Had to give back a $200 signing order today. As I left out to head to the signing appointment this Monday morning. My car engine started to run rough, just before getting to the entrance leading to the expressway. Needless to say, I decided to return home and go to the Autozone in my neighborhood for an engine analysis. My assignment in distance was a 71.8 miles, so I rather just have the assignment reassigned then to experience a mechanical breakdown far away from home. These things happen in our business, such as equipment breakdowns that can cost the loss of business. Oh well, just going keep it moving! Guess I shall start working on another notary project focusing on estate notarial services.
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There are things that happen that can turn a profitable signing into a total loss. You just described one. I’d bail, too.
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Yes, these things happen. I was on the way to a signing when my engine started overheating. I pulled over on the freeway and called the escrow office and the signer to explain what was happening. Then I called Auto Club and had my car towed to my mechanic.
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Anything involving your health or transportation are valid excuses to back out of a signing. I have received some signing orders within an hour of the original signing time because of some mishap. I also have had to send some back for similar reasons myself. In reply the the estate notarial services, there are a number of law firms out there that hire notaries to notarize a complete trust binder for a pittance. For two persons and on average 10 certificates apiece, that is far below market value. I may make an exception of the signers are indigent and the firm is also not making a lot of money on the assignment but overall, my fee for such services is what I consider fair to me and still cost effective for my signers.
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Just curious…what is the ‘pittance’ amount offered? I tried to ‘get into this’ with local lawyers, but they all have staff to handle it. I have only done 1 and was hired & paid by signer as GNW…which really was not much.
It depends. Sometimes you do not know how much they are charging the clients, other times you have the law firm’s name in advance and can see their advertised fees. In California we are supposed to charge $15 per notarized signature. A typical Trust binder has up to 10 certificates times two signers times 15 is $300 in notary fees. Some signing companies want you to sign those certificates for $50 and scan from the table. At double the money I will not scan from the table but I will ask the signer if they have a scanner before I go to the signing. I typically charge $175 for a Trust binder, no scan, with travel in a ten mile radius.
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Appreciate your thoughtful reply.
In CA you are not supposed to charge $15 per notarization. That’s the maximum you are allowed to charge. And why would you not scan from the table? What’s wrong with doing that?
We’ve got hard working cars for sure.
My toyota camry just hit the 200,000 mile mark
I’ll be hitting up autozone once a month just to check
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