and notarize.

Count your fee as each notary seal applied. If you signed and sealed on all three pages, that would be $30. If you applied your signature/seal to the final page of a three page document, that would be $10.

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Thank you. Yes $30 for three sign and seals.

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I looked at page 50 of the Washington notary manual. It says the fee is $10 per notarial act. One common notarial act is taking an acknowledgement. Here is a sample dialog:

Notary: Did you sign this document for the reasons contained in the document?

First signer: “Yes.” That’s notarial act #1.

Second signer: “Yes.” That’s notarial act #2

So for these two notarial acts, you could charge a total of $20. Doesn’t matter whether you name both signers in one certificate, or you fill out a different certificate for each signer; it’s two notarial acts.

Same idea for administering an oath.

Notary: “Do each of you swear the contents of this document are known to you and the document is true to the best of your knowledge and belief, so help you God?”

1st signer: “I do.” That’s a notarial act.
2nd signer: “I do.” That’s another notarial act.

Again it doesn’t matter if you fill out one jurat with both names, or two jurats, it’s two more notarial acts.

If both acknowledgements and both oaths took place in the same session, you could charge a total of $40.

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Notary Gadget is AMAZINGLY helpful with keeping track of this :slight_smile:

Does it help with tax filings? Does anyone else use it?

It’s $10 per notarize act. But there can be multiple acts per signing.

It helps you keep track of your signings, mileage for each signing, and # of notarial acts you perform during each signing. Keeps all of your fees organized as well and lets you know when payment is past-due. 10/10 would recommend!

Remember, it’s still taxable income, its just removed from what you pay Self Employment Taxes on. Just wanting to make that distinction as it’s a significant difference.

I’m not a tax accountant, reach out to one for proper advice

Yes, I figured that out. Trying notary gadget. Hopefully that will work.

So my question is, if your getting paid a flat fee say $100. for a signing for your travel fee, do you consider the notarial acts as part of the fee? Say you have 10 notarial acts. Do you count the whole fee as notarial acts and reduce your travel fee to 0 and your notarial acts as $100 as to not pay tax on your fees?

I’ve never had 10 notarial acts. However I usually have 2-6 and keep each separate from the fee. I believe it all washes out in the end. I also record mileage separately as an expense item. I don’t think you can take expenses directly out of income as you will get a 1099 recording that income, but I’m new so will consider other comments.

That is Not an easy question! Yes, When I started in 2017 I took almost all Signings offered to get Practice, than after a doing 5 -10 I realized after doing the math that I need to Adjust! So many Companies & All different = Amount of pages x2, Distance, Amt of Stamping, 1or 2 Signers?! etc. I learned which Companies pay Better & the Low Ballers! Bottom Line also - How to Barter!
Best Wishes!
Tony D

I highly recommend Notary Gadget. It’s totally worth the $9.95/month and keeps me organized. I finally got around to getting my numbers together to file taxes for 2020, and it made it so easy! It allows you to print out reports that are helpful.

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It looks great. Waiting for my new two drawer printer and scanner to take more jobs and then will sign up. I just love this forum.

If you are a self employed Notary Public, you have to pay two types of taxes. The first is your regular state and federal income tax on ALL income, including notary fees.

The second is Self-Employment tax on all income, minus the Notary Fees (they are exempt from Self Employment tax).

This is just a general description and not financial advice. You may want to consider finding a tax professional for help with your taxes. Here’s a link to the IRS website about Self-Employment tax: